Richea Hart was the eldest of three children born to Joshua andRebecca Hart of Charleston. In 1777 she married Abraham MendesSeixas. Son of Isaac and Rachel Levy Seixas,brother of famed hazzan Gershom MendesSeixas, Abraham had come south as a volunteer for the Americanarmy. He carried dispatches for General Harry Lee between Charlestonand Georgia, among other duties, and apparently achieved the rank ofcaptain. After the war, the couple settled for a time inPhiladelphia—Abraham taking an oath of loyalty to the state ofPennsylvania in 1782—and eventually returned to Charleston. Abrahamworked as a merchant—sometimes a slave trader—and a lawyer.Richea gave birth to eleven children, and the family was involvedwith congregation Beth Elohim, where Abraham was a trustee and servedas president.