Trinity Church in Seymour, and St. Peter's Church in Oxford. Mansfield acted as rector for numerous other churches which were in their infancy.
    Richard Mansfield was born in New Haven on October 1, 1724, the son of Jonathan and Sarah (Alling) Mansfield. His father was a deacon in the Congregational Church of that city. His early upbringing was strongly influenced by the Congregational faith, and he was educated to become a Congregational clergyman.
    At the age of eleven years, Mansfield had completed studies needed for admission to Yale College but was forced to wait until he was fourteen years of age before entering the school, due to the rules of the college. In 1841, Richard Mansfield graduated with the first honors of his class. For his scholarship, he was awarded a prize which was to lead him away from the Congregational Church to his role as an Episcopalian.
    He was awarded a "scholar of the house" premium for entering the best grades on the Greek examination. The award was given through an endowment fund from Bishop Berkeley, an Episcopalian who had provided for a number of gifts to Yale College. The condition to receive the award was for the recipient to spend one or more years at Yale as a graduate