My Genealogy Hound

James E. Richards, one of the oldest native citizens of Crittenden County, was born in 1856, and is the eldest child of a family of three children born to the union of W. A. and Sophroney (Gilmore) Richards, originally of South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively. When Mr. Richards came to this State there were but few roads in this part of the county, and only a few claims staked out, with from two to five acres in cultivation. People that lived here then spent most of their time hunting and rafting logs down the Tyronza River, and in raising stock. It cost nothing to raise cattle, and the timber which was rafted was close to the streams and could be had without expense, save the labor of cutting and rafting, which was mostly to New Orleans. Mr. Richards bought land and opened one of the first farms of any size in this section of the country, and devoted his time to farming and stock raising, which he continued until his death, January 10, 1875. To himself and wife three children were born, of whom two are still living: James E. and W. A. Mrs. Richards died in 1864, and in 1866 Mr. Richards was married to Mrs. Sarah (Rose) Vernon, becoming by her the father of four children; three of these survive: Addie, Meda and Katie. After the death of Mr. Richards, Mrs. Richards was married to Thomas Eskridge, who died in 1879; she subsequently married Mr. Davis, of Mississippi County, Ark., where she still resides. Mr. Richards held the office of justice of the peace in this county for a number of years, and during the Civil War, in which he took no part. James E. Richards was reared to farm life, and at the age of eighteen years commenced life for himself (or at the time of his father’s death). He engaged in the timber business for some years and was later employed in the dry goods and grocery store of C. J. Powell, at Crawfordsville. At the age of twenty-two he was married to Miss Fannie Brown, of this county, the daughter of E. D. and Delia (McGee) Brown, natives of Kentucky and Arkansas, respectively, who were the parents of two children: Richard and Fannie. Mr. Brown came to this State in an early day, and died in 1874; his wife died in 1864. To Mr. and Mrs. Richards have been born six children (of whom four are still living); the following are their names in order of birth: Delia (deceased), Willie (deceased), Carrie, James C. and R. E. and Arthur (twins). Mr. Richards is principally occupied with his brother in rafting logs and the farming of 100 acres on the old home place. He has the largest interest in a 196-acre tract of land, with 100 acres in cultivation, and his wife owns a farm near Crawfordsville, consisting of 109 acres, with fifty acres in cultivation. Mr. Richards is a member of Lone Star Lodge No. 375, A. F. & A. M. of Crawfordsville, and takes great interest in educational and church matters; his desire to promote educational facilities has placed him on the board of school directors for his district for a number of years.