My Genealogy Hound

DAVID RICHARDS is a new comer in Johnson County, as it was in 1894 that he became the owner of a quarter-section of land on section 27, township 45, range 28. He is a practical and thoroughly enterprising agriculturist, being one of the kind who bring prosperity to any community, for he takes a commendable interest in the welfare of his home neighborhood, and always does his share in the promotion of general enterprises accruing to the public good. He has already inaugurated a number of improvements on his farm, and expects to continue in this direction. Before coming here, and while a resident of Seward County, Neb., he was President of the County Agricultural Society for two years, and was a member of the Board of Directors for three years.

Abraham Richards, father of the above gentleman, was a native of France, His birth occurred in 1808, and he crossed the ocean to the United States when twenty years of age. His wife, whose girlhood name was Anna Gerber, was a native of Stark County, Ohio, and there she was married. Mr. Richard was a farmer by occupation, and the owner of one hundred and sixty acres six miles south of Canton. He was a poor boy when he landed on these shores, and at first worked on a canal at Canton, and afterward was employed on a farm by the month. He was married January 6, 1834, and found in his wife a true helpmate. They had five children, of whom David is the third. John, the eldest, lives on the old farm; Christian G. resides at Rosemond, Ill.; Joseph is an engineer in the Diebold Safe Works at Canton; and Lydia is the wife of Samuel Groves, of Stark County, Ohio. Politically Mr. Richards was a Democrat, but not radical in his views. His death occurred February 19, 1875.

Born in Stark County, April 21, 1841, our subject was reared near the home of William McKinley, with whom he was well acquainted in his youth. He was early set to work, and although he had meager opportunities for obtaining an education, is now a well informed man, having added to his store of knowledge by reading, study and contact with the world. When he was about twenty years of age he gave evidence of his good business ability, buying a threshing-machine, in partnership with an acquaintance, for which he was obliged to go into debt. He paid for it the first season, and subsequently made considerable money from the venture. After his marriage he rented land for a year and then purchased seventy acres in Stark County of his father. For this place he was obliged to go in debt also, but before many years had passed had paid for the land, built a fine barn, repaired the house and bought fifty acres more. There he continued to dwell until 1887, when, selling out, he moved to Milford, Neb., and bought a quarter-section of land. During his residence of seven years on that place he erected a number of windmills to furnish water, and after instituting various other changes he sold the farm, in 1894, at $50 an acre. Since then he has been a resident of this locality, where he soon removed with the intention of making a permanent residence.

December 14, 1862, Mr. Richards married Catie Whitmer, of Stark County, Ohio, where her birth occurred October 18, 1842. Her parents, Jacob and Lydia (Shroyer) Whitmer, were natives of Stark County, Ohio, and of Pennsylvania, respectively. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Richards, namely: Charles B., October 7, 1863; Riley D., August 10, 1871; and Frank B., March 27, 1873. They are all natives of Stark County, and have been well educated. The eldest son is at home and assists in the management of the home farm. The second son attended the high school at Milford, Neb., three years, later was employed in a drug-store at Minden, Neb., for two years, and is now studying pharmacy. Frank B., a student in the Eclectic Medical Institute at Lincoln, Neb., was married December 25, 1893.

Mr. Richards cast his first Presidential vote for MacClellan, and is a stalwart Democrat. He served for four years as Township Trustee, in Ohio, and was a member of the School Board for nine years. In July, 1894, he joined the Knights of the Maccabees, and expects to identify himself with Holden Lodge. While living in Ohio, he bought and fed horses for the New York markets, shipping them from his own farm, and in this way he made quite an income. On removing to Nebraska, it was his expectation to go extensively into the same business, but he changed his plans on account of the depreciation in the horse markets of the West.