My Genealogy Hound

MISS ANNA E. RICHARDS, daughter of George and Anna (Sands) Richards, of Pottstown, occupies the family homestead. Her parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, her father having been born in Montgomery county and her mother in Berks county. They had four children, two sons and two daughters: Sophia M., wife of Dr. Thomas Lancaster, of 1303 North Broad street, Philadelphia; Mark H. Richards, deceased; Matthias E. Richards, deceased; and Miss Anna E. Richards.

Matthias E. Richards served in the army during the whole of the Civil war, being on General Bartlett’s staff and a major in the Ninety-sixth Regiment. He participated in all the battles of the Virginia campaign. Before the war he was an attorney-at-law in Pottsville. He studied in Lawyer Gowan’s office and practiced there a number of years. M. E. Richards Post, G. A. R., was named for him, as was also the public fountain on High and Charlotte streets. He was one of the first defenders of the Union from Pennsylvania.

Mark H. Richards was for many years a real-estate agent for the Reading Railroad Company. He was an active man in politics, being formerly a Whig and afterward a Republican. He took an active interest in school matters in Pottstown and one of the schoolhouses is named in his honor. He was a justice of the peace in Pottstown. Both Matthias and Mark Richards were public-spirited men.

Dr. Thomas Lancaster, the husband of Sophia M. Richards, came from England when about twelve years of age and practiced medicine in Philadelphia for many years. He now lives retired in that city. Mrs. Thomas Lancaster died January 13, 1904, at the old home in Pottstown and her remains were interred in Philadelphia, at St. James the Less cemetery.

George Richards (father) was born in New Hanover township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on June 17, 1788. He was educated in Montgomery county but when he became of age he went to Philadelphia and entered a counting house as clerk. He became a shipping merchant and part owner of several vessels running between the United States and South America. In 1811 he made a voyage to Cuba, and another to Porto Rico in the same year. In 1812 he made a third voyage to La Guayra, the seaport of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, South America. Here he witnessed the terrible earthquake that shook the city of Caracas. He was at one time taken prisoner by order of the king of Spain for shipping tobacco. Spain thought that the privilege of shipping tobacco belonged exclusively to her. He engaged in farming in New Hanover township for some years and lived retired in Pottstown for the remainder of his life. He owned the home at No. 213 High street, where two of his children were born and which home has been in the family for more than seventy years. He died there August 19, 1873, aged eighty-five years, two months and two days. His third wife, Anna Sands Richards, died April 6, 1843, aged thirty-nine years. In religious faith he was a Lutheran and his wife was a Baptist.

George Richards was a Mason for many years and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a member of the Pennsylvania legislature, being senator from Pottstown district. He was also burgess of Pottstown and interested actively in all public affairs.

His first wife was Miss Sophia Herman, daughter of Rev. F. L. Herman. They had one son, Dr. John Richards (deceased). His second wife was Maria Mathias.

John Richards (grandfather of Anna E. Richards) was born April 18, 1753, and died November 13, 1822. He was a member of the fourth congress, 1796-97; state senator, 1801-07; member of the Pennsylvania convention on federal constitution in 1787. During the Revolution he was appointed a magistrate before whom the people were obliged to take the oath of allegiance to the government. He was a member of Lodge No. 8, Free and Accepted Masons, one of the very oldest in Pennsylvania, which met at the Valley Forge encampment in 1777 and was attended by General Washington and many distinguished American officers. His wife was Sophia Hubener, whom he married May 2, 1775. They had a large family. One of their sons, Mark Richards, was a prominent resident of Philadelphia. Sophia Hubener was the daughter of John Hubener. The parents of John Richards were Mathias and Margaret Richards.

The founder of the Richards family in this country was John Richards who came from Germany and bought land in New Hanover township, Montgomery county.

The maternal grandfather of Miss Anna E. Richards was Othniel Sands, and his wife was Catharine Sands. He lived at Amity where he owned a sawmill. In religious faith he was a Baptist. He died well advanced in years, leaving a large family. Miss Anna E. Richards is the only remaining representative of the family now living in Pottstown.