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 William R. Richards was born April 7, 1789, in Lancaster County, PA, and died May 2, 1867, in
Richardsville, Jefferson County. His wife was Ann T. Clark, born near Carlisle in Cumberland County, PA, and also died in Richardsville, Jefferson County on
January 10, of 1869. Their tombstone states that they are the "Pioneer Settlers of Richardsville".
The Richards family migrated from Wales to America by 1740. Having lived in Westmoreland, Indiana, and
Armstrong Counties, they are credited with starting the village of Richardsville in Jefferson County before 1842.
When William R. and Ann T. Clark Richards settled, they began to build the first saw mill at Pekin about
1839, then built a house, gristmill and woolen factory. He set up a fulling mill on the North Fork of Red Bank Creek by 1841. He was elected postmaster July 6, 1852.
Family folklore tells the story that Ann T. Clark Richards was a cousin to Mary Todd, who married
Abraham Lincoln. Ann and Mary share the same Great-Grandfather Robert Todd.
William and Ann had the following children: Nancy Ann, Alexander, Elizabeth, William, Washington (aka
G. W.), Martha, Evaline and Margaret.
Their son, G. W. Richards, inherited his father's sense of business an d ran a tannery, the grist mill and the saw mill after his father's retirement.
George married Rhoda Susannah Wilson of Warsaw Twp., in December 1859. They had the following children: Robert, Javin, Bess, Clara, Eva Mae, Roseannah, Evaline, Benjamin O., George Sherman, Franklin Mead,
William, Annie Ruth, Bertie and Mary Rhoda.
Annie R. Richards married George Frederick Simpson of
Brookville and eventally moved to Penn Hills, Allegheny County. They had Richard, Charles, Emma, Anna Mae, and her twin, Russell, who died in infancy. Anna Mae
Simpson married Clarence Grant Stover, and had Edward C., and twins Anna Mae and Eva Mae. My father is Edward C. Stover.
William R. and Ann T. Clark Richards are buried in Riggs Cemetery, Jefferson County,
along with son, G. W., and his wife Rhoda Susannah. Two other sons, William R., Jr., and Alexander Richards are nearby.
Information compiled by Darlene Pirozzi, peachy_Dar@verizon.net
Photo by Patricia Steele.
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