county. New Jersey, and until 1872, an active merchant in Philadelphia. He was
prime mover in the construction of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, from Cam-
den to the sea, and was one of its board of directors, 1852-95, and a member of
its executive committee. On May 17, 1852, he met the board of directors, and.
May 24. authorized the engineers to begin the preliminary survey for the road.
o^.
yt-^-^
RICHARDS 1585
which was completed by June, of the same year. He was an active promoter of
the Camden and Atlantic Land Company, chartered March 10, 1853, and was its
president at the time of his death. It was he that suggested the name, and was
largely instrumental in the laying out and improvement of Atlantic City, the termi-
nus of the railroad of which he was acting president for many years. In 1874, he
constructed another railroad to Atlantic City, the Philadelphia and Atlantic Rail-
road, now in control of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company. In 1888,
as president of the Camden and Atlantic Land Company, he undertook the extension
of Atlantic City by the addition of Ventnor, called after the famous watering
place on the Isle of Wight, and, 1890, erected there the most southern hotel of the
famous watering place. He was inventor of the Richards' snow plow, used on
many railroads.
Samuel Richards was the last survivor of the original board of directors of the
Camden and Atlantic Railroad Company. He married Elizabeth M., daughter of
John B. Ellison, head of the well-known mercantile firm of John B. Ellison &
Sons, Philadelphia.
Issue of Samuel and Elizabeth M. (Ellison) Richards:
Mary Richards, d. inf. ;
Thomas J. Richards, b. April 24. 1853; many years connected with Provident Life &
Trust Company of Phila.; m. at Newport, R. I.. Aug. 17. 1881, Lydua E. Shipley
Wiinn: they had issue:
Elliott Bartram Richards, b. March 26, 1883 ;
Annabclle Elliott Richards, b. Oct. o, 1884;
Elizabeth Ellison Richards, b. Oct. 30, 1887;
Winifred Richards, b. Jan. 14, 1892.
Samuel Bartram Richards, b. July 2, 1855; was associated with his father in construc-
tion of Philadelphia & Atlantic City R. R., and, 1878, was elected secretary and treas-
urer of the Camden & .Atlantic Land Company, and is president of the Ventnor Light
& Water Company; was elected. 1906, Mayor of Ventnor City, N. J. He m., June 9.
1881, Mary Dorrance, dau. of Franklin Evans, and a member of Society of Mayflower
Descendants, through descent from Gov. William Bradford; they had issue:
Meta Ellison Richards, b. March 23. 1882; m.. Jan. 31. 1905. Edmund Cooper
Hoyt, of Tenn., and they had issue :
Samuel Bartram Richards Hoyt. b. Dec. 10. 1905.
Natalie Richards, b. Sept. 14. 1890.
Benjamin Wood Ricii.\rds, eldest son of Col. William Richards, of Batsto,
New Jersey, by his second wife, Margaret Wood, was born at Batsto, November
12, 1797. He graduated at Princeton, 181 5, and began his studies for the Presby-
terian ministry, but delicate health compelled him to abandon them. After an ex-
tended tour through the south and southwest, he regained his normal health, and
returning to Philadelphia, engaged in the mercantile business, 1819. He was
elected to Common Council, 1827, and to General Assembly of Pennsylvania in
— — ; taking an active part in promoting legislature in the interest of popular edu-
cation, he secured the first appropriation for the public schools of Philadelphia.
He became a member of the first Board of Control of Public Schools of the city,
and did much for their advancement. In April, 1829, he was elected Mayor of
Philadelphia, to fill the unexpired term of Hon. George M. Dallas, who had re-
signed, and was three times re-elected. He was appointed Canal Commissioner,
under the act of 1829. and was appointed, by President Jackson, a director of
United States Bank, and superintendent of United States Mint, of Philadelphia,
resigning the latter position on his election to the mayoralty. .\\. the expiration of
1586 RICHARDS
liis temi as Mayor, he was made one of the trustees of Girarcl College. He was
also a trustee of University of Pennsylvania. In 1836, he originated and founded
The Girard Life Insurance, Annuity and Trust Company and was its president
until his death. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society. While
traveling in Europe, 1833, his attention was called to the English system of estab-
lishing and conducting rural cemeteries, on his return began the agitation of the
c|uestion of establishing one in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, and in 1835,
was one of the organizers of Laurel Hill Cemetery, with which he was connected
at the time of his death.
Benevolent and great of heart, he took a lively interest in charitable institutions ;
he was one of the founders of the Asylum for the Blind, one of the managers of
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and a large contributor to other benevolent enter-
prises.
In person Mr. Richards was of tall and imposing figure, and was considered the
handsomest man in Philadelphia. He died July 12, 1851, in the prime of his use-
fulness, at the early age of fifty-three years, and was buried in Laurel Hill Ceme-
tery.
Benjamin W. Richards married, 182 1, Sarah Ann. daughter of Joshua Lippin-
cott, of Philadelphia ; she died March 19, 1862.
Issue of Benjamin IJ'. atid Sarah Ann (Lippincott) Richards:
Sarah Richards :
Selina Richards:
Louisa Richards;
.'\ugustus Richards;
Benjamin W. Richards. Jr., of whom presently;
Howard Richards;
Charles Richards.
Benj.amin Wood Rich.\rd.s, Jr., son of Benjamin W. and Sarah Ann (Lippin-
cott) Richards, born in Philadelphia, August 9, 1831. received his preliminary
education in that city, entered the sophomore class at University of Pennsylvania,
1846, and received his degree, 1849. Shortly after his graduation, he entered his
father's counting house, and at the latter's death, succeeded to the business, and
continued it until the breaking out of the Civil War. On April 12, 1862, he was
appointed, by President Lincoln, Aide-de-Camp, on the staff of Maj. Gen. James
B. Rickett, with the rank of Captain, and he served with the Army of the Potomac
during the war. He received, for gallant and meritorious services, the brevet of
Major of United States Volunteers. 1864, and of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel of
United States Volunteers, 1865, resigning from the service, March 10, 1865. Re-
turning to Philadelphia at the close of his military career, he has since resided in
that city.
Mr. Richards succeeded to his father's interest and official position in the Laurel
Hill Cemetery Company, of which he has since been secretary and treasurer, and
has filled the position of general superintendent since 1870. He is a director of
the Girard Trust Company, of which his father was a founder. He is a member
of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion : of the Academy of Natural Sciences
of Philadelphia, and has been a member of the University and Art clubs since
their organization. He has been an extensive traveler in this country and abroad,
and has always been very fond of outdoor sports, especially of hunting. He is
unmarried.
RICHARDS FAMILY.
Joseph Richards, of Newgate, parish of Witney, Oxfordshire, England, pur-
chased from William I'enn, Lord Proprietary of Pennsylvania, 500 acres of land
in that province. He removed to Pennsylvania at an early date, and was a juror
at the first court held for Chester county, February 14, 1682-83. Hazard (Annals,
p. 604) intimates that he was one of the nine persons elected to the first Assembly,
but as none of the four known members are in the list there given, the latter were
probably only the signers to the certificate of elections. Joseph Richards' land
was taken up in Aston township, and is shown on P.enjamin H. Smith's map of
early grants and patents.
He was foreman of the grand jury, which, 8mo. 4, 1689-90, j^resented a bill of
complaint, respecting public affairs, demanding that an account should be given
of public moneys, and that a fee bill should be hung up in the courthouse.
Joseph Richards, lomo. 5, 1688, conveyed to his son, Joseph, 300 acres of his
original tract in Aston township. There being two of the same name, father and
son, it is difficult to identify them in some cases, but the following deeds, un-
doubtedly, refer to the father.
By deed, dated September 8. 1693, David Lloyd granted, inter alia, to "Joseph
Richards of the Town and County of Chester, Physician," a piece of meadow, or
cripple, containing three acres, next to James Lownes's meadow, Urin Keen's
meadow, etc. Joseph Richards, January 16, 1702-03, granted the same to John
Bristow, who conveyed it to Jasper Yeates, December 20, 1705. David Lloyd, by
deed, dated imo. i, 1696-97, conveyed to Jasper Yeates, a lot in Chester, which, on
June 12, 1699, Yeates conveyed to Joseph Richards, for sixteen pounds.
At a Quarterly Meeting of Friends, held at Chester, 6mo. 4, 1684, it was "con-
cluded & agreed between Joseph Richards & Charles Ashcom about ye admeasur-
ing of Land yt ye said Joseph shall pay Charles for ye same, without any further
disturbance. The same is ended betwixt them the money is paid in p'sence of ye
Meeting."
At a Monthly Meeting held at Chester, lomo. 6, 1686, "the difference betweene
Joseph Richards & Will"". Woodmansey offered to ye Meeting in order to a com-
posure of ye same. Will'" Woodmansey did acknowledge he spoke foolishly in
comparing him to a I^ondon pick pocket & ye like & that he was grieved & sorry
for ye same, wch Joseph Richards did accept desiring & intending hereby yt there
be an end of strife from ye beginning to this day." At the same Meeting, 4mo. 6,
1692, it was "ordered by this Monthly Meeting that the executors of Tho: Brassey
deliver Joseph Richards his bill and that he pay the executors the rent according
to their demand, or els to appear the next months meeting, and show cause to the
contrary, and that John Hodgkins and Robert Barber give him to understand
hereof and that John Hodgkins deliver the aboesaid bill, upon the receiving a re-
ceipt of £4 5s. in part of £7 5s. given by John Bristow."
Joseph Richards was one of the earliest physicians practising in Chester county,
but where he obtained his medical knowledge is unknown. He died in 1710-11, in
Chichester township. His will was dated 7mo. 6. 1705. and proved February 16.
1588 RICHARDS
1710-11. He left his son, Joseph, five shillings, and said Joseph's two eldest chil-
dren, Susanna and Joseph, five shillings each ; his son Nathaniel's three children,
William, Nathaniel and Elizabeth, five pounds each ; and made bequests to his son-
in-law, Humphrey Scarlett ; daughter, Anne Scarlett, and daughter, Susanna
Lownes, and her four children, Joseph, James, Hannah and Susanna. The name
of Joseph Richard's wife was Jane; she being mentioned at a court, held in the
4mo., 1689, as the mother of Anne Weaver.
Issue of Joseph and Jane Richards:
Joseph Rich.ards, Jr., of whom later;
Nathaniel Richards, lived in .Aston tw p. ; d. 1700: m.. about 1689, Mary, dau. of Richard
Mason; issue:
William Richards, d. young;
Elizabeth Richards, m., about 1716, Roger Kirk;
Nathaniel Richards, of New Garden twp., Chester co.; d. 1730; m. Margaret
Wiley, who m. (second) Thomas Rowland, (third) Evan Powell;
Mary Richards, d. young.
Anne Richards, m. (first), 1686, Anthony Weaver; they declared their intentions of
marriage before Chester Monthly Meeting, 4mo. 7, and 5mo. 5, 1686. Anthony "owned
himself to be none of us," but was permitted to marry amongst Friends; he probably
d. 1687, and Anne m. (second), before 1692, Humphrey Scarlett, who purchased the
land of his predecessor, in .Aston twp., and resided there for a time;
Susanna Richards, m., 1692, James Lownes, and had at least four children : Joseph
Lownes, James Lownes, Hannah Lownes, Susanna Lownes.
Joseph Rich.\rds, Jr., was born in England, and came to Pennsylvania some
time after his father, but from the same place, Newgate, parish of Whitney,
county Oxon. He obtained a lease for 999 years, from February 25, 1685, from
Ann Cesill and Thomas Cesill, widow and son of William Cesill (Cecil?), late of
Longcomb, county Oxon, for one moiety of 250 acres of land in Pennsylvania,
purchased from William Penn. On 4mo. 9, 1691, this 125 acres, having by that
time been laid out in Aston township, adjoining Carter's and Richard Mason's
lands, Joseph Richards sold it to Joseph Carter, of Aston.
Joseph Richards, "the younger," of the town of Aston, gave a bond, lomo. 4,
1688, to Richard Crosby, of Middletown, in the sum of i400, to indemnify by deed
or deeds, for land in Aston, "soe that it save harmless the abovesaid Richard
Crosby of and from all bonds, that the aforesaid Joseph Richards and Richard
Crosby have Given unto Joseph Richards, ye Elder, bearing even date with these
presents." As mentioned above, Joseph Richards, Sr., of Aston, on lomo. 5, 1688,
conveyed to his son, Joseph Richards, Jr., of same town, 300 acres ; this adjoined
lands of William Weaver, John Beal, Thomas Mercer, Edward Walter, John
Kinsman, and other lands of Joseph Richards, Sr. No doubt the bonds men-
tioned in previous deed were to secure the payment for this land. On February
24, 1 7 12- 1 3, John Wade and wife, and Thomas Bright and wife, Elizabeth, made
a deed to Joseph Richards, of Chester township, for three lots in Chester. This
recites that Philip Eilbeck and his wife, Lydia, June 18, 1702, conveyed to John
Wade, the Essex House and plantation in Chester, formerly of his uncle, Robert
Wade. John Wade, having laid out a part in lots, sold, but not conveyed, one lot
to Thomas Bright, and two more to Joseph Richards, who built a messuage there-
on. Wade and Bright now convey to Richards the three lots on north side of
Bridge street, from the easterly side of Essex street, or King street, southward
176 feet.
RICHARDS 1589
Joseph Richards had apparently removed from Aston to Chester township,
about 1712, and afterwards seems to have lived in the town of Chester. By the
assessment lists, it appears that he returned to his Aston property in 1721, and
continued to reside there until his death. Unlike his father, he does not seem to
have been a member of the Society of Friends. His will is dated January 28,
1732-33, and proven January 5, 1735-36, in which he gave to his daughter, Sus-
anna Barber, five pounds ; to son, Edward Richards, one shilling ; to daughter,
Dinah Linville, one shilling; to daughter, Elizabeth Johnson, five pounds; to
daughter, Ruth Worrell, five pounds ; and to son, Joseph, all the land, appointing
him executor.
Joseph Richards probably married in England, before coming to Pennsylvania ;
his wife's name is unknown; she died before he made his will.
Issue of Joseph Richards:
Susanna Richards, m. James Barber, of Chester, and had a dau., Mary, m. John Young;
Joseph Richards, eldest son, inherited his father's lands, and lived in Aston twp.; d.
1756; m. Lydia, dau. of James and Demaris Chick, of Phila.. who d. in 1766;
Edw.\rd Richards, of whom presently;
Dinah Richards, m.. Feb. 9, 1713-14, Thomas Linville;
Elizabeth Richards, m. (first) Francis Johnson, (second) Francis Simonson ;
Ruth Richards, m. John Worrell, of Ridley twp.
Edward Rich.\rds, second son of Joseph Richards, Jr., bought from his elder
brother, Joseph, some of the land their father had left to the latter; a survey of
100 acres, part of this was made for him March 2, 1721-22, and a draft of it shows
fifty acres, adjoining, also bought by Edward froin Joseph ; so he must have
bought from his brother just one-half of their father's 300 acres.
He also appears to have bought from Thomas Linville, a tract of seventy-one
acres in Chichester, yet from the neglect to record the deed it is difificult to obtain
full particulars of his land transactions.
He lived on his property in Aston township. His will is dated January 12,
1764. proven April 22, 1765. He desired to be buried at St. Paul's Church, Ches-
ter, by the side of his deceased wife, Elizabeth. To his present wife, Margaret,
he devised a horse, two cows, si.x sheep, two hogs, with pasture, etc., for same
with his son Jacob's creatures ; also a home during widowhood and various articles
of furniture, etc., and a mulatto girl, Maria, during her natural life. His little
plantation, adjoining Daniel Brown, is directed to be sold, and the money divided
between his seven daughters, Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Susanna, Catha-
rine and Martha. His plantation at the Hook is also to be sold, unless his son,
Jacob, will pay one hundred and ten pounds for it, the proceeds also to be divided
among the daughters. To the church wardens of St. Paul's Church, Chester, he
devises three pounds, towards the purchase of a pall for the use of the church ; to
son, Jacob, "the whole of the plantation which I lived on and occupied in my life-
time ;" to daughter, Sarah, his gold ring: executors, John Fairlamb. Esq.. and the
testator's son, Jacob.
Edward Richards married (first) Elizabeth , (second), September 26,
1751, at Swedes' Church, Wilmington. Margaret Hogan ; his children, all by his
first wife, were:
Jacob Richards, of whom presently:
Sarah Richards;
1590 RICHARDS
Rachel Richards:
Rebecca Richards;
Elizabeth Richards;
Susanna Richards;
Catharine Richards;
Martha Richards.
Jacoh Richards, only son of Edward and Elizabeth Richards, inherited his
father's plantation in Aston township, Chester (now Delaware) county, and lived
thereon all his life. By deed of April 13, 1772, he purchased from William Grubb,
of Brandywine Hundred, New Castle county, 142 acres in Chichester township,
Chester county, it being part of the Withers tract, shown on Smith's map. He
also purchased, from diiiferent members of the Coburn family, land in Lower
Chichester township, which they had inherited from Robert Langham.
By his will, dated January 8, i/Sg, codicil dated January 15, proved Eebruary
26, 1789, he bequeathed to his wife, Susanna, £50, furniture, two horses and four
cows, ten sheep, and the use of the plantation, until his son, Jacob, should be
twenty-one years old ; to son, Edward, messuage lands, etc., in Chichester, for-
merly of the Coburn's, he paying the testator's estate £450; to son, Jacob, the
homestead, 250 acres, bounded by lands of Samuel Evans, James Barnard, Joseph
Talbot, Joseph Askew, Mordecai Cloud and James Twaddel, according to a speci-
fied line of division from the remainder ; to his five daughters, Anne Price, Eliza-
beth Grantham, Susanna, Christiana and Sarah Richards, the residue of the real
estate ; wife and son, Edward, to be executors. The codicil provides for the wife's
maintenance after Jacob came into possession of the homestead; she renounced
the executorship, and letters were granted to Edward.
Jacob Richards married, January 6, 1757, at Holy Trinity (Old Swedes')
Church, Wilmington, Susanna, who died August 10, 1794, daughter of Thomas
and Aim Wills, of Middletown township, Chester (now Delaware) county. Per-
haps this was not his first marriage, as we find in the records of Swedes' Church,
aforesaid, that a Jacob Richards and Rachel Ruth were married May Q, 1754.
The children of Jacob Richards (supposed to all be by Susanna Wills, if indeed
the other marriage was his) were:
Anne Richards;
Edward Richards:
Elizabeth Richards;
Susanna Richards;
Christiana Richards:
Jacob Richards:
Sarah Richards.
Anne Richard.s, eldest daughter of Jacob Richards, married (first) Samuel
Price, (second), March 24, 181 4, Joseph Marshall, Esq. By her first husband,
Samuel Price, she was mother of Maj. Samuel A. Price, of Chester, a prominent
politician, who was elected High Sheriff of Delaware county, 1834. He died at
his residence, in Chester, March 22, 1868. in his sixty-fourth year. An obituary
in the Republican said of him, in part :
"The deceased was extensively known, had conferred upon him several military distinc-
lions, and had filled the office of High Sheriff of this County. During the last six or eight
vears he had retired from business and had confined himself very much to the society of his
RICHARDS 1591
family. Major Price married Sarah Bickham, of Philadelphia, and died leaving a widow and
a large family; of his daughters Sarah married Harry Lindsey, of Philadelphia, and Annie
married, first, J. Gifford Johnson, of Delaware County, and second, Hiram Saunders. The
Major's sons were: Samuel A., Jr.; Thomas Bickham; Henry Clay; Edward A., of Media, a
member of the Bar, and local politician; William G. ; John G,; and Joseph Wade, who served
in the 5th Penna. Vol. Cavalry during the Civil War, and died in Media about 1872."
Edwaru Richards, eldest son of Jacob, died unmarried. His tombstone, in St.
Peter's Church graveyard, Chester, Pennsylvania, has the inscription: "Edward
Richards, Esq., died April 13, 1794, aged 33 years, 5 months, 3 days."
Elizabeth Richards, second daughter, married, January 22, 1784, Charles
Grantham, son of Charles Grantham, or Grantuin, who was commissioned a Jus-
tice of the Chester County Courts, as early as 1741, and married Catharine, daugh-
ter of Andrew and Margaret Morton, of Ridley township, by whom he had three
sons, George, Jacob and Charles ; the latter the husband of Elizabeth Richards.
Edward Stalker Sayres, Esq., furnished the following account of their family for
J. Hill Martin's "History of Chester" ( 1877) : "Charles Grantham owned a farm
of 128 acres adjoining the old Efifinger property. The estate extended from the
Delaware River to the Chester road. He married Elizabeth Richards, daughter
of Jacob Richards the elder, and had three sons, Isaac, George Richards, and
Charles E., and one daughter Susan. None of them ever married. Isaac attended
to his father's estate, George Richards Grantham studied law with Samuel Ed-
wards, Esq., and was admitted to practice. Charles was engaged in business in
Philadelphia and died in that city. The Granthams got into pecuniary difficulties
about forty-five years ago, and were compelled to dispose of their farm ; they all
removed to Doylestown, and from thence to Illinois, where they died, as I have
said unmarried. Isaac was the survivor; he died in the year 1858, and left his
estate to Mrs. Samuel Anderson, of Chester. Charles E. Grantham died August
20, 1815, aged 17 years and 6 months, and is buried in old Chester churchyard.
"In company with my father, Edward Smith Sayres, I visited the old Grantham prop-
erty on Oct. 26, 1873. We had quite a chat with the person who lives in the old Grantham
house, which is situated about 200 yards from the river. The walls are two feet six inches
in thickness, and the whole building is in excellent condition. The late owner, a Mr. Dennis,
plastered the whole of the edifice fronting the railroad, and the two ends. I cannot imagine
what it is done for, as the house was built of cut stone, and the side fronting the river still
remains in its original state, looking far prettier than the portions covered with showy white
plaster. * * * The Granthams were known through the country as Grants, and the rocks in
the river opposite their house were called 'Grant's Rocks.' Our informant told us that they
are to this day called by the same name. * * * My father says he recollects the Grantham
family living in their new house on Chester road in a direct line back from the old one that
still stands by the river-side and before described. The site is now occupied by the house of
Ihe late owner. Mr. N. F. X. Dennis, who has ingeniously turned the old Grantham quarry,
which is situated near the house, into a fish pond. This quarry produced a stone from which
Mr. Grantham manufactured scythe stones. They were extensively sold in Philadelphia, and
l)randtd as 'Crum Creek Scythe Stones.' * * * I cannot find who bought the property from
the Granthams. I was told that the Bank of Delaware County sold it about 16 years ago to
Mr. Dennis, of Philadelphia, a Frenchman, and an extensive manufacturer of quinnine. This
Mr. D. also bought the adjoining property. I think the Trimble property, which joined the
Grantham's on the east. I do not know who the Grantham's bought the property from.
My father thinks it had been in the family a long time. I believe the Granthams were orig-
inally of English descent, from the name, which is purely English."
Christiana Richards, fourth daughter of Jacob Richards, married Pierce
Crosby, of Crosby's Mills, Delaware county, son of Judge John Crosby (3d), a
Captain in the Revolution, and Judge of the Delaware County Court, by his second
wife, Ann Pierce. Judge Crosby was a son of John Crosby (2d), member of