William Richards of Greenville

William Richards first heard the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Wales, his native country in 1846. He was baptized into the church January 11, 1847 and in October of that same year he married Mary Thomas.

Mr. Richards was ordained an elder in 1850 and made first counsilor to the president of the branch of the Church at Rymney. In 1851 he was called to preside over this same branch. He was released from this office and called to preside over the Marioneth and Montgomery Branch August 1851. His first wife died in August 1849 so on August 26, 1851 he married Ann Williams of Merthyr Tydvil. Then for sometime he traveled and preached the gospel through North Wales. He was then called to take charge of the Conference in Machyville where he baptized and rebaptized several people. He remained there until December 1853 when he was released to emigrate to Zion. He left Liverpool, England January 4 and landed in New Orleans in 6 weeks time and arrived in Salt Lake September 30, 1854. His wife Ann came with him. She had no children. After the October conference of that year he went to Cedar where he stayed until March 1857 when he went to Beaver. He lived in Beaver 3 years until 1860 and he with 5 other men were the first to settle Greenville. On July 2, 1865 he married Elizabeth Williams (His wife Ann had no family) of Grenville a plural wife. To this union were born the following children: Elizabeth Ann, Mary Jane, Lucy, Margaret Ellen, Emiletta, and Kathryn Edith.

In November 1865, he married his 4th wife Jane Davis. The children by this wife were Sarah Ann, Hannah Eliza, Julia, Winnifred and Mary. He died October 10, 1880.

After he came to Utah he made several trips back to Independence, Missouri to bring pioneers and drove an ox team.

Mr. Richards was not the man who took the Message to Brigham Young about the Mountain Meadow massachre. His name was Haslam of Cedar. Mr. Richards lived his life well. He raised a fine family. He was an ardent church worker attended to his religious duties faithfully alway. Mr. Richards was a successful business man having acumulated in his life time considerable property and means even though he had reared a large family.

He was a stock holder in the Beaver city Coop and woolen mills and in the Cedar sheep association. He owned also a large and prosperous farm in Greenville.

He was a splendid financier and a very good citizen.