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- Shenandoah Valley pioneers and their descendants : a history of Frederick County, Virginia
The Richards Family
For many years there has been some confusion about this name. Some regarding this and the Richard family as the same. It will be seen from the following brief notice, they were distinct, one family being altogether English, the other purely German.
The pioneer of the Richards family was John Richards, who located his grant for a large tract of land along upper Cedar Creek and its drains. This was in 1735. He proceeded to settle other families who followed the first Hite immigration uch leases or deeds were recorded in Orange County. In 1744 he sold part of his patent tract to Benjamin Fry, an Englishman. John Richards was an Englishman. By his will in 1749, he devises his lands to the children of his deceased brother Peter. They were then living in England. A provision of his will was: "If one of Peter's sons come to this country, then he is to have half the estate; in case of his death, then to his brother Henry and sister Hannah." In 1770 "Peter Richards, County of Devon, Kingdom of Great Britain, Yeoman, Mary Richards of East Budleigh same county, and Alice wife of John Lee of Haspford same co.. Yeoman, Jonathan R. of same county, and Henry Richards late of Philadelphia but now of Frederick County, Virginia, children of Peter Richards the elder brother of John late of Frederick County," executed a power of attorney to John Lee to settle their affairs in America. Henry had been on the land and held one-half the estate as the will provided. On Lee's arrival, Henry sold a tract of land on Cedar Creek to John Lee. This was the ancestor of the John C. Lee family found in that section during the 19th Century. In 1778, Henry and Jane his wife and brother Jonathan of England, conveyed a tract of land to Jacob Huffman. In 1793, Henry by his will devised his property to his widow Jane, and to his sons John and Henry, and daughter Elees wife of John Shriver, Mary wife of Archibald Hamilton, Hannah wife of Frederick Cooper, and Ann his single daughter. His estate consisted of several tracts of land, mills and large family of slaves. We will not follow the lines of his married daughters. John died in 1860, 90 years of age, leaving three sons, Henry M., Moses and James M. Richards and several daughters.
The children of Henry M.; Mary C. Ginn, Henry G. and Lewis W. Richards received portions of the estate $1,000 to James M. and the home farm to Moses after the death of his stepmother, Sarah Richards. Henry M. died in Winchester in 1861. He devised property to Henry M., Eva and Sally C, children by his second wife.
James M. Richards the other son, married twice, first. Miss Hollingsworth. By this marriage was born a son and daughter. His second wife was Margaret Fry, who was the mother of A. B. Richards, a prosperous farmer, and Comr. of Roads for Shawnee District for several terms. Mordecai another son is a farmer living in Frederick County. John and Morict are nonresidents. A. B. Richards has a large family of sons and daughters. His farm was part of the Glass estate. His children are: Clara, L. Adolph. This son is a young man of rare promise. After taking his academic course, he graduated at the University of Virginia; he also took honors at Columbia College and Johns Hopkins. He now has a classical school in Washington, D. C. Emma E., mar. Charles Cooper, Sadie L., Harry A., Boyd R., Alva C, Augusta, Nelson and Roy reflect credit on the old family.
Henry Richards, son of Henry who died in 1793 and brother of John, lived in the old neighborhood. He owned a large estate of land, mill and slaves. Henry died prior to the Civil War. His wife Lydia died at an advanced age. A son, Col. James Richards lived and died in Front Royal, a man of culture and wealth. He was once Sheriff of Frederick County. His sister, Harriet married Capt. George R. Long. One daughter survived her. This was Mary wife of Dr. Godfrey S. Miller of Winchester.
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Ramage Family History
- Bef 1749