Joseph Richards, Sr. was born 16 March 1762 in Southborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts to William Richards (1730-1793) and Sarah Bixby (1728-1803) and died 31 March 1840 Richmond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Rhoda Howe (1762-1838) 20 December 1781 in Framingham, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
Auto-Biography
From the Autobiography of Joseph Richards:
I was fourteen when the Declaration of Independence was signed. At the age of seventeen I enlisted as a private in Capt. Amasa Cranton's Co., Col. Samuel Denny's regiment. After serving a short time I was discharged, but re-enlisted in March 1781, in Capt. Staples Chamberin's Co. ,Col. Dean's regt. Our company marched to Rhode Island, by order of His Excellency John Hancock. As a result of “ forced marches and fasts, sometimes of three days 1 continuance”, my health was impaired.
Following my discharge I married Rhoda Howe, of Hopkinton, in neighboring Middlesex County,. December 20, 1781. We made our home in Framingham, where three of our eleven children were born. Returning to Hopkinton I farmed and worked at my trade as cordwainer (maker of fine leather shoes). We became members of the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton in January, 1790, and raised our children to be god-fearing men and women.
F'or my service in the War for Independence, I received a bounty of 160 acres in Berkshire County, western Massachusetts. During the summers I would take some of the older children with me, to help clear our farmland, plant orchard, and build a new home for the family. By the spring of 1815 we were ready to move.
Bidding good-bye to our friends and relatives in the East, we took our journey across State to Richmond. There both joy and sorrow awaited us; three of our children married, and there we buried our daughter Susanna. I continued to farm, and also operated a cider mill. At the age of 78 I passed from this life, two years after the death of my beloved wife Rhoda.
Marriage & Family
- Joseph Richards (1782-1852)
- Rhoda Richards (1784-1879) - md 1) Joseph Smith (1805-1844) and after his death to her cousin, Brigham Young (1801-1877).
- Susanna Richards (1786-1830)
- Phinehas Richards (1788-1874) - Pioneer and leader in the early LDS Church
- Levi Richards (1790-1795) - died young
- Nancy Richards (1792-1852)
- Hepsibah Richards (1795-1838)
- Betsey Richards (1897-1803)
- Levi Richards (1799-1876)
- William Richards (1801-1884)
- Willard Richards (1804-1854) - Early leader and apostle in LDS Church, eyewitness to the martyrdom of Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the mormon prophet.
Children
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Richards (1756-1811) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Sarah Richards (1757-1847) | |||
| Elizabeth Richards (1760-1846) | |||
| Joseph Richards (1762-1840) | 16 March 1762 Southborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts | 31 March 1840 Richmond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts | Rhoda Howe (1762-1838) |
| Thomas Richards (1764-1844) | |||
| Hepzibah Richards (1766-1856) | |||
| Alice Richards (1768-) | |||
References
- Joseph Richards 1762 Immigrant Ancestors
- History of Framingham Massachusetts - pub 1844, pg 382.