Skip to main content

Richards, Joseph H.

 File — Box: 3, Folder: 9
Identifier: I

Scope and Contents

Joseph Hill Richards, a patriarch in the Snowflake Stake, Arizona, was born December 5, 1841, in Canada, the son of John Richards and Agnes Hill. His father was among the first of those who left Nauvoo for the West as a pioneer early in February 1846. Returning to Nauvoo, he started west with his family in July of the same year. They stopped at Winter Quarters and in Iowa until 1851, when they reached the valley. Joseph was then nearly ten years old. With his parents he became a pioneer to Cache Valley, Utah, and assisted in building the first house in the old fort at Mendon. In 1864 he made a trip to the Missouri River as a church teamster after emigrants. In February 1876 he was called on a mission to Arizona, and located on the Little Colorado River where he assisted in building forts, dams, and water ditches, and where he had thirty years experience in trying to solve the very difficult problem of controlling the waters of that treacherous stream, the Little Colorado. In 1892-93 he filled a mission to Great Britain. In 1878, he was ordained a bishop and acted in that office ten years; during that time he presided over the Little Colorado Stake nearly three years. When the Snowflake Stake was organized in December 1887, he was called to the position of second counselor in the stake presidency, which position he held until February 10, 1907, when he was ordained a patriarch. Richards served as postmaster in St. Joseph, Arizona, and also held the offices of county treasurer and county commissioner. These excerpts of the J. H. Richards Diaries are typescripts by George S. Tanner. Book 1 (10 pages). Entries from January 15, 1876-December 31, 1876. This is a bound typescript of an original diary. No attempt was made to retain spelling errors in the diary. Richards and his family were called to Arizona in January 1876. He tells of making arrangements for the trip and gives an account of the journey with the Lake Company. Richards is primarily concerned with the farming aspects of the settlement and writes of building a dam and planting and watering crops. During the fall and winter months, he helps with the carpentry, hauls lumber and rock for buildings, works at the sawmill, and does some surveying for another dam. The diary includes supply lists, labor record, and letters received and written.

Dates

  • 1857-1986

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Extent

From the Collection: 10.25 Linear Feet (15 boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository

Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863