Alton F. Richards papers
Collection
Identifier: ACCN 1632
Scope and Contents
The Alton F. Richards papers (1839-1994) contains correspondence, family documents, teaching materials, notes, writings, church records, financial records, and news clippings relating to the life of Alton F. Richards. Also included are a variety of science documents such as scientific lectures, magazines, and scientific notes. Family and other correspondence, including Samuel W. Richards and Ianthus P. Richards letters, and letters from friends is contained in boxes 1-3. Personal materials, including college information, employment documents, and military records can be found in box 4. Other family materials, mostly related to activities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is located in boxes 5-7. Alton F. Richards's teaching materials from several high schools, mostly Ben Lomond, can be found in boxes 8-10. Notes and writings by Richards are contained in boxes 11-17. LDS Church materials are contained in box 18, and box 19 contains financial records. Science documents can be found in boxes 20-21. Finally, general news clippings are located in boxes 22-24, and miscellaneous files are contained in box 25.
Dates
- 1839-1994
Creator
- Richards, Alton F. (Person)
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.
Conditions Governing Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Biographical / Historical
Alton F. Richards was born in Ogden, Utah on June 22, 1904. His father was Ianthus P. Richards, a committed Latter Day Saint who knew Brigham Young personally. His grandfather, Samuel W. Richards, knew Joseph Smith personally. Richards moved to Pine, Idaho, when he was five years old. While in Pine, when Richards was seven, his mother died, which forced him to assume many responsibilities when he was very young. Some of them included cooking, washing dishes, and chopping wood. He attended school in a one room log schoolhouse, and was taught by his sister, Regina. Richards was baptized a member of the LDS church in Black Pine on August 11, 1912, and shortly after his family moved back to Ogden, Utah, where he finished he elementary education at 5 Points School. He obtained his Associate of Arts degree at Weber State College, and Bachelor of Arts at the University of Utah. After earning these degrees, he completed several summer school courses at Weber State College, Utah State University, and the University of Utah. He majored in math, with minors in physics and psychology.
Richards married Phyllis Krogue in the Salt Lake Temple on June 17, 1931. They had five children: Don, Rex, Kim, Rama, and Lerene. He was ordained a member of the quorum of the seventy in 1941, and became a high priest in 1943. He became a counselor in the 1960s and was ordained an LDS bishop on October 29, 1967. He also held several teaching positions within the LDS Church.
Richards was a teacher who taught at several schools in the Western United States. They include the senior high school in Castle Dale, Utah (1927-1928), Madison High School in Rexburg, Idaho (1928-1930), and unnamed schools in Midvale, Utah (1930-1931) and Elba, Idaho (1931-1933), as well as 16 years at Mound Fort Jr. High School, 1 year at Central Jr. High School, 3 years at Ogden High School, and 16 years at Ben Lomond High School, all located in Ogden, Utah. He was also a first aid teacher in World War II, and taught night school at Weber State University from 1954 to 1955. For a number of years, he was a state Democratic Party convention delegate.
Richards married Phyllis Krogue in the Salt Lake Temple on June 17, 1931. They had five children: Don, Rex, Kim, Rama, and Lerene. He was ordained a member of the quorum of the seventy in 1941, and became a high priest in 1943. He became a counselor in the 1960s and was ordained an LDS bishop on October 29, 1967. He also held several teaching positions within the LDS Church.
Richards was a teacher who taught at several schools in the Western United States. They include the senior high school in Castle Dale, Utah (1927-1928), Madison High School in Rexburg, Idaho (1928-1930), and unnamed schools in Midvale, Utah (1930-1931) and Elba, Idaho (1931-1933), as well as 16 years at Mound Fort Jr. High School, 1 year at Central Jr. High School, 3 years at Ogden High School, and 16 years at Ben Lomond High School, all located in Ogden, Utah. He was also a first aid teacher in World War II, and taught night school at Weber State University from 1954 to 1955. For a number of years, he was a state Democratic Party convention delegate.
Extent
14.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Alton F. Richards papers (1839-1994) contains correspondence, family papers, teaching materials, church records, financial records, clippings and notes relating to the life of Alton Richards. Included are correspondence of his father, Ianthus P. Richards, and grandfather, Samuel W. Richards. Alton F. Richards was a mathematics teacher in the Ogden, Utah public schools. He also served as a bishop in the LDS Church during the 1940s.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Boxes 1-25 were by Don K. Richards in 1997.
Boxes 26-27 were donated in 1999.
Boxes 26-27 were donated in 1999.
Separated Materials
Photographs have been transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0756).
Processing Information
Processed by Xan Morris in 1997.
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
- Correspondence
- Financial records
- Instructional materials
- Latter Day Saint churches -- Utah -- History -- Sources
- Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- Utah -- History -- Sources
- Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
- Notes (documents)
- Richards, Alton F. -- Archives
- Richards, Ianthus P.
- Richards, Samuel W. (Samuel Whitney), 1824-1909
- Science
Creator
- Richards, Alton F. (Person)
- Title
- Inventory of the Alton F. Richards papers
- Author
- Finding aid created by Xan Morris.
- Date
- 1997 (last modified: 2019)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
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
special@library.utah.edu
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu