Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

William Richey

Male 1796 - 1879  (83 years)


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  • Name William Richey 
    Born 1 Feb 1796  , Laurens, South Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 21 Oct 1879  Parowan, Iron, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Parowan City Cemetery, Parowan, Iron, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I1408  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family 1 Nancy Ridge,   b. 1799, , , Georgia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1817, of Oothcaloga, Calhoun, Georgia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 18 years) 
    Married Abt 1817  of, , Georgia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Hester Richey,   b. Abt 1818, of Oothcaloga, Calhoun, Georgia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1819, of Oothcaloga, Calhoun, Georgia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 1 years)
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F947  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Margaret Ann Adair,   b. 7 Feb 1804, , Laurens, South Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Feb 1852, Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 48 years) 
    Married 10 Feb 1820  , Pickens, Alabama, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. James Richey,   b. 13 Aug 1821, near Pickensville, Pickens, Alabama, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Aug 1890, Fort Wingate, McKinley, New Mexico, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years)
     2. Rebecca Sarah Richey,   b. 7 Dec 1828, , Pickens, Alabama, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Apr 1845, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 16 years)
     3. Emily Melissa Richey,   b. 12 Mar 1830, , Pickens, Alabama, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Apr 1857, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 27 years)
     4. Eliza Jane Richey,   b. 30 Dec 1837, , Noxubee, Mississippi, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. May 1908, Barclay, Lincoln, Nevada, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F893  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Copy of letter on file from Frank Smith, Supervisor, Research Department of the Genealogical Society (Family History Library) in Salt Lake City, dated May 23, 1966, to Mrs. Leo Goates, 9923 Knoll Crest Drive, Dallas, Texas, 95238, from FHL film 0446460 Patron Research Files for Marie Sheranian (mother to Mrs. Leo Goates). This letter was one in a series from over four years when the FHL did private research for a fee. This individual had work done on her Brown, Adair, and Richey lines. In reviewing all the correspondence, they were just discovering things for which we now have better and more thorough documentation as found in my database. As for the Adairs, there was a lot of confusion concerning the various Joseph Adairs with the FHL trying to link Thomas Adair's father Joseph as a son to the original Joseph Adair, Sr., which we now know to be incorrect. Much of this incorrect linking has been passed down through LDS generations and continues to incorrectly cloud modern genealogies. They also had no success in finding siblings for Thomas Adair. They acknowledge problems with the James B. Adair's book "Adair History and Genealogy" concerning the early Adairs. On the other hand there was good research done on the parentage of William Richey who married Mary Ann Adair. His parents and grandparents appear in Laurens Co., South Carolina as well as nearby Bush River Baptist Church at which John Mangum the patriot was also associated. This would place the Richey family in probable contact with the Adairs before Alabama and Mississippi. There are two letters of interest. The letter of 18 Jan 1962 notes that the FHL's agent in Alabama made a search of Pickens County, Alabama records for the Richey line; however, she reported the these records were destroyed by fire in 1876 and since that time there have been other fires destroying further records so that there is not a great deal that can be done. The other letter dated 4 Dec 1961 I quote partially below as follows:
      The letter starts off with an acknowledgement that the early work of FHL researchers for the Richey family was sloppy and had to be thrown out. They then state: "Sufficient importance was not attached to the early Temple Baptisms performed by William Richey and others of his family and friends. In brief, he gave his parents as Robert Richey and Rebecca Belton, and his grandparents as John Richey and wife and William Belton and wife. He also performed the baptisms for Uncles Adam Gordon, David McClure and some of their families, and for uncles John, Jesse, and William Belton. His father Robert is stated to have been born on the ocean while his parents were enroute from Ireland to America about 1770-75...
      "Using the early Temple baptisms as a basis, we at this time begun the work anew in Laurens Co., S.C. where William stated he was born...
      "A careful study of censuses was made from 1790 on. In 1790 in Laurens Co. there was a John Richey, seemingly a young man with children all under 16, and Robert Richey and wife with no children, so probably he was newly married. By 1800 Robert has three children, all under age ten, John has an increased family, and was himself over age 45, and a Samuel Richey is newly married. By 1810 these three are still there and another John in addition. By 1820 Robert is gone, and there remains a young John with one child under ten, Samuel, a William (not your ancestor), and a young widow Margaret over 45, living by herself. We can place all of these in proper perspective, as we will later show. It is evident there were Roberts and Johns in other counties, but we have concerned our search mostly with Laurens Co. We know from other material that William Belton was in South Carolina and alive at the time of the 1790 census, but he is not listed. Why, we do not know, unless his enumeration was somehow missed but he and two sons John and Jesse are all heads of families in Newberry Co. by 1800.
      "It is known of course that your William went to Pickens Co., Ala., and thence on to Noxubee Co., Miss. We have no records of these localities in our library, except census records, so will need to have some searches made by correspondence. However, not finding any of Robert's family in Laurens Co. after 1820, we checked the 1830 census of Pickens Co., Ala., where we found Robert, age 50-60 and his wife the same age, one daughter 15-20 and one male child under 5, perhaps a grandson. Also noted was William and his family and a John.
      "On the chance that some of them might have remained in this county until 1850, which census would give names, ages and birthplaces, we checked this, but found nothing. In Noxubee Co., Miss. in 1850, however, we found some of them again, but unfortunately Robert and Rebecca seem to be deceased before this time, so we could get no enlightenment as to his birthplace. Their sons David, age 45, James, age 33 and families were there, and there is a George Richey, age 40, whom we think is probably another son. We watched also for the married daughters but there seemed to be none of them unless it was Nancy, and her husband Rodison Williams. One J.R. Williams 28, born S. Car., and wife Nancy age 26, born S.C. are listed, and also a Nancy Williams widow, age 50, born S.C. is listed, but whether either one is the one we need, we do not yet know.
      "The birth of Robert can be approximated as between 1770-80, but we know he was married by 1790, so it is likely closer to 1770. There is no John Richey in Laurens Co. in 1790 old enough to be his father, but before considering Johns in other counties, we decided to finish the records in Laurens Co. We were very pleased to find the will of John Richey in 1776, which had not previously been reported in former searches. The names of some of his children were not readable, as they had been printed at the edge of the page which was bound into the book, but they are probably distinguishable in the original copy, so we will have a check made of that, but in any case the deeds and other material give us the complete family.
      "John names his daughter Mary, giving her $1.00, which suggests she was married or had otherwise received some consideration; his daughter Eleanor; a son whose name was unreadable, but whom we are sure was John Jr.; and his son Robert, who was at that time under age. Proof that this John is your ancestor is adequate. He was deceased by 1776, hence does not show up in the 1790 census, but his two sons John and Robert do. In 1788 Adam Gordon deeds some land "which had originally been granted to Mary Richey, the said Gordon's wife" in 1775. This substantiates the early baptisms and places Adam Gordon as an uncle of William Richey. In 1799 David McClure and Eleanor his wife deed to Robert Richey, part of a tract of land granted to John Williams in 1774 and later conveyed to Margaret Richey by Alexander McNary, and by her conveyed to said Eleanor Richey, now Eleanor McClure. This further substantiates the family record and places David McClure as an uncle of William Richey.
      "The deed from Margaret Richey, widow to Eleanor is dated 1789, so Eleanor married between 1789 and 1799. We could not locate the deed from Alexander McNary to Margaret Richey, widow in 1785, but the county deeds begin in 1785, and it is likely some of the early ones are not recorded in the county. Margaret the widow seems to be still living at the 1820 census, but this is not she, but the widow of John Jr. who died in 1819.
      "Now, inasmuch as a number of land grants are mentioned in the deeds reexamined all grants for South Carolina, and the land plats in order to get an exact location. Originally S.C. had three districts, Craven, Berkley and Granville [?? last district blurred in letter copy]. No records were kept in these districts and their boundaries were rather undefined. Carteret was added and later changed to Granville. By 1768 new districts were formed and named, including the 96 district, but still no records were kept except at Charleston, which was the seat of government. From this 96 district were formed the counties of Abbeville, Edgefield, Newberry, Pendleton, Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg, and Union. Deeds, etc. begin to be kept in the counties in 1785. We make this explanation in order that you will understand the land grants.
      "The Richeys in Laurens Co. owned land on Raeburn's Creek on Reedy River. This was encompassed in what was early known as Craven Co., but they seem to have owned some land in some of the other districts also. Notice in the land plats that on the 11th of Dec. 1772 land was measured out on Raeburn's Creek to John Richey, Sr., to Eleanor Richey, to John Richey Jr. and to Mary Richey, all the children of John and Margaret, except Robert, who would have been only a year or two old. There was a James and a John received grants in Granville Co. in 1772 also, but they no doubt relate to some of the other families.
      "It is difficult to ascertain with accuracy the ages of the children of John and Margaret. It would seem quite unusual for them to have received land grants at a time when they were under age, especially the girls. Mary was not married in 1772, but may have been by 1776, and we know she was by 1788, so her birth may be between 1756 and 1770. Elinor was not married before 1789 but was by 1799, so her birth would be between 1765-80. John Jr. would be the oldest as he had four young children by 1790, so he could be born 1750-56. If the girls were of age when they got the land grants, they would be somewhat older than usual when they married.
      "John Jr. made his will in 1819, mentioning a wife Margaret and children John, Samuel, William and Jane Harris. This family remained in S.C. and Adam Gordon and David McClure did also, at least for some years, but we found no wills or probates for them. We followed John Mahffey to some extent as he is mentioned in the will of John Richey, Sr. and we thought he may have been a relative, but we could prove nothing.
      "Now, as to the ancestry of John Richey, we have no information, except that one John emigrated from Ireland in 1773. Scotch-Irish emigration was common, and it is our opinion that John arrived in America only shortly before the date of his land grants and that it is entirely possible that his son Robert was born on the voyage. Whether or not he is connected with the Richeys in Abbeville Co. we are not sure, as we have not as yet gone into that branch thoroughly, but if they came in from Penn., descending from Richeys who were in America much earlier, there is a great doubt that they would be related. The land grants show no Richeys earlier than your John, except that John and James above mentioned who got grants in Granville in the same year.
      "One John seems to have had a Revolutionary pension, but your ancestor was dead by 1776, so it is not he, though it could be his son. He will obtain a copy of that record, a check of the will of John 1776, and a search of Pickins Co., Ala, and of Noxubee Co., Miss. for further information.
      "BELTON LINE: William Belton got a grant of land in 1771 on Bush Creek in Craven Co., which must have encompassed what later became Newberry Co. The family were Baptists, belonging to the Bush River Baptist church [Kerry's note: same church as the John Mangum family.]. We are not sure who his wife was, but she may have been the Susanna who dies there in 1809. Note that William was still "of Newberry Co." in 1820, but that he or his son William died intestate (?) in Laurens Co. in 1830. Various mention is given of his son Jesse who had a wife Elisabeth, his son John who had a wife Charity, and some other females are listed in the church records, but we have been unable to compile a good record on them. Whether William was the emigrant we do not know, there are Beltons earlier in S.C. than he. We have read all Belton wills from every county, but found none naming a son William…"

      2. Appears that most records including missionary information may be with the Oklahoma Historical Society Archives in Oklahoma City and are known as pre-removal and missionary records. See . Contacted the Oklahoma Historical Society 7 May 2003 which is a major repository of Cherokee Indian records. They report some references to Nancy Ridge's father and her attendance at some schools. No further mention of her nor anything on William Richey.

      3. According to a posting on Genforum.com by Deborah Moorefield, 21 Mar 2003, #926, he may have received Cherokee reservation #143 on 14 Oct 1817 near the Tennessee river in right of his child by Nancy Ridge.

      4. Censuses:
      1790 US: The following Mangum, Richey, Goggins, and Murdock names occur in Newberry Counties, South Carolina - none with that surname appear in neighboring Laurens county where the Adairs were located:
      P. 57, William Murdock: males over 16: 1; males under 16: 1; females: 1; slaves: 0.
      P. 74, Ambrose Hudgins, 1-1-5-0 (Possible father to Austen Hudgens who married Elizabeth Mangum? On the previous p. 72 [73 is blank], there is a Sam'l Hugghen who could also be a possibility but probably not. In neighboring Laurens Co., there are also two other "Ambros" Hudgins: pp. 433 and 443 with most Adairs in that county occurring on pp. 440-442. There are various Huggins, Hudgens, Hudggens, Huggans in South Carolina - but with none in Newberry or Laurens except as noted above.)
      P. 74, James Goggin, 2-4-5-2. Separated from Ambrose above by 10 names.
      P. 74, Geo. Goggens, 2-3-2-0. (Separated from James above by 26 names.)
      P. 74, William Goggins, 1-3-3-0. (Separated from Geo. above by 6 names.)
      P. 76 (note page 75 is blank), John Mangum, 1-0-1-0. (Separated from William Goggins above by 58 names.)
      P. 76 (note page 75 is blank), Wm. Goggins, 2-2-1-0. (Separated from John Mangum above by 0 names.)
      P. 76 (note page 75 is blank), Wm. Mangum, 2-2-2-0. (Separated from Wm. Goggins by 2 names.)
      P. 76 (note page 75 is blank), Robert Richey, 1-1-6-1. (Separated from Wm. Mangum by 39 names.)

      1850 US: Utah County, Utah Territory, p. 8, family 68:
      William Richie, 56, turner, SC.
      Margaret, 48, midwife, SC.
      James, 28, cotton gin, AL.
      John, 16, cotton gin, AL.
      William, 10, MS.
      Eliza, 14, MS.
      Rebecca, 85, SC.

      5. The following site shows all the children of Major Ridge specifically listing Nancy married to William "Ritchey" <http://www.cville.com/members/ridenour/MRComplt.htm>: "An Indian boy was born between 1765 and 1771 in the Cherokee village of Hiwassee, Tennessee. His parents died when he was young. He had a brother named David Oo-Watie, which means "The Ancient One." Their father's name was Oganotota. Ridge had a sister and three other brothers. No one knows the names of the other brothers or sister but one of the brothers may have been Soodohlee (Sudale). However, they died young. Ah-Tah-Kon-Stis-Kee (other spellings include Ah-Tah-Con-Sti-Sky and Ah-Tah-Cun-Sti-Ske), last hereditary chief of the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles), adopted this young Indian. The young Indian was named Ca-Nun-Tah-Cla-Kee (other spellings include Ca-Nun-Ta-Cla-Gee and Ka-Nun-Tah-Kla-Gee), meaning "The Lion Who Walks On The Mountain Top." The white man shortened his name to Ridge. Andrew Jackson gave him the name Major because he led a force of Cherokees in the Battle of the Horseshoe against the Creeks. Cherokees had previously used no surnames. Other Indians called him Nung-Noh-Tah-Hee, meaning "He Who Slays The Enemy In His Path." Major Ridge was a friend of Congressman Sam Houston of Tennessee. Major Ridge's portrait is in the archives at the Smithsonian (Museum of American History-Major Ridge geo. region 3008 4050 302 ID 3008 210 7159) along with John Ridge's.
      Major Ridge married Ah-Tah-Kon-Stis-Kee's daughter Sehoya. Her christened name was Susannah "Susie" Catherine Wickett (1775 - 9/1849). Ah-Tah-Kon-Stis-Kee was Major Ridge's foster father and father-in-law. They married about 1792. Major Ridge and Susie's children were:
      Nancy Ridge - died age 16 during childbirth ca. 1818 - married William Ritchey
      John Ridge (Skah-tle-loh-skee) - born 1802 Rome, GA - died 6/22/1839 - married Sarah Bird Northrup.
      Unknown baby - died at birth
      Walter S. Ridge "Watty" - born 1806 - died 1851 - married Elizabeth. Watty was "slow and weak in the mind."
      Sarah Ridge - born 1814, near present Rome, Georgia. Sarah's Indian name was "Sollee," pronounced "Sallie."

      6. Contacted Drs. Rowena McClintock and Theda Perdue 24 May 2003 via email. They were recommended by the Vann House as editors of the Spring Place School Diaries soon to be published. Both are experts and authors of several books on Cherokees in the Southeast and Cherokee women in particular. No information was given by them to me and referred me to their book on the diaries soon to be published.

      7. "The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research," vol. 6, p. 27: "Laurens County Estate Book A-1," pp. 13-14:
      "A list of the appraisement of the Estate of Robert Richey Decd… [no total given] Sam'l Wharton, Wm Mitchell, Lewis Banton. List of the sale. Purchaser: Wm Goodman, 4 Aug 1789. Samuel Wharton, Lewis Banton, Paul Phindley."

      8. From a website of Richey descendants <http://lrrichey.home.att.net/>. The following was written by Preston Richey July 1988. In correspondence from him in 2014, he notes there are a few errors in it.
      "John Richey: "On August 25, 1772, a small sailing ship called the James and Mary sailed from Larne, Ireland with John Richey, his pregnant wife Margaret, and at least three of his children. The ship arrived in Charleston, South Carolina on October 16th or 18th of the same year and was put in quarantine because there was smallpox on board. The trip lasted seven and a half weeks which was average for the time. Quarantine was initially imposed for 3 weeks, but ultimately stretched out to 50 days because of the severity of the smallpox epidemic on board. During quarantine, the ship was tied up at Sullivan's Island in Charleston Harbor. The immigrants on the James and Mary were part of a 5 ship contingent of immigrants led by the Reverend William Martin, a Covenanter Presbyterian minister from Kellswater, Ireland. The majority of the immigrants were Presbyterians from the Ballmoney area but not necessarily all of them. The immigrants had hoped to receive a bounty offered to poor protestant immigrants in South Carolina. This bounty would have given them not only land, but money to buy tools and to defray the cost of transportation from Ireland. Unfortunately the bounty had expired in 1768. The land was still free, but it cost about 5 Pounds for all the fees associated with surveying the land and preparing the various warrants. 5 Pounds in those days was roughly equivalent to 6 months wages for an Irish laborer. After the Governor of the colony explained to the immigrants that there was no bounty available and that they had not reason to expect any assistance from the government, he went on to observe that they were very poor, and ask the various officers to swear out warrants at no charge and risk getting reimbursed later by the public. This was agreed to for all those who had less then 5 Pounds. According to these terms, John Richey received 250 acres of land on the Reynolds branch of Reyburns Creek, his son John Jr. received 100 acres on the south fork of Reyburns Creek, his daughter Mary received 100 acres on the Jones branch of Reyburns Creek, and his daughter Eleanor received 100 acres on the Daniels branch of Reyburns Creek. All these locations are within Laurens County, South Carolina. John Richey's will is recorded in 1776. This will is a critical document since it lists his family in such a way that it can be proved he is the grandfather of William Richey who is the grandfather of Joseph Benjamin Richey. The will also proves that this same John Richey is the man who came over from Lame, Ireland on the James and Mary. Establishing the tie across the ocean is one of the most difficult of genealogical tasks. Knowing the date and port of embarkation will now make this task much easier. The above paragraphs sum up most of what we know about John Richey. However, it is fun and perhaps instructive to try and flesh out these bare facts with some conjecture. To begin with, it seems likely that John Richey was a Presbyterian from the Ballymoney area of Ireland since that description fits the majority of the people that came over on the 5 ships. Other religious affiliations are possible of course. From James Richey's journal, we know that William Richey, grandson of John, was a Baptist. This would indicate that either John Richey was a Baptist, or else the family converted at some point. The likely point of conversion is John Richey's son Robert. He married Rebecca Belton whose father was a Baptist preacher. Since Robert's father died when he was no more than 4 years old, and he married young (maybe as young as 18 according to the census) it would not be surprising if he was strongly influenced by his father-in-law. Another more remote possibility is that John Richey was a Quaker. There is some indication that the Adairs were Quakers, and family tradition has it that the Richeys, Mangums, and Adairs were closely associated together as families even before they emigrated. The way they linked up after they all arrived in this country seems to support this tradition. If John was a Presbyterian, then it is likely that his family originated in Scotland. During the English Reformation, Christians in the British Isles split primarily on the question of authority. The Roman Catholics acknowledged the Bishop of Rome, or Pope as having authority over all Christians. The Episcopalians felt that authority should be vested in all of the Bishops on the island. This group was called the Episcopy. During the middle ages, the difficulty in communicating with Rome of a necessity made the Episcopy quite independent. Later, during the Renaissance when the Pope tried to exert more influence over the Episcopy, the Bishops resented it. The English king had long had the power to appoint Bishops, and thus control the Episcopy. Naturally, the kings supported the Episcopalians, and ultimately Episcopalianism became the official Church of England or Anglican Church. Puritans initially were all those who felt that the modest reforms and compromises made by Queen Elizabeth when she adopted the Anglican liturgy were insufficient. This argument led to the English Civil War, and Oliver Cromwell. Puritans under Cromwell were very austere. They not only melted down most of the silver chalices, candelabra, and other precious things owned by the churches; but they also went so far as to convert the old St. Paul's Cathedral into a barracks and stable for Cromwell's cavalry. This was too much for most people and led to the restoration of the monarchy and the supremacy of the Anglican Church. The Quakers are a remnant of the Puritans. Presbyterianism began as one wing of the Puritans. They felt that each congregation should be able to elect Elders or Presbyters. These Presbyters would meet in a group called a synod that would have the ultimate authority over the church. Presbyterianism was originally in the mainstream of the English reformation, but ultimately, it became most closely associated with Scotland. The Presbyterians in Scotland were persecuted throughout the 1600's as England swung from Protestant to Catholic to Puritan to Catholic to Protestant rulers. This led to continual emigration to Ireland, particularly Ulster where land was cheap. The Presbyterians in Ireland had no strong ties with the country, thus they were ripe for further emigration when times turned bad. The economy of Northern Ireland was based primarily on farming and the linen industry. During the period when John Richey emigrated, the linen industry was flat on its back and farming was unprofitable because of the high rents charged by the absentee English landlords. The Scotch-Irish in America as a group had no love for the English. Some writers have gone so far as to say that their willingness to fight was a decisive factor in the success of the American Revolution. John Mangum (Joseph Benjamin Richey's great-grandfather) served with General Morgan who defeated the British in the decisive battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens. It also appears from the pension records that John Richey Jr. served with the American revolutionary army. The voyage from Ireland to England was no picnic. The ships were packed so heavily with people that it was not even practical to carry any additional food. When adverse weather slowed the transit time, people died of starvation, and in some instances were reduced to cannibalism. On the ships, emigrants were berthed in the area between decks. In the case of the James and Mary, this area was probably about 4 feet high, and filled with 3 tiers of berths each no more than 18 inches wide by perhaps 5 feet long. Double occupancy of these berths was not uncommon. Deaths on these transatlantic voyages were most common among the children. Five children on the James and Mary died during the voyage that brought John Richey to South Carolina. On one ship that sailed in 1774, only one in fifty children under age four survived the passage, and of the seven women who were delivered during the voyage, six died as did all seven babies. John Richey must certainly have worried about taking his wife and unborn child into such peril. Initially, the James and Mary was scheduled to sail on April 15th. This would have allowed ample time to make the crossing before the baby was born. Unfortunately, the ship was delayed numerous times and didn't actually sail until some 19 weeks later. I can imagine that John must have sold out and moved his family and few belongings to port long before the ship actually sailed. Then he had to watch his meagre savings shrink each day that he had to support himself and his family while all the time watching his wife grow closer to her delivery date. There is a large gap in age between Robert Richey who was born on the Atlantic Ocean, and his next older sister. It may be that there were children in this gap that died during the passage. Another explanation for this gap might be that Margaret was John's second wife."
      Robert Richey: "I know very little historical detail of Robert Richey's life, even though the genealogical facts are fairly complete. He was born at sea, married Rebecca Belton, and they had 10 children all while living in Laurens County, South Carolina. He died in Georgia at the age of about 62. In the process of digging out all the genealogical information, a lot of historical information should have come to light. Some of the best work in this area was done by Naomi Harker for Marie Sheranian. Naomi Harker was a researcher for the Genealogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I spent one whole day in Salt Lake going over all the research files for the work that Naomi Harker and other researchers had done for the various Sheranian lines. Unfortunately, the key file that contained all the Richey work apparently was sent back to the Sheranians without being microfilmed. I'm confident that with persistence this information could be tracked down, but I have not done it yet. Robert Richey died before his son and grandson were converted to the LDS religion, but his wife Rebecca survived him, joined the Church, gathered with the Saints, and ultimately died crossing the plains."
      William Richey: "My father, Homer Prather Richey, worked extensively with the genealogy of his ancestors and wrote the following piece about William Richey. Sunday afternoon. March 8. 1981... my mind turned to thoughts of my grandfather, William Richey, and the trip he took at about the same time of year in 1879, from Manti to St. George. He had received word that his oldest son, James, known to the family as Jim, was about to leave for Arizona with a goodly number of his grandchildren. He was then past 83, and the only way he had to get to Washington County was to walk... I tried to picture that old man with a small bedroll on his back, some jerky and parched corn and a rifle with which to procure some fresh meat. My mind drifted back to 1844 in Pickens County, Alabama, where at the age of 48 he had built up a good business of building cotton gins and cotton presses, besides operating a large farm. His two oldest boys, James and Benjamin, had learned the business so well that he could now let them go out and fulfill the contracts he had made for these machines while he ran the farm. It was during this year that his oldest boy, Jim, had come home with a strange tale of a new religion. Jim was so enthusiastic about it that he got them all up in the middle of the night and bore testimony of its truthfulness until morning, after which he had them all baptized. It was from this time on that Jim's activities were the center of their lives. Jim almost immediately took off for Nauvoo, Illinois, to verify for himself the stories about the Prophet Joseph Smith. He returned more convinced than ever and nothing would do but that they all join the Saints in Nauvoo. They had all moved to Nauvoo in 1846. To make a complete move at age 50 was quite an undertaking with a large family... Little is known about the Nauvoo period of his life except that he and his beloved Margaret went through the temple there. In 1847 his son Jim came to him again to tell him he was following the Saints to the Rocky Mountains, but that he would return for them all as soon as he was located. As he saw that fine number one son, not yet 26, start out west with a 21-year old pregnant bride, I'm sure he wondered if he would ever see him again. They weathered the winter and true to his promise, Jim came back alone. His bride, Lucinda, staying in Salt Lake City with their new son Moroni, born April 16, 1848... The records show that William, Margaret, and seven of their ten children arrived in Salt Lake City in 1848. Two had previously died and their beloved Benjamin had gone to California with the Mormon Battalion; they never saw Benjamin again, he died and was buried in San Bernardino, California. Their stay in Salt Lake City was to be a short one as Brother Brigham sent the entire Richey family to Manti, San Pete County, in 1849. I let my mind go back to 1860 when he came back to Manti from a five-year mission to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma territory. He had been sent there in 1855, three years after the death of Margaret... When he left for his mission Moroni was seven, Charlotte was three. Benjamin and Ruth had been born in Manti. Emily, Erastus, Eleanor, and Susannah were all born in Washington County. He would arrive to find Moroni still single and 31; Charlotte 28, married and expecting her first baby (later born on the Pariah River in the middle of the winter); Benjamin 24 and with a wife and having already lost little Laura Belle; Ruth 22 and married; and the rest of them single. Erastus had died as a child and the Patterson brothers would later follow the party to Arizona and marry Emily and Eleanor. Susannah would later marry Arthur Tenney. He saw them off and started his weary way back to Manti, hoping to get back and be buried by his beloved Margaret. On the way, lying out under the stars night after night, he undoubtedly thought back over his eventful life: His first marriage to the half-breed daughter of an Army major and the daughter of a Cherokee chief, of her death at the birth of their little girl who also died. Of his full life with Margaret and his loneliness since her death in 1852. Of his call to go back to the Cherokee nation as a missionary and to integrate with them, to learn their ways and to marry one of them. He did that and married Sarah Ridge, believed to be a sister of his first wife, Nancy Ridge. Of her subsequent death and the oil rights she had given him (never found). [Kerry's note: This appears highly erroneous and I don't accept a marriage to Sarah since her husbands and families are well established and she is in Texas at this time; see <http://www.cville.com/members/ridenour/MRComplt.htm>.] His subsequent marriage to Fanny Sunti and being sealed to her sister and three months later being sealed to the two Gorden sisters. In any event, he never got back to any of them- as he became ill and died in Parowan. I was happy to be able to stop there in 1939 and locate his grave, and later spearheaded a drive by the Richey family to have his grave appropriately marked..."
      Further comment: "It should be possible to get more information on William Richey's mission to the Indians, Henry Eyring was on the mission with him and kept a journal that mentions William Richey. My father has seen this journal, but was unable to get a copy of it at the time. Ramona Richey Hall, a grandniece of Joseph Benjamin Richey, told me an interesting tradition that her family has concerning Benjamin Richey. As the story goes, he was released in San Diego along with other Mormon Battalion members. From there he made his way north and ended up at Sutter's Fort where he participated in the gold mining activities. He wrote a letter to his brother James and said he was coming home with enough money that they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. His death in San Bernardino coupled with the fact that no money was found would strongly suggest foul play. Family traditions such as this are interesting, but shouldn't be relied on unless some corroborating information can be found."

      BIOGRAPHY:
      1. The book "History of Sanpete [Utah] County," 1898, pp. 176, 177: "Richey, William B., of Manti, son of William B. and Margaret A. (Adair), born in Knox, Yuba County, Miss., May 17, 1840. His father was a planter but not a believer in slavery. He joined the Mormon Church and moved to Nauvoo in 1846. He was engaged in missionary work many years in Mississippi and to the Cherokee nation in Florida, learned their language, married Nancy Ridge, the chief's daughter, and became a member of the nation. About a year later his wife died and he returned to Mississippi and married the mother of our subject. The family came to Utah in 1848 and in the fall of 1849 they came with the first company to Manti and passed through all the hardships and privations of those early days. The mother died in Manti in 1852 and the father in 1878 in Parowan. When William B. grew up he engaged in freighting to the mining camps in Nevada fifteen years. After the railroads were built he engaged in farming and now has a nice farm, also a comfortable stone residence, one of the first built after moving out of the fort. In both the Indian wars, he took his part. In 1862 he went to California, and in the employ of the Government shipped on board the Senator in charge of 200 mules. He started in the spring of 1863 with the California volunteers for Texas, but his sympathies being with the South, he was discharged at Fort Yuma and returned to Utah. He married August 26, 1868, Johanne, daughter of Rasmus and Magdalene Hougaard. Their children are Johanne J., John B., Benjamin and Margaret A., Mary M. and Emily deceased. Mr. Richey is a highly respected citizen, Democrat, member of Board of Supervisors and county jailer."
      Kerry's notes on the above:
      a. Yuba County does not exist and should be Noxubee County which is consistent with other Richey histories. I believe Florida in above citation is probably an error for north Georgia after reading the sources below on Nancy's father Major Ridge.
      b. There is a Mormon temple marriage sealing recorded between Nancy Ridge and William Richey that occurred 24 Jan 1846 in the Nauvoo Temple with Margaret Adair acting as the proxy for the deceased Nancy. This confirms the marriage.
      c. Nancy's father, Major Ridge, was very famous in the Cherokee history of Northern Georgia. He was a major chief, friends with Pres. Andrew Jackson, and is largely responsible for the events that let up to the infamous Cherokee Trail of Tears that led to the betrayal and death or him and his son John Ridge. His residence is now part of National Park Service. Click for more on him on this site <http://roadsidegeorgia.com/int/1456> Click on also "Chieftain's History" for his story. It is an amazing and fascinating read. Notice on this same site the map of Adairsville and that Major Ridge homesteaded in Adairsville, Georgia before relocating to Rome, Georgia - is this more than coincidence? It was Major Ridge who allowed missionary work to his people which evidently led to William Richey's presence there and eventual marriage to his daughter. For another website with a picture of Major, go to <http://ngeorgia.com/people/ridge.html>. This latter site does not name the oldest child but does mention the following: "Ridge turns his attention to his family as Vann and Hicks lead the fights in council. Susanna gives birth to a girl, then a boy, John. A third, another boy, dies at birth. Later additions to his family would include Walter or "Watty" and Sarah, who they called Sally." Later the same article says: "He leads the Cherokee during the Seminole War (1818) as well and his daughter dies during Child-birth." The LDS family search program has one entry showing Nancy and William marrying about 1817 and Nancy dying in 1818 in Georgia. This aligns well with the Sanpete history above where it says William married his Margaret Adair about a year later (10 Feb 1820). What is also interesting is that Nancy's brother John and Cousin Elias Boudinot both married white women, which was very controversial and inflammatory. On the other hand, a white man marrying a Cherokee woman was accepted.
      d. This website has many excellent books on the events surrounding Major Ridge: <http://www.nativestudy.com/Cherokee%20History.html> Note especially the one entitled "Cherokee Cavaliers" which has over 200 pages of Ridge family correspondence. Also there appear to be hundreds of websites under Major Ridge or Chief Ridge.
      e. Since William was there as a missionary long before the Mormon church was established, for whom was he working. Margaret's brother Samuel Jefferson Adair was also I believe a minister - same church?
      f. The following site shows all the children of Major Ridge specifically listing Nancy married to William "Ritchey" <http://www.cville.com/members/ridenour/MRComplt.htm>

      2. Cotton gin mechanic and farmer. Moved from Pickens co., Alabama to Berculee Co., Mississippi about 1831. May have also been Noxubee county in Mississippi. Came to Utah in 1848. Member of St. George Stake. Served mission to Cherokee nation.

      3. Major autobiography with lots of references to Mangums, Richeys, and Adairs and their history by James Richey (AFN:1C3X-XR) with copy in possession of Kerry Petersen (file 168) speaks of his father:
      a. "My father's name is Willie, son of Robert Richey, who was a native of South Carolina... Rebecca Belton is my grandmother on my father's side and was born in the State of South Carolina."
      b. "William Richey - son of Robert (came from Ireland) and Rebecca Belton Richey was born in South Carolina. Rebecca Belton, wife of Robert was born in South Carolina. Their children:
      William - married Margaret Ann Adair
      Martha - married Neal Tiltison
      John-married Miss Price
      Margaret-married Thomas Woulman
      Elinor-married Martin Caselbury
      James-married after I left the county
      Susanah-married Marcus E. Page
      Mary-not married
      David-married a Lynch and went to Texas
      Nancy-married Robinson William"
      c. "My father and mother had 10 children. They married February 10, 1820
      Benjamin W. Richey-Born Pickens Co, Alabama, August 10, 1823
      Joseph Richey-Born Pickens Co, Alabama, November 10, 1825
      Rebecca Sarah- Born Pickens Co, Alabama, December 7, 1928 [sic-1828]; Died: Nauvoo, Illinois, 1845
      Emily Melissa- Born Pickens Co, Alabama, March 12, 1830
      Married Lvey Handcock, [Levi Hancock]
      John G.
      Martha Ann -Born Pickens Co, Alabama December 30, 1837; Died Nauvoo, 1845
      Eliza Jane-Born Pickens Co, Alabama December 30, 1837; Died: Clover Valley, Nevada
      William Belton- Born Noxubee, Co, Mississippi October 5, 1842; Died Nauvoo Illinois, 1845"
      d. Partial quote from the text of James autobiography: "...I went to Mobile and disposed of the cotton and returned home and found the Mormons or Latter-Day Saints still preaching in the neighborhood and that mother had united herself with them. I then renewed my investigation of the doctrine and finally became convinced of its truth and the divinity of the mission of Joseph Smith. I then made up my mind that I would embrace the doctrine taught by the Latter-Day Saints if all the world stood ready to oppose for the promise was made to those that yielded obedience to the principles taught that they should receive the Holy Ghost as they did anciently with the signs following the obedient as they did anciently. At this time my father was a hard shell Baptist and was opposed to the gospel as preached by the Latter-Day Saints but I made up my mind to trust to the promises of God. So a Sabbath morning the latter part of the winter in the year 1844 I was Baptized by Benjamin L. Cluft [Cluff?] in a beautiful stream of clear water called running water. After I was Baptized and confirmed by the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, I then went about five miles to a mormon meeting. I felt very solemn for I knew I had taken an important step. I went from meeting to the house of John Sprouse for supper and stayed till after night then went home. It was late when I got home and the folks were all in bed and asleep. I went to bed but not to sleep. I was meditating upon the Principles of the Gospel and all at once the Holy Spirit came up on me and I was filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. I could feel it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. I very soon awakened all that was in the house and bore a strong testimony to them in regards to the truth of the gospel as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, in consequence of which my father and brother Benjamin went and was baptized the next morning. Not long after this I was to a prayer meeting when I received the gift of tongue and spoke by the gift and power of God as they did in the days of the apostles. I was interpreted by one of the brethern and we had a time of rejoicing together as they did in the olden times. Shortly after this, I think about the last of March 1844 I went in company with B.L. Bluff [Cluff?], Hayden, Church, Johnston, and Blake to a conference in the state of Alabama TulCalbocy [Tuscaloosa] County where I was ordained an elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints under the hand of brother Cluff and others. After the conference was over I returned to where my father's people lived in the western part of Pickens County and stopped there to preach the Gospel to them. After stopping there awhile I went to Ittewambe [Itawamba] County in the State of Mississippi to visit with and preach the gospel to my mother's people..."

      4. Gloria Winter, a volunteer Manti research, at confirmed on 7 Apr 2003 with the Manti FHL that his wife Margaret died and is buried there. Gloria also says her husband, William, was a teamster and hauled goods from other areas into the San Pete Valley.

      5. I transcribed this from a holographic account from an unidentified author but apparently a grandchild of William Richey. Note that most family descendants believe that the middle initial "B" in the original William's name in some accounts is an error. The great grandparents are William Richey and Margaret Adair - Margaret being the sister of Samuel J. Adair, my ancestor. A copy of the original was provided to me 19 Apr 2003 by Gloria Winter from the files the Family History Library in Manti. I have added some punctuation and corrected obvious spelling errors: "John Richey was a brother of Robert Richey born in Ireland year 1770. Robert Richey, my great-great grandfather born in South Carolina 1775, married Rebbeca Belton who was a daughter of William and Susanna Belton. From this union William Richey was born Feb. 1, 1796, Newberry, South Carolina; he married Margarett Adair. Born to this marriage was James, born Aug. 15, 1821, Pickens Co., Alabama. He married Lucinda Adair. No. of children born to this union: seven, some of which lived in Arizona. William B. Richey, my grandfather, was born May 17, 1840, Noxuba Co., Mississippi. Five of the children died before my great grandparents emigrated to Utah. My great grandmother died and was buried in Manti; her husband is buried in Parowan, Utah. They traveled with the first pioneers who came to Utah. Pres. Brigham asked that they travel south to Sanpete. When they reached Salt Creek canyon, grandfather's mother was so ill they could not travel farther so they stayed in Salt Creek canyon until she was able to travel again. Isaac Morley took grandfather with his family to Manti. They landed Nov. 22, 1849; 224 men, women, children pulled up along the creek at what would later be called Temple Hill. Snow began falling that night and by morning the ground was white with snow. ___ the men and boys began digging into the side of the hill and in a few days they had 27 dugouts carved out of the dirt and limestone ledges. Others drove the cattle maybe 250 head they had herded from Salt Lake City past Utah lake up Salt Creek canyon to the Sanpitch river where feed was good along the bottom lands. The snow that began to fall on Nov. 22 fell almost constantly. By Dec. 24, the day before Christmas, it was knee deep for the cattle to nuzzle way or paw through in their search for grass; so that day livestock was driven out of the bottom lands past the dugouts and the wagon boxes rigged up as cabins out to what they called the warm springs. A little flow of tepid water that came out of the ledges two miles south of Temple Hill, fed a few willow patches and cottonwood groves, watered a few little meadows and ended up in the valley below. A lot of people had occasion to remember that Xmas day and the days that came after for a long, long time. William B. Richey was one of those who remembered it the longest because he was only nine years old at the time as he was one of the boys who fought with the men to save the livestock and therefore the settlement in the months ahead. On Christmas day armed with shovels, hatchets, saws, they began the months long task of clearing the meadows of snow, cutting down willows, sawing branches out of cottonwood tees and hauling in anything that might serve as food for the cattle. In the days after Xmas the snow continued to fall until it was three feet deep; the men and boys continued to fight the drifts and the cold and the dazzling brightness of January days that blinded some; by February the cattle began to die - they made eating of a kind for the little band of Indians camped a mile away at the Red Point. Spring came late that year and when June arrived 113 animals were left, gaunt survivors of what oldtimers called the hardest winter of the all because the surviving livestock were too weak for spring plowing. 12 men walked to Salt Lake City and returned with fresh stock for the planting. One warm day in the spring of this year serving the double purpose of creating a little excitement and varying the monotony of our field labors, the citizens of our little berg were treated to a disagreeable surprise party; just after sunset a weird hissing and rattling was heard apparently coming from all points at once, and the very earth seemed writhing with gaunt spotted backed rattlesnakes. They had come from caves above us in the ledges of rock that had been our shield and shelter from the northern blasts of winter. They invaded our homes with as little comance as the plagues or compunction as the plagues of Egypt did the palace of Pharaoh. They took the privilege of occupying our beds and cupboard pantries who had none. The male portion of the community turned out with torches to enable them [to] prosecute the task of extermination and the slaughter continued until the wee hrs. of night. Persons who were engaged in the work said the number killed the first night as near three hundred; the remarkable feature of the invasion was that not one single person was bitten by the repulsive creatures. They do most of their traveling in the early evening and are most dangerous when recovering from the state induced by the intense cold of winter. The indian encampment covered that portion of the present site of Manti from Temple Hill to hills east, City creek south and west, this area being thickly dotted with wickiups thus forming a huge semicircle around the whites. At one time the men and boys were clearing snow so the cattle could eat; a terrrible storrm came up, they could not see their way to get back to camp. Some said they should go East, others said west; grandfather traveled east until he came to the Sanpete Indian camp. He spent the night with the Indians and returned to what was his home next morning. The men who went west wallowed through deep snow all night; when morning came they were on the west side of the valley in the salaeratus beds. This salaeratus was used as lye by the pioneers to soften the water when doing the family wash. During the summer of the first year the settlers built a bowery near their camp. Here public meetings were held the most important of which were the Sabbath Day services. First meeting was held July 7, 1850. Pres. Brigham Young advised the settlers to build their townsite near a water supply. About this time Chief Walker who happened to be in one of his moods literally spoiling for a row, put on his war paint and sent a demand for the whites to deliver up to him for death two of the most influential men in the settlement. This demand was not fulfilled and they could see it was necessary to build a fort for their protection. On the 27th of May building was begun; on the 28 of June it was finished, the walls were eight feet high and two feet thick and set upon a foundation three feet wide. After it was completed houses were built inside. The cabins were set close together with the backs close to the fort wall so as to leave as much space as possible in the center. Seventy-six men who labored on the fort - it required a total of 781 man days, 123 of which were with teams. At one time my grandfather was a minute man; he was called with others to come to Ephraim and west of town, when Bro Currie was left as a baby his parents were both killed that day by the Indians. In this day of rapid and comfortable transportation, it is difficult for people now to visualize the hardships endured by our pioneers. For a period of more than four years, raiding and killing were the Indians' pastime; they seemed to specialize in the art of surprise and ambuscade. The history of this war is filled with incidents of the killing of men, women, and children without warning or a chance to defend themselves. During the first year it was estimated that the Indians drove off and killed between 30 and 40 whites and 2000 head of cattle and horse. In the year 1862 Johannah Marie Hougaard emigrated with her parents to Utah from Falster, Denmark. She was 16 years of age; she spent 6 years in the home of her parents spinning and weaving - there was not much time for pleasure in those days. She did enjoy dancing; I imagine she did do alot of dancing as this is where she met her future husband William B. Richey. On Aug. 26, 1868 Johanna Marie Hougaard and William B. Richey were married. Twelve children were born to this union - 9 girls, 2 boys. In the early years of their married life, William B. Richey did freighting as a means [of] supoport for his family. He freighted to Pioche, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah. As a child I listened to many stories and experiences he had while freighting. One story I remember very well. It goes as follows: A man by the name of Geo. Spencer, made a trip to Pioche with William B. Richey; they were always bothered by bandits so had to find places on the wagons to hide what little money they had. One night William was worried and he feared a hold up. He told George who had one hundred dollars in greenbacks to hide his money. George went to the grub box, took a loaf of bread, broke it open and put his money inside the loaf of bread, then placed the bread back in the grub box. During the night one of [the] mules ate the loaf of bread. Grandfather always had a good laugh when he told this story. In those days, it took a month to make a trip to Pioche and return. It took two weeks to make a trip to Salt Lake City and return, so grandmother was alone most of the time while her children were growing up. My grandfather passed away May 9, 1911 at the age of 73 from pneumonia - is buried in Manti."

      6. Journal History, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, 20 Jan 1848, p. 25: "Following is the petition for a post office on the Pottawattamie lands, referred to, with the signatures attached. To the Honorable Postmaster Gerneral of the United States. Sir: There are many thousand inhabitants in the vicinity of the Log Tabernacle, which is situated on the Government purchase of the Pottawatamies and in the State of Iowa, whose interest is materially injured, and whose journey, business and improvements are retarded or destroyed by non intercourse; there being no Post Office within forty or fifty miles of said Tabernacle, and the public good requires a convenient office: Therefore, We your Petitioners, Citizens of the United States and residents of said vicinage, pray your Honor to cause, such an office to be located at or near said Tabernacle without delay, to be called the Tabernacle Post Office... [Approximately 2,000 plus all male signatures including] Daniel Tyler, Joseph Mangum, William Richey, John B. Richey, William B. Richey, John R. Holden [Wiley Holden and Joshua Holden are immediately adjacent - relations?].

      7. Historical Dept., LDS Church, Salt Lake City, UT, selected extracts from MS 1880, "Reminiscences [ca. 1896] of Henry Eyring," MS1880, p. 25: "...We held our October [1856] Conference at Bro. Buster's place, situate on one of the tributaries of Grand River. Nearly all the elders were present, Elder H.W. Miller presided... Elders Miller and Case left the Cherokee Mission about Nov. 1856 and Elder Wm Bricker about the same time... Elder Robert C Petty had died during 1856, leaving W.N. Cook, Jno. A. Richards, Wm. Richey, Geo. Higginson and myself to carry on the work of that mission. Elder W.N. Cook was chosen President... Notwithstanding we were ordered to leave the Creek Nation we returned to labor there again in the fall of 1856... Our April Conference 1857 was held in the Creek Nation at Elder Randall's. Elder Parley P. Pratt was with us at that Conference. His mind was filled with gloomy forebodings and it appeared as though he were left to himself, not being able to discern the future or any way of escape for himself. Himself and Elder Geo. Higginson were arrested on the road which leads from Fort Gibson to Texas. Bro Higginson after having been taken to Fort Smith, Arkansas, was liberated and made [p.26] his way to the Valleys in a Texas Company of Saints, bearing with him the sad tidings of Elder P.P. Pratt's martyrdom. Soon after the death of Elder Pratt, the Buchanan army was sent to Utah and the excitement against the Latter-day Saints ran very high in the U.S. and to some extent in the Indian Territory. It was deemed advisable for the Elders laboring on the Cherokee Mission to remain quiet for a season and consequently I returned to Deep Fork and spent most of the year 1857 in mercantile pursuit. In 1858 I was more or less engaged in merchandising. In the fall of the year Sept. 17, 1858, I married Anne, daughter of Etso-emahlia, a Creek half breed... I will here state that after the death of Elder Washington N. Cook I was chosen President of the Mission by the vote of the Conference, held at Iron Springs October 1858, Elder Jno. A. Richards opposing the appointment. He having married a well to do Cherokee woman by the name of Widow Wright his sole aim seemed to be how to accumulate and obtain wealth, thereby neglecting the duties of his ministry. When Father Richey and myself went to Utah in 1860 he desired to remain and I have learned since that he joined the Southern army during the war of the Rebelliion and of course denied [p. 27] the faith, at least never returned to Utah to my knowledge... April 6, 1860, myself and wife separated, she having no disposition to be subject to good teachings and moreover possessing an extremely jealous disposition, she imagined a great many foolish things. Father Richey, who boarded with us felt to fully justify me in my separation. I had now been about 4 1/2 years on the Cherokee Mission and felt somewhat desirous to know when I would be released from my labors. Not being able to hear anything from the Presidency of the Church, I called upon the Lord in prayer, asking him to reveal to me his mind and will in regard to remaining longer or going up to Zion. The following dream was given to me in answer to my prayer. I dreamt I had arrived in S.L. City and immediately went to Pres't B. Young's office, where I found him. I said to him: 'Pres't Young I have left my mission, have come of my own accord but if there is anything wrong in this, I am willing to return and finish my mission.' To this he replied: 'You have stayed long enough, it is all right.' Having had dreams before which were literally fulfilled I had faith to believe, that this also would be and consequently commenced at once to prepare for a start. Father Wm. Richey and myself fitted up jointly and on the 23d May 1860 left Springhill in the Creek Nation. Passing through Kansas and Nebraska, we finally reached Omaha in the latter State. [p. 28] We found that a Company of Saints led by Captain Murphy was ahead of us a few days' Journey and we resolved at once to hurry and overtake them. This we did, just as they were being ferried across Loupe Fork. Our little wagon was very frail and the brethren of the Company thought that we certainly would not reach S.L. Valley with it. However it held together and instead of having to be helped in by the brethren we had the pleasure of giving rides to some of our weary old Sisters. I enjoyed myself excellently while crossing the plains walking nearly the whole distance and to me it was more like a pleasure trip, than a toilsome pilgrimage. I arrived in S.L. City Aug. 29th, 1860, and stopped at the house of Bro. Jno. M. Moody. The following day Bro. Richey and myself called upon Pres't Young, who received us very kindly. I said to him, 'Pres't Young I have come without being sent for, if I have done wrong, I am willing to return and finish my mission.' He answered: 'It is all right, we have been looking for you.' Thus my dream was literally fulfilled.... [p. 30] ...at the October Conference 1862 Volunteered to go to Dixie... About Oct 25th, 1862, we started for Dixie having hired our passage with John Nebeker, who then had a residence in Toguerville Kane Co. Our journey was tedious and slow, reaching St. George about Nov. 23d. We first camped on Bro. James Richey's lot, but getting employment at Washington, ginning cotton we removed there and remained until the latter part of January..."

      8. The master's thesis: "Mormon Indian Missions - 1855," by Wesley R. Law, 1959, p. 93: "The missionaries were able to baptize a few more natives into the Church during 1858 and early 1859. In fact, the increased number of baptisms resulted in the organization of two new branches. The elders apparently had been allowed to resume their labors among the Creeks, as the Nephi Branch was organized in that nation by President Eyring and the Lehi Branch was organized among the Cherokees. The Lehi Branch functioned only a short time when it was disorganized due to its president and teacher moving to Utah. A letter written by President Eyring in 1860 stated that the Nephi Branch was still functioning. It also mentioned that there were forty-three members of the Church in the Cherokee nation and forty-eight among the Creeks. Speaking of this total membership, however, Eyring said that '...only a very few are alive in the cause, the majority are careless and indifferent...' At the close of 1859 the Cherokee authorities again ordered the missionaries to leave the reservation. They all comnpled except Richards who was allowed to remain because he was married to one of the tribe. [John A.] Richards, however, made no attempt to do any missionary work. The Creeks issued a similar order during the early part of 1860. President Eyring and William Richey were the last missionaries, excluding Richards, to leave the mission. They started for Utah on May 23, 1860. As far as records indicate the mission was closed on May 23, 1860, and remained as such for the next seventeen years... Footnotes: 'Journal History,' Aug. 31, 1860, p. 4; 'Samuel O. Bennion Letter,' LDS Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1937, single page."

      9. Pioneer Trail Travel per Http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library: Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847-1868. Source of Trail Excerpt: Richey, James, Autobiography [n.d.], 4-5.
      Trail Excerpt: "...Soon after i was married i crost the missi[ss]ppi river and started west[.] wee stopt on the desmoin [Des Moines] river and waited for some provistions[.] wee also stopt on fore river and workt a while[.] wee then traveled on to pisga[h.] here I was taken down sick and was neare unto death but finally i got beter and my wife was takeen down sick and was very low for a long time but finally recovered[.] i stayed at pisga[h] tel late in the fall when mee and my brother in law Joseph mangum moved to winter quarters on the missouri river whare I stayed tel spring[.] while we ware in ioway [Iowa] my brother benjamin left is [us] and went on to council bluffs[,] whare entered the mormon battallion and went to calafornia [California] whare he died and thus i was deprived of a friend that was neare and deare to mee
      my wifes mother died at winter quarters from being exposed in traveling in an inclemant season of the year[.] i stayed at winter quarters tel spring and then started with the first camp for the vall[e]y of the mountains whare i arrived with my family after a long and tegious [tedious journey]-i arrived in salt lake vally in october in the year 1847[.] i left my fathers family at winter quarters on the missouri river whare they lived tel the spring of forty eight when they started for salt lake vally and joined mee in the fall of the same year[.] when they left my father started on a mishion [mission] to texas leeveing his mother at winter quarters[.] he filled his mishion and returnd to winter quarters and emigrateed to the val[l]ies in the year 50 [gran…] and ther[e] died of colerry [cholera]"

      10. Nauvoo LDS Land and Records Office research file (copy in my possession as of 2 Jun 2007 and also partially viewable at www.earlylds.com). Includes family group sheet from Ancestral File and copy of Susan Easton Black's book on LDS Members. Also included:
      A. Land records: T5 R7, Sec 11, E Side NW SE, 30 acres (Prairie Township). This land is adjoining the town of Carthage where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred.
      B. 70s Records: One child with Nancy Ridge and 10 with Margaret Ann Adair. Quorum 28. Endowed 20 Jan 1846 as a seventy. Went on a Cherokee Mission. Was a mechanic and a farmer.

      11. "The Indian Territory Mission," B. H. Roberts, "Comprehensive History of the Church," Vol.5, Ch.126, p.102 - p.103: "From 1855 to 1860 a mission was maintained in the Indian territory among the Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw Indians. At the April conference in Salt Lake City, 1855, six elders, viz, Henry W. Miller, Robert C. Petty, Washington N. Cook, William Richey and John A. Richards, were called to this mission; and in the early part of the summer arrived upon the scene of their labors along the borders of the Indian territory, adjoining Arkansas. Two of the number were sent among the Delawares, but meeting with no success they rejoined the rest of their party in the Cherokee nation, at Spavinaw, a settlement on a small stream of the same name. Here they met a small company of brethren from Texas who had been associated with Lyman Wight and his operations in that state, but becoming dissatisfied with him had started to go to the headquarters of the church in Utah. En route they had come in contact with some of the followers of James J. Strang, who had succeeded in persuading these Texas brethren that all was not right with the church in Utah; and therefore they had halted at Spavinaw where they were found by the missionaries from Utah as aforesaid. Elder Miller in charge of the Indian territory mission soon persuaded the breth