Family: Richins

Introduction

Sarah Amanda Shurtliff was born January 22, 1865 in Harrisville, Utah. Her father, Luman Andrel Shurtliff, accepted the Gospel after hearing Joseph Smith speak. He was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints August 21, 1836 by David Witmer. During his fruitful life, he accomplished many things. He filled eight missions, three home missions, and was a Patriarch for eleven years. He had four wives and thirty-three children. He was a strict man and a strong tithe payer and he emphasized the importance of tithing to his children. Sarah’s parents endured many hardships for the Gospel. Luman and his families gave up their homes many times when they were called to colonize other places to build up the Church. Due to the strenuous conditions present in the early days of Utah, the family often found themselves in difficult circumstances.

Sarah’s mother, Mary Eliza Adams, died when she was only eight years old and Sarah had to go into other homes and work to help earn her keep. She worked hard, as all pioneer girls had to do, but she loved all her brothers and sisters and took great pride in helping any way she could.

Marriage and Two Families

Silas Benjamin Harper courted and married Sarah on April 2, 1885 and they lived in Payson, Utah where two little girls, Mary Blanche and Elsa Vinetta, were born. Tragedy struck again in her life—shortly after Elsa was born, Silas was killed in an accident while riding a load of hay. Sarah was left with two babies to care for.

When her sister Lovina Wilson, who had been sent by the Church to help colonize Mexico, heard the news she invited Sarah to join her in Mexico. Sarah accepted the invitation and traveled with other Church members to Mexico. When she reached Mexico she worked for “Aunt Fanny Harper” in her boarding house. Later she married Orson Oriel Richins, becoming his third wife. He was a loyal husband and a good father to her daughters. Through this union Sarah bore six more children: Marland Lumin, Carrie Roween, Sadie Esther, Colola Beth, Orson Oriel, Jr., and Olive Olga.

Sarah’s life continued to be one of hard work and true devotion to her family. While living in Mexico, she managed a store and a restaurant and made cheeses to sell. She was a devoted member of the Church and when Orson Oriel was called on a mission to the Central States in 1896, she happily supported her family and assisted her husband in fulfilling his mission.

According to the last pages of his missionary diary, he returned from his mission to find all his families enjoying good health and all were happy at his return. He wrote that Sarah was with the others at the depot in Guzman to meet him and he told of many happy events and parties that were held on his behalf. He was surprised at how his little son, Marland, had grown and how Blanche and Elsa were young ladies.

Leaving Mexico

The next few years were happy, but hard, for the growing families of Orson Oriel Richins. Life in Mexico ended in 1912 due to the Mexican Civil War. When the Saints entered the United States again, the families had to separate, so Sarah took her family to El Paso, Texas. She felt a big responsibility upon her shoulders, but she knew that the Lord would watch over her and help guide her in every way. She never lost this simple faith and tried to instill it into all her children. Marland, while but a boy, immediately went to work to support the family. The girls did likewise as they became of age.

Sarah became a midwife and was in great demand among the Saints in El Paso. She spent a great deal of time nursing the sick. “Aunt Sade”, as she was called, seemed to be needed everywhere.

Sarah was a strict tithe payer, as her father had taught her in her youth. Many times her tithing was all she had, but then it really wasn’t hers—she considered it the Lord’s—so it was paid to Him. She recalled, “We were never without. The Lord always blessed us.” This grateful and humble spirit was manifest throughout her life.

When the Saints were advised to buy farms and colonize Red Rock, New Mexico, Sarah moved into a home there Orson had built for her and her two youngest children. Her son Marland and her daughter Beth and her husband also purchased farms there. Orson Oriel wanted as many of his children as wanted to join him in this venture, so they could all be together. Life in Red Rock was hard and the farming venture proved unsuccessful. Consequently, many of the settlers moved to nearby Virden, New Mexico where they could be near friends and relatives from the Mexican colonies.

The Final Years

Sarah lived in Virden the remainder of her years. She loved her little home there and would leave it only to visit her children and grandchildren or to work in the Temple in Mesa, Arizona. She very much enjoyed her time in the Temple.

“Aunt Sade” passed away in the home of her daughter Blanche in Virden, New Mexico on October 25, 1947, with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren around her, as she wished. The day she passed away a new great-grandchild was born-a new spirit to live on and to glorify the Gospel that Sarah loved so dearly. Her descendants number eight children, 29 grandchildren, 67 great-grandchildren and 3+ great-great-grandchildren.

Introduction

For over 50 years, the Richins family has searched for the christening records of Henry Richins, our first common ancestor. So far, the christening date has eluded all our researchers. Henry’s [LDS] Temple Index Card gives his birth as April 9 1769 at Rodbury. We have been unable to find a town or village with the name of Rodbury. There is a Parish called Rodborough, but there was no christening there for Henry Richins.

In the search for Henry, a will was found for a John Richins of Horton who named Henry as a grandson and a son of his son Thomas. This enabled us to discover that Henry’s father was Thomas and Thomas was the son of John Richins, which extended the Richins line back two generations.

John Richins died at Horton, Gloucestershire, England. The monumental inscription at Horton indicates he was born in 1697/1698 and his wife, Ann, was born in 1695/1696. We searched the area for their christenings dates, but did not find them. The first entry we found for them was their marriage at Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire, England.

The entry of marriage listed John Richins of Winterbourne and Ann King from Hawkesbury. We eagerly searched these Parishes for their christenings, but were disappointed, for John Richins was not christened at Winterbourne, nor Ann King at Hawkesbury. We will continue to search for their christenings so as to extend this line.

John and Ann were married by banns, so the announcement of their intent to marry had to be published in both the groom’s and bride’s Parish and both had to be present. This usually took place over a period of four weeks. If the Parishes were some distance apart, it was customary for the groom to take up residence in the bride’s Parish for the reading of the banns in church. This was apparently what John did.

The Parish of Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire, England

When John arrived at Hawkesbury, the Parish contained about 150 homes and had a population of about 598-650 people. The Parish included the towns of Hiley, Trisham, Kilcot, Settlewood, Wast and Hawkesbury.

The eastern part of the Parish lies upon the hill and spreads out into open country. It is called Hawkesbury Upton. The Cotswold ridge divides Hawkesbury Upton from the vale below. The church is located in the vale below the ridge and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is a large church with four aisles and a tower on the west end of the church. The church is capped with battlements and parapets as seen on many of the castles. The Reverend John Ryder was Vicar of the Parish.

A note painted on a smallboard at the church reads, “It is desired that all persons that do come to this church would be careful to leave their dogs at home and that all women would not walk in their patterns.” It was customary for the sexton of the church to carry a whip along with his keys to drive dogs out of the church. It was also his responsibility to keep women from walking in patterns—wooden sandals with clogs for walking in damp and muddy places. The women secreted their patterns in some convenient hedge a short distance from the church and retrieved them on their return home.

Sir Bank Jenkinson, a baronet, was Lord of the Manor. He had holdings in other Parishes and chose not to live at the Manor House in Hawkesbury. Left unattended, the Manor House soon fell into disrepair. In his absence, the Manor was probably left under the care of an Overseer. The Duke of Beauford also held land in Hawkesbury. The clergy held some acres and the freeholders, yeomen and farmers held the remaining ground.

In most European countries, the people lived in the towns and commuted to their farms in the country. In England, the farmhouse was usually in the center of the farm and accessed by a narrow lane leading from the main road. Hedges, trees or stone walls divided the farm into fields. Birds, rodents and rabbits found refuge beneath the thorny hedges of berries or wild rose. Poor women made a practice of walking along the thorny hedges where the sheep grazed to gather wool the thorns had snagged. She used this wool to spin yarn for caps, stockings and other clothing.

The stone walls built by the Cotswollers were built without mortar. Each stone was placed so it locked into another stone. Some of the walls have stood for over 500 years. The skill of the Cotswallers has been handed down for generations. It is said they could do anything with the Cotswold stone but eat it.

Winterbourne is southwest of Hawkesbury. John took the Bristol road that went from Bristol to Cheltham. It is about 10 miles as the crow flies, but the winding, narrow roads made it much longer.

John had to leave Winterbourne in early March or late February to be in Hawkesbury for the reading of the banns. One wonders how he traveled—by horseback? By stagecoach? This would take much longer than by horseback because of the many stops. Many people who were fortunate enough to own a horse traveled by cart. Whatever way, he must have been relieved to see the homes and farms of Hawkesbury and know he would soon be in the warmth of a cottage or inn.

There is nothing in the records to indicate in what occupation John was employed. Was he an Overseer who came to supervise some gentleman’s estate? A tenant farmer, who leased land from a landowner? We do know that at his death he was listed as a yeoman.

A yeoman was a gentleman farmer who owned a small estate in the country. He was classed under the Gentry, Squires and Clergy, but above the tradesmen, shopkeepers and working class. Yeomen were required to defend their country from invasion and riots. Since most owned horses, they would form a cavalry, called yeomanry. The work yeomanry had the connotation of being true and faithful. So we see that John Richins belonged to an upper class.

Life in England changed under the explosion of the Industrial Revolution—first, water-powered mills replaced the hand looms. Weavers who had earned their living by weaving at home were put out of work and angrily marched against the mills, intent on destroying them. However, they failed to stop the progress of the emerging industrialization. Then steam engine revolutionized the mills and factories. The water-powered mills had difficulty keeping up, so industry began centering around cities rather than country streams.

As people sought work in villages by the mills and factories, housing became scarce. As a result, small cottages were divided to accommodate several families under very crowded conditions. Some found shelter in people’s attics and some even lived in cellars. The crowded situation resulted in unsanitary conditions, which fostered the rise and spread of epidemics and plagues.

Villages grew into cities as mills and factories sprung up along the streams used to power them. Stagecoaches began to run between larger cities to better facilitate the transportation of merchandise and people, but the roads were not suited for such traffic. Better roads were in dire need.

New farming methods were introduced, so agriculture began to flourish. Turnips were introduced to feed cattle during the winter months, which was a great benefit to the farmers, such as John and Ann.

George III was King of England, but he was not universally liked. Many thought he had blundered in handling the American Colonies, who were fighting for their independence. During all the changes, Hawkesbury and Horton, being farming communities rather than industrial centers, were left quite untouched.

Marriage and Family

After John’s arrival at Hawkesbury, the Vicar read the banns for several weeks. Since no objection was voiced against the marriage, John Richins and Ann King entered the roofed gate of the church exchange their wedding vows on March 29, 1722. As with most couples, they would have nervously approached the altar where Reverend John Ryland performed the wedding ceremony. There were probably friends and family members to witness the marriage.

When the ceremony concluded, the church bells rang out to announce their marriage.

Church bells were an important part of the church. They rang to call people to church, to announce a wedding or a holiday, such as Christmas. They tolled mournfully for a death and clang vigorously to give warning of fire or flood, or other emergency.

John and Ann made their home in Hawkesbury, where they lived for 20 years. All their children were born and christened in Hawkesbury. On March 29, 1723, they celebrated their first wedding anniversary and were making plans for the arrival of their first child. The baby was due in July. Most parents in those days desired their first child to be a boy—an heir to carry on the family name. Babies were born in the home with the help of a neighbor or midwife. It was also the practice for girls to go home for the birth of their first child.

Fourteen months after John and Ann had spoken their wedding vows, they proudly presented their son and heir to the Vicar for christening July 18, 1723. Reverend Ryland took the baby in his arms and holding his head above the font, sprinkled the baby’s head with holy water and christened him John after his father.

The stone font had a hollowed-out basin that stood upon a pedestal secured by a base. A lid covered the holy water and in times of epidemics and plagues, the font had to be locked to prevent people from taking the water, believing it would heal the sick.

The christening, or baptism, took place soon after the birth of the baby, especially if the baby did not seem strong and healthy, for it was taught that a child who died before they were baptized would never be able to live with God. What an unjust God they were taught to believe in! What torment the parents must have suffered when their babies died before they could be christened.

Two years after the christening of their son John, a daughter was added to the family and she was christened on May 13, 1725 and given the name Mary. There was no set rules for spelling, so the parish clerk wrote down the name as it sounded to him. Since the families could not usually read or write, it was left in the hands of the clerk to record the name as he felt it should be spelled. So we find the Richins children with surnames spelled in several different ways: Richings, Ritchins, Richins, Richens and occasionally, Hitchins.

In the year 1727, two boys were added to the family. Our ancestor Thomas and his brother William were christened on November 22, 1727. They were apparently twins, although not listed in the records as such. This made a family of four children in less than five years. We can imagine Ann had her hands full, as everything was done by manual labor. The laundry was scrubbed by hand; the clothes and sewing done by hand with a needle and thread; wool was washed, corded and spun into yarn and then knitted into stockings, caps and sweaters.

Meals were cooked over a fireplace with a swinging iron arm. A kettle of food was placed on the hooked end and swung back over the fire to cook. The oven was built next to the chimney. Water was carried from a well for the laundry, scrubbing and cooking. There was a lot of hard work in life during those times.

Three years after Thomas and William were born another daughter arrived. She was taken to the church on to be christened on May 4, 1730. The Reverend Potter Cole performed her christening and gave her the name of Elizabeth. Thus far, all of John’s and Ann’s babies had survived and there was a pattern of boy, girl, boy, girl and true to the pattern, a boy followed Elizabeth. It was exactly two years from day that Elizabeth was christened that they arrived at the church for the christening of their son, Richard—May 4, 1732.

Following the family tradition, the next child was a daughter. She was christened on September 23, 1735 and given the name Ann, after her mother. Names were important to families at his time in England. It was an honor to carry a family name that had been handed down for generations. Many times if a child with a cherished family name died, the next child was also given the name to carry it on in a family.

We can often find more than one child in a family with the same name. Some of the early families named two sons the same name and call them “ye elder” and “ye younger” as in John ye elder and John ye younger. Children were named after parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. In the more wealthy classes, a child could be named after a friend or loved family member who was called a Godfather or Godmother. The Godparents often reciprocated the honor bestowed upon them with a gift to the child. On the Godparents’ death, the child would probably receive a token of money.

After Ann, Sarah broke the family pattern by being a girl instead of a boy. She was christened on September 18, 1738. Ann was 43 years old when Sarah, her last child, was born, making John and Ann the parents of eight children. There were four boys: John, Thomas, William and Richard; and four daughters: Mary, Elizabeth, Ann and Sarah. The family ranged in age from John, about 15 or 16, to Sarah, a newborn.

Horton, Gloucestershire, England

Sometime after Sarah’s christening, the family moved from Hawkesbury to Horton, a Parish just south of Hawkesbury. In fact, it was a deanery of Hawkesbury with a Curate under the Vicar of Hawkesbury to perform the church’s christenings, marriages and burials.

Horton contained about 80 homes and 332 people. It too, lay half in the vale and half on the hill above. The church is half way up the hill and is dedicated to St. James. It has a tower with a clock on the west end. The Lord of the Manor, Mr. Paston, used the rent from two homes and some farmland to keep the church repaired. His Manor house was near the church and the rectory.

John bought a small estate in Horton, which he held under the Lord of the Manor. He apparently prospered, for at his death he had acquired securities, property and over 275 English pounds, which was a goodly sum in those days.

However, not all went well for John and Ann, for their first entry in the church records in Horton was the burial of their first son and heir. Their son John was about 21 years old when he died. There is no indication in the records as to the cause of his death. Rector William Wickam conducted the burial service, which took place on March 26, 1744.

With the death of John, the next son became the heir. Although Thomas, our ancestor, and William were christened on the same day, William must have been born first, as he inherited his father’s property, while Thomas was made the executor of the estate.

The Next Generation

John’s eldest daughter, Mary, was the first that we have any record on to be married. She married Samuel Cook from Hawkesbury. They were married in Horton by banns. After the reading of the banns for several weeks, the marriage ceremony took place on February 22, 1746 and was performed by Edward Draper, who became the Curate of Horton at the death of Reverend Wickam. Mary was a young lady of 21 years.

Mary and Samuel lived at Hawkesbury, where their four children were born. Soon after the birth of their fourth child, Samuel died. Mary was only 32 when she was left a widow. We have not been able to identify her burial date or place, but in her father’s will dated 1776, he listed her as lately deceased.

William, the eldest twin, married a woman named Elizabeth. However, we have not been able to find the marriage entry for them in the church records. Apparently, there were no children born to them. William made a will on March 22, 1794, in which he left all his property to his wife Betty—otherwise known as Elizabeth. He listed his household cottage that belonged to his father, John Richins, which he had leased to William Rodway and Jacob Pride. He also held the property under the Lord and Lady of the Manor in Horton.

William was buried at Horton on January 16, 1801 at the age of 75. Elizabeth proved his will on June 23, 1801.

Their second daughter, Elizabeth, married Thomas Davis, but again, we have not found their marriage record. They named their fist son Thomas, but he died in infancy. Their next child was also a son, so they gave him the name Thomas also. Two months after his christening, his father, Thomas Sr., either became seriously ill or there was an accident, for he died the day he made his will—July 15, 1749.

The will listed him as a “horse-driver,” so this could have been an accident. In the will he named his father-in-law, John Hitchins, his wife Elizabeth, and son, Thomas. He left the messages, tenant garden, orchard and dwelling house in Hawkesbury, called Oakhole, to his wife. The rent from the property was to keep her the rest of her life. She proved the will on July 19, 1749, just five days after his death.

Thirteen months after Thomas’ death, Elizabeth married Daniel Horwood Parks of Kingswood. The marriage took place on August 20, 1750. They lived at Kingswood and were the parents of seven children. Apparently, Thomas Davis, Jr. did not go to Kingswood with his mother, but stayed with his grandparents. Elizabeth Davis Parks died at Kingswood and was buried there on March 10, 1798, at the age of 68.

When John Richins made his will, he did not list Thomas Davis with the Parks children, nor leave him the usual five pounds he gave his other grandchildren. Rather, he made him an executor, along with his son, Thomas Richins. After they had paid the terms of his will and paid the funeral expenses, they were to divide the remaining money, securities, personal property and household articles between themselves. So it appears he was looked upon more as a son than a grandson.

Richard, the youngest of John and Ann’s sons married Sarah Cooper at Horton by banns on September 25, 1758. The Reverend Edward Draper performed the ceremony. They lived at Horton and were the parents of seven children. Richard lived to be 84 years old. He was buried at Horton on November 25, 1815.

Ann was considered an old maid at age 26 when she married William Canning. He was a yeoman from Bath Eaton. They were married by license, which indicates he was prosperous. Reverend Edward Draper married them in the Parish church at Horton on January 21, 1760. The license listed his age as 36 and Ann’s as 26. One would expect William, a yeoman, to have returned to his estate in Bath Eaton. However, two months after their marriage he was buried in the Parish churchyard in Horton on April 5, 1760. There was no indication as to the cause of his death.

There were only two marriages performed in the year 1760 at Horton and they were both Ann’s marriages. Joseph Cooper, a widower, began to court Ann. He and Ann were married by banns at Horton on December 18, 1760. They were the parents of four children. Their youngest, a son, was only two years old when Ann died. She was buried at Hawkesbury onSeptember 6, 1771.

Sarah, the youngest child of John and Ann, was married to William Rodway from Hawkesbury May 24, 1759. They were married by banns at the Horton church by Reverend Edward Draper. They lived at Hawkesbury, where their five children were born. Two of their children died in early childhood. There were too many deaths of “Sarah Rodway” to correctly identify which date was our Sarah’s burial date.

Ann, who was two years older than John, was the first to leave this life’s existence. She died at Horton on October 1, 1774. The services were conducted by the Reverend Edward Draper and she was buried October 4, 1774 in the Horton churchyard. John had a memorial inscription made to honor her.

Two years later John decided to make a will to divide his estate among his children and grandchildren. His will was dated March 10, 1776. In the will he left all his children 20 pounds in money. Then realizing that William had already received his share of the property, he added a codicil to the will five days later to change William’s share of the money from 20 pounds to 1 shilling. This was the legal amount required by law to be left to an heir to prevent a suit by a family member.

He left Richard 20 pounds in money and Richard’s children, 5 pounds each: William, Thomas, Joseph, Ann, Elizabeth, John and Sarah.

He bequeathed 20 pounds in money to Betty (Elizabeth) Parks and her eight children, namely, Peter, Rebecca, Ann, Elizabeth, Mary, William, Sarah and Thomas Parks: 5 pounds a piece.

To his grandchildren, John, Ann, Elizabeth and Thomas Cook, children of of his daughter Mary (lately deceased), he gave 5 pounds each.

To his grandchildren, Urania, Febe, Tabitha and Seth Cooper, he gave 15 pounds each. These were children of his daughter Ann, deceased. The extra 10 pounds were probably an inheritance from their mother, left in the hands of her father for her children.

He bequeathed 20 pounds of money to Sarah and to each of her children: John, William and Temperance Rodway, 5 pounds each.

To Thomas, our ancestor, he bequeathed 20 pounds besides sharing with Thomas Davis in the remainder of the inheritance. To his grandsons Thomas and Henry, he left 5 pounds each, to be given to them when they reached the age of 21.

lived over a year after making his will. He died, according to his monumental inscription, October 3, 1777 at the age of 80. However, the Parish Register gives his burial date as October 20, 1777, age 80. This is seventeen days after his death. One has to be an error, perhaps the monumental inscription. The Reverend Edward Draper conducted the burial service.

After John’s death, the family began to disappear from Horton. William died without having any posterity. Some of Richard’s family moved to Yate. Thomas disappeared from the records until we found his wife’s burial at Painswick.

So closes the days of John Richins and his wife Ann King Richins.

Introduction

For many years the Richins Surname Association has searched for the marriage record for Thomas Richins and Sarah and the christening dates of their two sons, Thomas and Henry. So far, we have failed to find them.

Thomas was the son of John Richins and Ann King. He and his brother William were christened at Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire, England on November 22, 1727. Apparently twins, they were born into a family that consisted of eight children. An older brother, John, and a sister, Mary, preceded them and they were followed by a younger brother, Richard and three sisters—Elizabeth, Ann and Sarah. The family lived at Hawkesbury the early part of Thomas’ and William’s lives. Hawkesbury was a rural village and the church was the center of activity. Even the whipping post and stocks were placed near the church so the people could see the lawbreakers punished and heed the warning. The felons received little sympathy from the townspeople, who would gather to jeer and taunt them, or even make a sport out of throwing rotten eggs at the captives. Even the poor vagrant tied to the whipping post sometimes received his 20 lashes to the cheer of unsympathetic onlookers. The trials and hardships of their time caused people to harden their feelings so not to be overcome.

With no newspapers, telephones or radios, the church bells were the voice of the village. If they clanged vigorously, it was a warning of danger, such as fire, flooding or a call for volunteers. The chimes each Sabbath called the people to worship. The bells rang to announce a wedding or tolled mournfully for a death. Their cheerful ringing announced the opening of the fair or the beginning of the holidays.

There were two turnpike roads leading into Hawkesbury. One came from Bath, a popular health resort with warm mineral waters believed to cure many ailments. This road led north to Gloucester and on to Cheltenham. The other turnpike came from Bristol and continued on to Oxford. In good weather, the people of the village could see the travelers passing through the parish on their way to the larger cities and towns.

The Lord & His Manor

Most of the English farmlands were still under the manorial system, which had gone through many changes since the days of the Feudal Lords when serfs were little more than slaves of the Manor. Though the days of the serfs were long past, there were still laws the Lord of the Manor held over the people of his Manor. No one could sell land or homes without the consent of the Lord and Lady of the Manor.

The tenant farmers were still bound to the Manor and could not leave without consent from the Lord. There was a time when they could not go out of the limits of the Manor without being fined or put in jail. Some of these restrictions were gradually eased or rescinded, but some remained. People could not build a cottage without license or consent from the Lord. The tenant farmers elected a Reeve who presented their complaints in a Manor Court. The Lord was usually represented by his Bailiff or Steward.

The land of the Manor was divided into four classes:

1. Deminse: Land the Lord kept for family use. He hired an Overseer to supervise this home farm.
2. Tenant Land: Land leased or rented to his tenant farmers.
3. Commons: Land set aside for the tenant farmers to pasture a few head of cattle or sheep.
4. True Hold Land: Land free of rent or lease; freemen could purchase a tenure of this land to hold under the Lord and Lady of the Manor.

A tenure was the length of time a person desired and could be handed down to the heirs of the family upon paying a death fee or giving a gift to the Lord and Lady of the Manor. Freemen usually inherited this privilege from one of their ancestors who had served the King as a Knight. They were called freemen, but they were still obligated to give service to the King in case of riots or invasion.

The Industrial Revolution

Life in England changed under the explosion of the Industrial Revolution—first, water-powered mills replaced the hand looms. Weavers who had earned their living by weaving at home were put out of work and angrily marched against the mills, intent on destroying them. However, they failed to stop the progress of the emerging industrialization. Then steam engine revolutionized the mills and factories. The water-powered mills had difficulty keeping up, so industry began centering around cities rather than country streams.

As people sought work in villages by the mills and factories, housing became scarce. As a result, small cottages were divided to accommodate several families under very crowded conditions. Some found shelter in people’s attics and some even lived in cellars. The crowded situation resulted in unsanitary conditions, which fostered the rise and spread of epidemics and plagues.

Villages grew into cities as mills and factories sprung up along the streams used to power them. Stagecoaches began to run between larger cities to better facilitate the transportation of merchandise and people, but the roads were not suited for such traffic. Better roads were in dire need.

New farming methods were introduced, so agriculture began to flourish. Turnips were introduced to feed cattle during the winter months, which was a great benefit to the farmers, such as John and Ann.

George III was King of England, but he was not universally liked. Many thought he had blundered in handling the American Colonies, who were fighting for their independence. During all the changes, Hawkesbury and Horton, being farming communities rather than industrial centers, were left quite untouched.

John Richins was a freeman and purchased a tenure of land and a home in Horton. He was known as a yeoman, meaning a gentleman farmer with a small estate in the country. John moved to Horton sometime between 1738 and 1744. Thomas and William were in their teens. After moving to Horton, a tragedy struck the family when John, the eldest son, died at the age of 21 years.

William became the apparent heir. He stayed at Horton and inherited his father’s property. He married Elizabeth (Betty), but we have not found the marriage entry to discover her maiden name. There were no children born to them and at his death in 1801, he left the property to his wife Betty. In his will he mentions the property that belonged to his father, John Richins, under the Lord and Lady of the Manor.

Painswick, Gloucestershire, England

Thomas apparently did not stay at Horton, as his name never appears in any of the records. He was probably receiving training in a trade in another Parish. It is my belief he was trained to become a Bailiff or Steward or an Overseer to supervise the estate of a gentleman. He must have remained a bachelor until his late 30’s, as he was 40 when Thomas was born and 42 when Henry was born.

From his father’s will we learned that Thomas had married and had two sons, Thomas and Henry. Although we have not yet found their christening records, we have discovered when they were born. Thomas was 24 when he was married in 1701, making his birth year 1767. From Henry’s age at death and other entries we know he was born in 1769.

When their grandfather, John Richins, made his will, Thomas (the younger) was about nine years old and Henry about seven years old. Although the rest of the grandchildren received their inheritance when the will was proven, Thomas and Henry were not to receive theirs until they were 21 years.

Thomas Richins (the elder) and Thomas Davis were the executors of the will in 1778. Thomas received his 20 pounds along with his living brothers and sisters, except for William, who received one shilling, as he already had his share in the property. One shilling was the legal amount required by law to be left to an heir so a will could not be contested.

After Thomas proved the will, executed the requirements of the will and divided the remaining inheritance between Thomas Davis and himself, he seems to disappear from the records for twelve years. At that point, he and his family—wife Sarah and sons Thomas and Henry—were well established in Painswick, Gloucestershire, England.

The first entry for the Richins family in Painswick is the burial of Sarah Richins, wife of Thomas Richins. She was buried May 28, 1790. John Masley was the Vicar of Painswick at this time. Thomas became a widower at the age of 63, and his two sons, Thomas and Henry, were young men of 23, and 21. Both should have received their grandfather’s inheritance of 5 pounds each.

About a year later another entry appears—the marriage of Thomas (the younger) by license. The allegation of the marriage on March 7, 1791 lists Thomas as a yeoman, age 24, a bachelor of Painswick and Ann Wilkins as a spinster, age 21. They were married two days later on March 9, 1791. It was a surprise to see that Thomas was a yeoman at age 24. Did he buy land with his inheritance or did he inherit it from his father? To find the answer, I asked our researcher in England to check the land tax record to see when Thomas had purchased the property or if he had inherited it from his father. The findings only raised additional questions regarding how Thomas acquired the land.

The researcher found Thomas’ brother, William, on the land tax record in Horton in 1792 and 1795, but there were no records of a Richins in Painswick or Sheepscombe, Stroud, etc. However, a Mr. Hitchins was found on a Tocknell estate in 1794. I believe that this Mr. Hitchins is our ancestor, Thomas Richins for the following reasons:· The Gloucestershire dialect added “H” to many words and names and deleted the “H” from words starting with “H.” · John Richins was listed in his son-in-law’s will as John Hitchins and Thomas’ sister was listed as Hitchins on her marriage record.

The land tax record of Bisley Hundred, which encompasses the Parish Painswick, among others, listed the following for the Tocknell estate:

Proprietor (legal owner)	Occupier (to dwell in)
Mrs. Newland for Tocknell	Herself and Mr. Hitchins

I researched the Tocknell family in earlier years, as they are ancestors of the Richins-Wager line. The Tocknell family owned a large mill on the Painswick stream near Gardners at Damsell. They built a large mansion home nearby. In the 1670s Edward Tocknell lived at Tocknell, but he also had holdings in Bristol.

Edward had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1696/1697. She married George Newland, a merchant from Bristol. They inherited Tocknell and made alterations to the home. Their grandson, George Newland, inherited Tocknell and lived there. According to the history of Painswick, he was sincerely loved. He married Elizabeth Chapel. He died January 5, 1791. Elizabeth, Chapel Newland, his widow, was the Mrs. Newland, owner of Tocknell mentioned above. For Mr. Hitchins to be dwelling at the residence indicates he was probably the Overseer of the estate. 

An Overseer supervised and hired the labor to run the deminse farm, oversaw the tenant farmers and made sure they paid their rent or lease and they kept the property in good condition, repair, etc.

I have not discovered if Locke was part of Tocknell or a separate property, as they did not name a proprietor, only an occupier. Was this the same Mr. Hitchins or were there two? England gave names to homes and farms, such as Castle Hale, Sheephouse, Ludloes, etc. Land received names, such as Washbrook, Samsell, Ebworth, etc.

Additional evidence that Thomas might have been the Overseer is the fact that fathers usually taught their first son their trade. Although Thomas (son) was listed as a yeoman in his marriage allegation (1791), he became an Overseer in 1823.

The third entry for the Richins family is the final chapter of Thomas’ life—he was buried at Painswick May 23, 1801.

The few entries for Thomas Richins leave much unknown about his life, but they are tantalizing and build up a curiosity to know more. The Richins Surname Association will continue to seek for his marriage record to find Sarah’s maiden name and to find the christening dates of Thomas and Henry.

Thomas Richins & Ann Wilkins

Thomas, son of Thomas and Sarah Richins, was born sometime in the year 1767. He came to Painswick with his parents and was married by license to Ann Wilkins. The allegation did not show who paid the bond, but it listed Thomas as a yeoman of Painswick, a bachelor, age 24. The allegation was dated May 7, 1791. It listed Ann Wilkins as a spinster, age 21. She was the daughter of William and Mary Wilkins. The legal age for people to be married without their parents being present to give their consent was 21 years of age. However, Ann’s christening record indicates she was 19 or 20 at most. She was christened at Trocester December 6, 1772. Perhaps it was easier to list the legal age than to have her parents come to Painswick to be present to give their consent. Her age at death agrees with the date of the christening.

Thomas and Ann were married May 9, 1791 by the Reverend Mosely. They had six children christened at Painswick. Their first son was christened July 3, 1791 and named William after Ann’s father. Just a year later, another son was christened Thomas after his father July 4, 1792. This made three generations named Thomas. A daughter, Elizabeth, was christened January 24, 1794. She was followed by Mary Ann, who was christened July 20, 1796. John, their third son, was christened February 3, 1798. Harriet, the last child, was christened March 26, 1800.

The Vicar listed Thomas as an Overseer in 1799. An Overseer had to be mobile, as he might need to travel to oversee several estates held by the gentleman, move to another property to live and work or move with the family to various estates. Thomas’ many locations provide further indication that he was an Overseer. This would also explain the scattered deaths of the family:· Thomas’ wife, Ann, died at Cricklade, St. Samson, in the county of Wiltshire, age 47. Her body was returned to Painswick for burial February 10, 1819.· The youngest daughter died at Brimscombe, Gloucestershire, age 18 and she was buried at Painswick March 10, 1819.

Thomas died at Churcham. This is many miles northwest of Painswick. His body was also returned to Painswick and buried October 28, 1835. His age at death was in error, as they reversed the numbers and had 76 instead of 67, which agrees with his age on his marriage license, while 76 does not. It also would make 11 years between Thomas and Henry instead of two years, which is more reasonable and fits other information.

The fact that Thomas could afford to bring the bodies back to Painswick to be buried indicates he was earning a higher than average wage.

I was born April 6, 1917 in Cosmopolis, Washington. That was the day that USA declared war on Germany. I don’t know if all that had anything to do with an early labor or not. It was also my Grandmother Charlotte’s birthday. Dad was working in a lumberyard at the time.

My folks left Cosmopolis (It rained so much they thought I would be getting web feet) and moved to Portland, Oregon where dad worked in building wooden Liberty ships. They used wood because they would not attract magnetic mines.

Sometime after that we moved to Salt Lake City. I don’t know how long my folks stayed there. Dad got a job with the railroad and was sent to Shasta, Nevada. It was here that my memory first stored a few bits of data that I can recall.

Shasta was a water stop for the trains. Dad worked with the [railroad] in this regards. He even moved an engine from one place to another and I can remember riding in the engine with him. That was exciting. Not too exciting when I got my finger badly cut on a coal shoot. I still have a bad scar on my right index finger. One time a trainload of Shriners stopped and a man gave me an ice cream cone. First one I can remember. With all the trains coming and going, somehow I got a cinder in one of my eyes and they had to take me by train to Salt Lake City to have a Doctor take it out. Shasta had a total population at that time of 50, 5 of which were in our family. One lady had school for all the kids–6 or 7 of us. I remember a snow that was just about as deep as I was tall.

Sacramento, California, Here we come. Mother didn’t like it at Shasta so we moved. Mother’s sister Elsie lived there which was another reason for the moving. That is where I started school in the first grade. I was to meet my sister after school at a certain spot and I got lost. Did I cry? I just remember that she finally found me…

When we were kids [mother] sent us to Sunday School. I remember going one Sunday morning to find that the church had burned down. We quit going for a while. Someone came to our door canvassing the neighborhood an invited us to Sunday School. I, being the oldest, took my 3 younger brothers and went to the Westminister Presbyterian Church in Sacramento, California, which is just across from the State Capitol on 13th and N. Streets. We went there for several years. I somehow got the thought in my mind that I was too old for Sunday School and we all quit. I have always been sorry that I quit, but thankful that I had the Word of God in my heart, even though I had not accepted the LORD Jesus as my Savior at that time. That happened when I was in the navy…

One day, my friend Corkey said to me, “Heber, let’s join the Navy.” I thought it over and said, “OK.” Guess what happened? We called him Corkey because he walked with a limp. That’s right, I passed the physical and went to the Navy Jan 10, 1936 and Corkey stayed at home. I don’t remember seeing him again. I was in the Navy from Jan 10, 1936 to Jan 10, 1940.

Boot Camp – Sand Diego, California

I was billeted next to a slow talking man from Texas, named Oran Bell. We marched side by side in our squad. He became a good friend of mine. The fleet at that time was going to make a cruise to South America and they hurried our company through boot camp so that we could join the fleet for that trip. However, I became very sick with pneumonia and was rushed to the naval hospital. That was the days before anti-biotics and I had to sweat it out in intensive care for several days before the fever left me. I remember being so sick that I didn’t even enjoy the presence of a pretty navy female nurse – that’s sick. Eventually they put me on the USS Texas. I didn’t think I knew a soul on board. Then one day I ran into Oran Bell. I was real glad to see him. Something had happened to him since we were last together. He had been a nominal Christian when I first met him, but now he had dedicated his life to the LORD and was serving HIM.

My New Life

Oran witnessed to me and I went to church with him. It seems like a civilian worker in the navy yard in Bremerton invited us to their church and it was that evening that I went forward seeking the LORD. However, it was not until a few weeks later, after our ship returned to Long Beach, that I really found the joy of knowing my sins were forgiven and that I was then Born Again. This happened at a meeting of the Navigators in Long Beach where Dawson Troutman was in charge. I raised my hand when he asked who wanted to accept the LORD. He took me aside and showed me from my Bible how I can have eternal life and KNOW it. That is when I had a real turn about in my life. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation” 2 Cor. 5:17. Christ did something for me that I never could have done. I was a changed man. Christ, whom I now love, became the motivation that not only blessed my life but also the lives of others I have met, this includes my family. This will be seen later on in this manuscript.

Fellowship and Service

I discovered that there was a Christian group aboard the ship who were meeting for Bible Study. I joined them and also attended the Navigator meetings ashore. These meetings along with memorization of God’s Word gave me a good foundation for my future service. About 6 weeks after being saved, I went to Sacramento to visit my folks on a leave. I told my brother Vernon that I had something special to tell him. We went into the bedroom and the best I could, I went through God’s Plan of salvation with him. He said that he wanted to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. We both got on our knees and prayed together. He invited Christ into his life. We hugged each other and had a “bawl game.” Vernon immediately got involved in church work. He later married and raised a family. Vernon and his wife Louise were killed in an auto accident in March of 1957. They left 4 children, all who are serving the Lord today. Two are in Germany doing the Lord’s work.

The Lord used my testimony and witnessing to win others to Christ.

USS Mississippi

The USS Texas was being decommissioned by the navy and was going to the east coast to be used as a training ship and I was transferred to the Mississippi. I had already met some of the Christian men on that ship at our Navigators meeting ashore. I immediately joined them in their Bible study. It was during this time, that the Navigators had a gospel team, which was composed of Christian sailors from various ships. We would be invited to a church or mission to give our testimonies and one of the men would give the message. I enjoyed this very much. I can still remember how scared I was the first time I gave my testimony before a group of elderly people. It was an encouragement to me to have someone come up afterwards and say something like this, “God bless you, sailor boy, we enjoyed your testimony.” Later on the Navigators considered me their key man on the ship. I was involved in our group Bible study and had Sunday School in the ship’s library for anyone who wanted to attend. Before I left, there were as many as 40 men out.

I could relate many experiences that the Lord gave me while in the navy, but I will spare you. My term of service was to expire in a few months and I prayed much about what I should do. I felt like I would like to be in the Lord’s work and so decided to go to Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA) when I was paid off. On Jan 10, 1940 I left the Navy in Bremerton, Washington, and bought a one way ticket to L.A. Of course I stopped off in Sacramento to visit my family for a week or so. I started BIOLA the last part of January in 1940.

Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA)

I found studying hard my first semester but I learned and got better grades the rest of my 3 years. Quite a few of the students at BIOLA had part time jobs to help pay the bills. I worked in the cafeteria of a large department store (Robinsons) 3 or 4 hours a day. I got 2 of my meals there besides the 38¢ and hour they were paying. I later got a raise to 45¢ an hour. Remember, that was 1940-1943.

Phylis worked at a restaurant, dime store, and at Robinsons.

BIOLA students were all required to have practical work assignments. Phylis taught Sunday School in 2 or 3 different churches; had an open air class for Hispanics; and did hospital visitation. I was also involved in the same activities as Phylis was. I was asked by an old navy buddy (Harvy Myrick) to help him as Sunday School Superintendent in a new church he was starting. I worked there for over 4 years. Our first Sunday we met in a home with 50 people present. Later it became necessary for us to build a church to accommodate our increasing number. To make a long story short, Phylis and I were married in that church on June 10, 1943. We served there together for another year before leaving for Nigeria. This church supported us while on the mission field for 24 years. I was also ordained in that church.

Backing up a little, I was introduced to Phylis by Wilma (Lambert) Nash in April 1942. I found her to be a delightful girl. During the summer of 1942 Phylis returned to Kansas to be with her folks. Her father was seriously ill. He died that summer. Later I visited her on the farm in Kansas and there became engaged in August of 1942. Phylis thought she would have to stay on the farm to help her mother, but she was able to find some one to help, so that [she] could return to BIOLA. Once when Phylis’ mother Daisy Swinney was praying, the Lord indicated to her that Phylis was going to be a missionary in Africa. This came to pass. This may have had something to do with Phylis’ mother being anxious that she return to school.

Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL)

We left for Muskegon, Oklahoma after we were married. We traveled in a car with three other Biolans who were also going to attend the SIL. The wartime speed limit was 35 mph and it took us two nights and two days to arrive there from Los Angeles. We drove non-stop except for gas and food. The course there was very difficult because we arrived several days late and it took a lot of work to get semi caught up. We did not go to that school because we thought we would be doing Bible translation work, but in order to help us learn a language when we arrived in Nigeria. It was a great help.

After school was over we visited Phylis’ mother on the farm in southeastern Kansas. Shortly afterwards we headed back to Los Angeles so that Phylis could finish her schoolwork at BIOLA. I heard that they needed a dentist in the mission field, so I enrolled in a Jr. College to start getting a foundation in dentistry. It didn’t take long for me to discover that was not my calling, so I dropped out of school. In the meantime I was working as a mechanic’s helper for the Los Angeles Motor Coach Co. When we returned to Los Angeles after our SIL training we got a small apartment in the rear of a university professor. They gave us free room and board in exchange for cooking and housekeeping. This lasted a few months and because it was not allowing Phylis the time she needed for her studies, we moved into an apartment for $38 a month, just a few blocks from BIOLA.

Deputation Work

This started out on a sour note when one church in Santa Ana didn’t give us any help when they seemingly were looking for a missionary to help. That was discouraging, but we knew that the LORD was leading and we started to move. We left Los Angeles after Phylis finished at BIOLA and visited my mother and father in Broderick, California (across the river from Sacramento on the west). While there and waiting to hear from the mission about church openings, we had 30-50 kids in a Vacation Bible School in a church just a few blocks from my parents’ house. In the meantime I worked as a clerk in the YMCA.

We had little money for anything. A friend sent us $50 and immediately after that the Mission asked us to come to New York. Well, the $50 got us as far as Kansas on the train. While there we had meetings at some of the Churches Phylis knew about and then had enough money to take us to New York. At that time the Mission had just moved into an old eight-story apartment building and we helped out there getting things cleaned up. We then got a call to go to Michigan for a Mission Conference. To make a long story short, the Bible Church in Three Rivers, Michigan, and the First Baptist Church in Howard City, Michigan, Mr. And Mrs. Jim Hokezma, and our home church in Bassett took on all our support.

There just remained $1,300 for transportation to Nigeria. Phylis stayed in the New York Mission Headquarters while I went to Wisconsin to participate in two missionary conferences. The Lord provided the rest of the money that we needed for us to sail for Nigeria. He was sitting on the platform when the people were asked if they would like to help in the outgoing expenses of the Richins. One widow lady stood up and said, “I need a new chimney for my house and have been saving up money for it, but I feel that the Lord wants me to give it for the Richins’ travel to Nigeria.” It was a good-sized sum for those days. Someone else stood up and said, “I’ll give $500.” Another and another and when I boarded the train for the trip back to New York, the Lord had provided all our transportation money. I had the check in my pocket. Isn’t God faithful?

Sailing for Nigeria

On January 30, 1945 we boarded the SS Serpa Pinto in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The War was on at that time and the only travel that could be obtained had to be on a neutral ship. All ships traveling during the War were blacked out at night, but our ship had the word “PORTUGAL” painted in letters so large that it took up the whole side of the ship. They were illuminated at night as well as their flag and the rest of the ship. The ship was stopped on its way to America by a Nazi sub and they asked for a certain passenger by name and the ship had to deliver that person to the sub. We had no problem on our crossing. We arrived in Lisbon, Portugal February 11, 1945 and were there a month before we could get another ship out. While there we got to do a lot of touring and visiting old castles, forts, churches, etc. It was nice. We left Lisbon on March 10th aboard the SS Lourenco Marques (Portuguese ship). Accommodations were hard to get and the men had to all sleep in the same rooms and the ladies also. By doing this they could carry more passengers.

On March 25 we were transferred via launch to a small riverboat and went up the Congo River to Boma. We stayed at a mission station there. We had met the folks there in New York in 1944. It was nice to see them, but I had a throat infection with a temperature of 104° F. I had to get to a Belgian doctor who gave me sulfa tablets. I was allergic to them, but endured until my fever was down. We then proceeded up river to Matadi for the night and boarded a train to Leopoldville where we were hoping to get a plane back to Nigeria. They were booked for weeks; finally we were able to cross the river into French Congo, get an all night train to Point Noire on the coast where we were for a couple of days before we got a plane to Nigeria. While at Point Noire we met some Swedish missionaries who were about to return home, having been away for over eight years because of the war. We were able to give them some of our clothes: suit, dress, etc. They were glad to get them as they didn’t have anything to go home in.

We left there April 7, 1945 and flew to Douala in the Cameroons. I was still sick and spent the day in bed in the hotel while the rest of our party did some sight-seeing. The next day we traveled to Nigeria and few days later we took a train north to Minna where we arrived Friday, April 13th.

Language School at Minna, Nigeria

We were met at the train depot by Wilma Nash. She was the girl that introduced us to each other in 1942. She was also the Maid of Honor at our wedding. There were many others from the language school who met us at the depot also.

It didn’t take us too long to get settled [into] our two-room mud block house. There was a veranda on the front. We had running water-you ran after it. The outhouse was nearby. That explains how modern it was. We used kerosene lamps also.

Because of the conditions in the Congo, Phylis arrived with amoebic dysentery and was in bed the first two weeks that we were in Minna. Before we left we both had malaria also. Any way we got busy with our language study and kept at it for seven months. We all had exams at the end of our time there.

May 7th was VE Day and there was a celebration in town. Then not too long after there was VJ Day and we were all glad that the war was over.

During our time at language school we were involved in various activities. We cycled to a town four miles away to teach the children-we went there many times. The chief had fifteen wives living and four that had died. I worked with the Boys Brigade. Most of these kids knew some English and we were able to help them. One afternoon three boys accepted the LORD. We also visited the villages to try out our new Hausa language. We took a mind up phonograph with Hausa records and played it to the people. We always got a good crowd.

Our language study involved classroom work with a missionary teacher. We would learn grammar, etc. Then in the afternoon we would have a Hausa informant to help us get the correct pronunciation.

Wilma and Joe Nash were married on June 23rd in the church in Minna. I performed the ceremony; Phylis was the Matron of Honor and Joe Mooney was the Best Man. One African got the couples mixed up and went to Phylis and Joe Mooney, thinking they were the bride and groom and said, “May God give you many children.” This is an accepted greeting after a wedding.

At Minna we made friends with many missionaries. Walt and Ruth Erbele were real special among them and still are. They are now retired in Salem, Oregon.

While in Minna a messenger came to say that Al Diamond, a missionary fifteen miles away, was very sick with no one to look after him. The powers that be appointed me to go and look after him. I had to take medications: quanine if he had malaria, and sulfa if he had spinal meningitis. The latter was quite prevalent in the area. He didn’t have a stiff neck that is caused by spinal meningitis, so I treated him for malaria and in four or five days he was better. It was a hard bicycle ride there, as I hadn’t ridden one for a longtime.

We were assigned to Zambuk by the field Council and headed that way in November. We got permission to visit the newlyweds for a few days on our way to our station. We had no transportation, so Dr. Harris drove us to our station, which was a 200-mile trip from headquarters on a dirt road. It was three years later that he delivered our firstborn, Charlotte.

Zambuk, Nigeria (December 1945 – April 1949)

The people of Zambuk are of the Tera tribe – over 20,000 people living in over a dozen villages in an area roughly 25 miles long and 25 miles wide. Zambuk is approximately in the center of the tribal territory, and was the third largest village in the area, with approximately 1,000 people at the time we arrived. Later it increased in size. Each town was ruled by a local chief, which was responsible to the Emir of Gombe, who was not a Tera, but rather a Fulani. The Tera resented this, and a few years later they were granted their own Paramount Chief.

The English District Officer called all the chiefs together, and asked them to choose the man they wanted for their leader. Of course, they all wanted the leadership, but no one would say anything except, “Long may you live. Whoever you give us, we will follow.” This was not what the District Officer wanted to hear. After several meetings he gave up, and decided to appoint one himself, but he was unsure how to proceed. One day when I was in the District Office, the District Officer asked me who I thought would be a good man for the job. I suggested a name, and he was appointed when we were on furlough.

The new tribal leader was from the second largest village, and very friendly to the mission. Of course, the chief from the largest village, who was “anti-Mission”) thought he should be the tribal leader, and refused to follow the man appointed by the District Officer. The District Officer had to send a truckload of Government police to dissident’s town to move him out to a remote village. He was told to stay there, and keep out of trouble, or he would be arrested.

During the time the government was determining who would be the Paramount Chief I had several of the local chiefs ask me, “You are a white man, and you know the ways of the white men. Can you tell me what to say to the D.O. in order that I would be appointed Paramount Chief?” I gave none of them encouragement. I wanted to keep out of it, or I could get in trouble.

The Tera people fled from the Muslim conquest years and years ago. They were Animist at the time, but at the coming of the mission, they were mixed – Animist and Muslim. I have no good statistics for this area, but the last I heard, Nigeria as a whole was 50% Christian.

Missionaries began working in Zambuk in 1930. When we arrived in 1945 there were 80 people attending the church. Five out-station churches also had been built. Shortly after our arrival a conference was held in Zambuk for all the area churches. It was a joy to see 300 hundred people attend our little church, which was built for 150. To accommodate the extra attendees, the front wall of the church was removed, and replaced by straw mats. After the conference the church was enlarged. Within a few months the Lord brought in more people, and we enjoyed a congregation of 180 people in a short time.

In January 1946 we had nine young men leave for Bible school training – a few also took their families. A few years later these and others who followed in their footsteps were used of the Lord to build up the church. By the time we left Zambuk in 1959 there were over 1,000 people in all our combined churches. Several more out-stations were opened. In order to progress you have to train the nationals.

When the missionaries first arrived in Zambuk none of the people could read or write. The missionaries began teaching them to read and write. Later they opened three schools for children with mission-trained national teachers ¬– one at Zambuk, and one each at two other villages. Adult education continued, in association with tour Bible teachings.

The house we moved into had been renovated by Alex Ireland, from whom we took over the supervision of the mission station. It was a good-sized house with seven rooms. The kitchen was out back in order to keep the heat of the wood stove away from the house. One of the first things we did was to screen the house to keep out the mosquitoes and flies, as both are disease carriers.

Locally we could get eggs, chicken, and tough meat from the market. They butchered on market day, which happened to be Saturday. There were cattle in the area and we were able to get milk. When the milk arrived at our house we had to process it before we could safely drink it. First we strained out the flies and other stuff. Then we boiled the milk to pasteurize it. Local fruit and vegetables were readily available. Oranges, grapefruit, mangoes, limes, and guavas grew on the grounds of the mission station on trees planted by our predecessor. We really appreciated his foresight. African grains, peanuts, tomatoes, onions, okra, and squash were also available. We ordered other foodstuffs such as sugar, flour, spices, coffee, tea, and canned fruit once a month from the mission headquarters. After the first year we enjoyed fresh vegetables from our own garden – string beans, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and lettuce. I also was able to keep us supplied with wild game, such as gazelle, wart hog, bush fowl, and occasionally, a goose.

Building materials like cement, lumber, glass, corrugated sheet metal roofing panels had to be ordered from Jos [?] and came by truck. Once in a while I had a team of sawyers come through and they would find a good tree locally, and saw it into the size of boards I needed. It was very crude. For example, a 2 x 6 would likely be 1½ x 5 at one end, and 2½ x 7 at the other end. Some of the fellows did fairly good work. Years later, someone started a sawmill in the area 250 miles away, and we were able to get very nice lumber.

We had a dispensary for treating the people. We had one African dispenser with a helper. Shortly after our arrival the mission sent us a nurse to look after all the medical work. She was a midwife, and we built a delivery room for her. She started delivering babies, and caring for them. This was a great help to the people. We also had an African woman who was a midwife, but she was not as well trained as our nurse.

Eva, our nurse, arrived just in time to save the life of a man bitten by a viper. The poison of a viper thins out the blood so that a person starts bleeding from any old would or even the mouth and eyes. This man was losing a lot of blood from where the snake bit him. Eva put a clamp on the blood vessel to stop the bleeding. His people didn’t like that, so they tried to remove the clam, and take him away. Eva had to argue (almost fight) with them and said, “If you take him away now, he will die.” They finally agreed to let the man stay in Eva’s care. The next morning the patient was bright and smiling, and had a normal pulse. He went home well. Over the years we treated a lot of snakebites. If they got to us in time, we could usually help them. If not, they died.

We had to always be on the lookout for snakes. During the time we were in Nigeria we found six vipers in our house. One was wrapped around a curtain rod. Another time, when Charlotte was small, she called, “Mommy! There is something behind the trunk. It’s too big to be a worm.” It was in fact a viper. We educated our kids early to watch out for snakes and scorpions. Later, when they were older, the children would go around the yard, pick up stones, and see how many scorpions they could find and put in a jar. It made us a little nervous, to say the least. One day I found a cobra nest in our backyard, and killed ten snakes. However, the mother snake was not to be found.

One of our Christian women had her tenth child in our maternity hut. She only had one other child living. She didn’t have enough milk to feed the baby, so we rigged a bottle for her to use. I soldered the shell of a bullet onto the too of a jar, and we attached the rubber top of an eyedropper to it, creating a bottle. We kept the lady supplied with milk for her baby.

Every year around Christmas we would have a three-day Bible conference for all our believers. Some walked from as far away as 17 miles. We had over 350 people attend, and I baptized eleven of them. The meetings were not always held in the same town. Over the years the numbers kept on growing. I will not mention this further, except to say that by the end of our last term at Zambuk in 1959, we had close to 1,000 present. We always had a baptismal service during these conferences.

In 1947 were ready to go on a much-needed holiday when permission came through for us to build a house for our nurse. If we waited until our month vacation the rains would arrive and we would be unable to make the brinks. Besides this, all the people we could get to help us would be working on their farms. We tore down an old house and used the clay to make new brinks. These were sun-dried and then piled on the edge to form a large kiln. We had wood brought in from the bush and fired the kiln for two days. After that we started the building. We worked hard for six weeks and finally got the roof on. Then we left for vacation. It was a four-room house with a porch in the front and back. This was my first and last experience firing bricks.

We didn’t know the language well enough to start any preaching, but we did start having Sunday School classes. I would get together with a teacher and help him prepare his sermons. This was a help to the teacher and also a learning experience for me. After our second year I felt confident enough to start preaching in Hausa.

In June 1947 we were able to buy an old used motorcycle from a missionary friend of ours. It was a great help in getting around. We did have a bicycle, but that was all.

Eva finally got everything set to start weighing babies. There were 17 babies to weigh the first week; over 20 babies the second week; and over 40 babies the following week. Weighing included giving the baby any necessary help to ensure the well being of the child. The women were coming out to church in greater numbers, and the clinic played a significant part in this.

We have a story about a woman named Tukum whose husband is a fine Christian. His name is Dogo, which means “tall.” Tukum used to never come to church unless someone went for her, and then, very often she would refuse. She seemed to have the attitude, “They’re not going to get me to follow Christ.” While we were away for our rest, she had a baby at our clinic. When we returned she was a changed woman. Her baby was getting along fine, and she continually brought it to the clinic to have it checked and weighed. She always had a bright smile for us, and she went to church every Sunday without anyone going after her.

When we asked her husband about it, he said he had noticed the also. Dogo said that before, when he would make Yohanna (John) get ready for church Tukum would get mad at him, but now, when the bell rings for church, she starts getting Yohanna ready herself. Christ can give new life. Years later their hut burned down, and they lost everything, including their Bible. The people found Dogo crying, and asked, “Why are you crying?”

He said, “My Bible is burned up.”

“Why cry? Your life doesn’t depend on that.”

“Oh, yes it does,” he replied.

The Christians helped him get his house repaired, and we made sure that he got a new Bible – free.

Dada was a Longuda who lived over 50 miles from Zambuk. His mother died when he was quite small, and he was raised by an uncle, even though his father was alive. You see, according to the customs of these people, a child is the property of the mother and her side of the family. So after his mother’s death, he had to go live with an uncle.

One day he heard an evangelist preaching in town. In his heart he accepted Christ. After hearing this, his uncle did everything he could to get Dada to give up his “religion,” but Dada said he couldn’t. His uncle made it hard on him, so he ran away, and one Saturday afternoon, he arrived at our mission station for any help we could give him. He was around 18 or 19 years old at the time. We needed someone to help with our yard work, so we gave him a job, and also got him into elementary school in the afternoon. He learned rapidly, and proved to be a good worker, and a strong Christian. A few years later he went back home, and by this time his uncle was willing to accept him as he was. He got involved in the local church.

There was a good good-sized church in Difa, six miles away from Zambuk, and the Christians wanted an elementary school built. By this time we had nationals who were graduates of our teachers training schools and were qualified to teach. We did a lot of work to get the school built. The local Christians did most of the work. Finally, school started, and we began having good success.

There were a lot of Muslims in town who didn’t want the school, and wanted the government to build a school for them. We are not sure what happened, but several years later the school burned down during a storm. Some say the school was hit by lightning, but the Christians feel the Muslims torched it. Immediately the government stepped in and built a school with Muslim instructors.

Sometime around 1970, after Nigeria gained its independence from England, the government nationalized all schools and hospitals. Whatever the mission had control of had to be turned over to them. However, there was still freedom to teach Bible classes in the school for those who wanted to come. Even before the nationalization of the schools, I held Bible classes in two schools in Gombe, 15 miles from Zambuk. One class was in the higher Teachers Training School, and the other in a craft school.

Phylis wrote her mother on November 16, 1947 as follows:

“This morning before breakfast a fellow came from our farthest outstation with a letter from the evangelist. He said a big palaver had come up there and he wanted Heber and the elders to come at once today. Heber jumped on his motorcycle and ran into town to call the elders. I had the cook make some biscuits for his lunch, as we had toasted our last bit of bread for breakfast. We have a camp cot there and he took a blanket. It’s almost 6 [PM] and he isn’t back yet, so I’m a bit doubtful about his coming today. I guess he’ll have to have a chicken cooked with rice in a native pot for supper. Maybe he can fill up on boiled eggs for breakfast.

Next day. Just as I finished writing the above, Heber came. He was tired, and shaken up, but O.K. He brought home a big catfish, which we enjoyed. The outstation is near a river. The palaver was one (Christian?) was seeking the church leader’s wife when he happened to be away for a day or two. Things like that seem to be so common among the people out here. Oh, me! They certainly need our prayers.”

Phylis wrote again on March 9, 1948:

“We enjoyed our time on trek very much. The women there were so eager, and anxious for the little help I could give them in the week I was there. Sometimes we get a bit discouraged at their indifference here. Heber taught the men Revelation with the chart he made in Biola. They were just thrilled with it. Sometimes their ‘½ hour’ class would stretch to 2 or 2½ hours. They wanted to be sure he finished the book before we had to leave. We enjoyed our time with them, but were glad to get back to the comforts of home again. It as real hot while we were there. This wee we’re having dust again, and some cooler weather.

The chief here at Deba has always hindered the work to some extent. He is Muslim, and one of the kind that keeps his wives inside the 4 walls of his compound. His first wife of about 35 or more years had been very sick. The chief asked Heber to come in to see if we could help her. (Muslims do not allow any men to come in their homes to see their women folks.) Seeing the condition of the woman, Heber told him he needed to take her to Zambuk to see our nurse. Can you imagine suggesting that to a Muslim? Surpise of all surprises, he agreed, and she is now in Zambuk receiving treatment. Everyone is amazed. Perhaps the Lord is softening this hardened heart.”

(She later returned home well.)

On the 11th of March, Phylis went to Jos to be near the hospital to wait for Charlotte’s arrival. Dr. Harris gave her injections of iron and other medication to build up her blood. He said that she didn’t realize how tired she was. During this time, I was left behind at Zambuk to do some trekking, finish building a school, and do some dry season repairs. On April 15th I left for Jos to be with my wonderful wife.

Phylis started labor and went into the hospital the evening of April 25th. She slept better that night than I did. Anyway, Charlotte made her presence known at 7:38 AM on the 26th. Phyls had an adherent placenta, so she had to have a D&C to remove it. While Dr. Harris was waiting, and wondering what to do next, another mission doctor just happened to drop by the hospital and was able to help. “Just happened to drop by” – later a lady in Michigan [USA] said that on the day this was happening the Lord laid Phylis on her heart, and she did a lot of praying for her.

I had a lot of trouble with my throat since arriving in Nigeria, and I went into the hospital shortly after Phylis did, and delivered twins – one named “left tonsil,” the other “right tonsil.” This was my second operation of this nature.

While Phylis was at Miango gaining her strength back, the mission sent me to Zobolo, 20 miles from Jos, to help the Christians put a new roof on their church. I had to supervise and help in putting together the A-frames for the building. It took us a week to complete the job. Two lady missionaries there kept us well fed, and kept bringing cold orange juice to us as we worked in hot sun.

Charlotte was five weeks old when we returned to our mission station. We had a crib ready for her. It was one that was left behind by former missionaries. We had it cleaned and painted. Charlotte had a lot of trouble with diarrhea and fever during teething. She finally got her first tooth at nine months. At six months Phylis took her to Jos to see the doctor. She had her small pox vaccination at this time.

The Africans were delighted to see a white baby. Many of them had never seen one before. For some reason they all wanted to touch her, or hold her hand. Some of them may have just wiped their own baby’s bottom, and since they wouldn’t think of washing their hands, Phylis felt nervous. After they left she would immediately take Charlotte into the house, and wash her hands and arms.

The time finally came for us to leave for our furlough. We had to pack away a lot of our things in a spare room in the house. We then left for Jos on the first leg of our journey. After arriving in Jos, we got word that our ship was delayed for a couple of weeks. The mission then asked us to go to Miango, and help out in Kent Academy with supervision of the kids. It was while we were in Lagos that Charlotte took her first steps.

We boarded the Norwegian Motor Ship Talisman Sunday afternoon on May 15, 1949. We arrived in Accra, Ghana where we were for 3½ days loading 12,000 bags of cocoa beans, and 100 mahogany logs. Our next stop was 200 miles away in Takaradi, Ghana. We waited four days in the breakwater before we could get to the dock. We did a lot of loading and unloading, and finally left for New York, arriving around the 10th of June. The ship was very clean, and had 13 passengers. Five were SIM’ers, 3 were Baptists. We had a great time with the passengers. We were treated, and fed well.

We did some sightseeing in Accra. I got a haircut there by someone who came aboard, and called himself a ship’s barber. After arriving in New York City I went in for a haircut, and the barber said, “Who in the world cut your hair?”

Phylis was seasick a large part of our trip, and I had to wash by hand in the bathtub, 1,000,000 [sic] diapers. I was up early the day we were to dock in New York to do some ironing for Charlotte. A missionary lady traveling with us saw the miserable attempt I was making, and offered to do the ironing. The offer was accepted with gratitude. Her only child was an 11-year-old boy who was traveling with us. The lady said she always wanted a girl, and loved to iron little girls’ dresses. She did a beautiful job.

I was born on a farm near Buffalo, Kansas on July 27, 1920. I am the youngest of four children: Lois, George, Delyte, and myself. Both my parents, Tilden Swinney, and Daisy (Stoll) Swinney, were born, and raised in southeastern Kansas.

I started School when I was five years old, and was put in the first grade. Delyte was in the second grade. I took 2nd and 3rd grades in the same year. Ours was a typical rural school with one large room, a coal burning stove, and two outhouses. Our school was one mile from home as you travel cross the farm fields. Otherwise, it was two miles by road. My folks got a Shetland pony for Delyte and me. Mother built a little shed with runners, and we pulled it to school, and left it there for Susie (our male horse) to stay in during school. For a while we both rode Susie to school. Then mother built a cart, which we hitched behind the horse.

I do not remember a time when we didn’t go to church. Dad was Sunday School superintendent. He was also active in Grange and Farm Bureau. Mother was active in Ladies’ Aid and Unit. Delyte and I were in 4-H club. We both won many ribbons.

As we were growing up, we learned to work on the farm. We raised lots of chickens, and sold eggs to a hatchery. We had sheep, and cattle. We usually milked five or six cows, and sold cream. We raised a big garden, and did lots of canning. In the winter, we butchered beef, or sheep, and canned meat. We never lacked plenty of food.

Lois was married to Clyde Mears when I was six or seven years old. Ivan George was born about a year later. When Ivan was about five years old, they moved to California. My brother George went with them.

Delyte and I graduated from the 8th grade when I was twelve years old. We went to Vilas, Kansas for high school, rooming with our cousins Artia and Amos Nelson the first year. Other years we drove, or rode with Winnie and Austin Sellers.

After high school graduation at age sixteen. I worked in different homes in Chanute, Kansas. When I was 18 I went to California, hoping to go to school for designing clothes. I did not get in, so I worked at various things. I finally got on at Sears in receiving.

I found a housekeeping room about two blocks from Lois’ and was on my own. During this time Mrs. Baker had a Bible study for young women, which I attended. I also attended the first Baptist Church in W. Los Angeles. Dick Cantrell was my Sunday School teacher. He was going to evening Bible school at Biola. I rode with him, and went too. The following year I decided to go to day school.

I really loved this opportunity to study the Word. Dr. Hubbard’s classes were especially rich. Wilma Lambert was one of my roommates. She was headed for Nigeria under SIM. This was a challenge to me.

She introduced me to Heber Richins. We were married on June 10, 1943. In February 1945, we went to Nigeria to work under SIM.

Orson Oriel Richins

by Ena R. Mitchell

My mother Rachel Hennefer Richins and my father Orson Oriel Richins spent their childhood in Henefer, Utah. There they played and helped their parents, as all small children do. As they grew older they had many boy and girl friends. Orson Oriel Richins was considered as one of Mother’s best boy friends. People would often see them going to school together and after school they would sit on their favorite bench and pretend that it was a wagon. He would help her off the bench as if it were a seat in the wagon. He walked home with her and he always carried her books for her. The Devil’s Slide was a favorite spot for all the young people. They would gather there for their picnics and to pick wild currants. Another delightful spot for fun was called the Witches’ Rock. In the wintertime, all the young people would go sleigh riding together. The friendship of Orson and my mother grew into love and they were married in the Temple Endowment House at Salt Lake City on May 25, 1881. To this union were born nine children, three boys and six girls. Six months after Father married my mother, he married Caroline Fawcett under the law of polygamy.

In the fall of 1882 Father was indicted for polygamy. It was necessary for him to hide out from the Officers. The Officers kept watch over the house so closely that it was necessary for Mother to carry food to him. Father had to hide in the chicken house, and Mother carried his food to him in a horse nose sack so that the officers would not become suspicious of Father’s whereabouts.

Father sold his property in Henefer and put Mother on the train for her to go to Mesa, Arizona, telling her he would follow. It was six months before Mother could let her folks know where she was. The officer questioned Grandma Richins as to their whereabouts. She never told where Mother and Father went.

Mother lived in Mesa, Arizona for seven years. Two of her children were born there. As Father and Aunt Carrie were living in Mexico, it was necessary for Mother to make a living for her children. Mother provided for them by taking in washing and by nursing the sick. Father moved Mother to Mexico to be with him and Aunt Carrie, his second wife. Mother and Aunt Carrie lived in the same house and Mother always said that she loved Aunt Carrie like a sister. Aunt Carrie died, leaving three young children: Oriel, eight; Parley, six years old and Mary, who was 15 months old.

Mother raised these three children like her own. The love and respect these children showed Mother was an indication of a job well done. A few months after Caroline’s death, Father married his third wife, a widow by the name of Sadie Harper, with two young girls.

Mother worked hard doing the many things needed to care for her family, selling butter and eggs to support their needs. The older children had to do many chores on the ranch in Mexico, milking many cows night and morning. Mother made butter and cheese to sell and Father would freight, taking the eggs, butter and cheese to Deming and Silver City and Dog Springs, making the circle by wagon.((See “Camp for the Night” for a story about Orson’s freighting adventures.)) Mother and children were home taking care of the ranch and milking the cows and attending to the many duties.

The Story of My Father’s Life

by Rebecca R. Sanders

My father, Orson Oriel Richins was born in Henefer, Utah on April 2, 1862 and died December 16, 1926, in Virden, New Mexico. His father, Charles W. Richins was born in Sheepscombe Glen, England on August 17, 1828, and died 27 August 1903 in Colonia Diaz, Mexico. His mother Louisa shill Richins, was born in Staffordshire, England on June 22, 1829. She died April 28, 1902, in Mesa, Arizona.

My father was born under the new and everlasting covenant and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of eight years. He progressed in the priesthood to a Seventy and acted as a Presiding Elder in several branches in Zion.

His childhood days were spent in Henefer, Utah helping his father on the farm and working with cattle. My father had many boy and girl friends. Among his favorite of the girl friends was little Rachel Hennefer, who was born October 30, 1861, in Henefer, Utah. Her parents were James Hennefer, who was born June 2, 1821, in Wordsley, England and Sarah Hulks, who was born November 25, 1823, in London, England.

Every day they would be seen going to school together and at play, they would sit on a certain bench and pretend it was a wagon. He would help her off the bench as if it were a seat in the wagon. He would walk home with her and carry her books. The Devil’s Slide was a favorite spot for the young folks, where they gathered for picnics and to pick currants.

In the wintertime, they would go sleigh riding. As they grew older their friendship grew to love. They were married in the Temple at Salt Lake City, Utah on May 25, 1881. To this union was born nine children, three boys and six girls.

Children of Rachel Hennefer Richins

• Judith Louisa (Thygerson), born April 26, 1882, at Henefer, Summit County, Utah and died on April 12, 1937, in Virden, New Mexico.
• Rachel Rebecca (Sanders), born March 25, 1885, at Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona and died on May 28, 1960, in Douglas, Arizona.
• Sarah Lillian, born August 3, 1888, at Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona and died June 13, 1891, in Colonia Diaz, Mexico.
• Orson James, born May 13, 1891, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died on 29 August 1974 in Lordsburg, New Mexico.
• Goldie Ireta (Wright), born August 30, 1893, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died January 30, 1920, in Hachita, New Mexico.
• George Arthur, born February 13, 1896, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died May 28, 1981, in Dallas Texas.
• Prudence Mae (Bowers), born on October 16, 1900, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died October 16, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Ether Wellington, born October 14, 1902, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died January 21, 1973, in Lordsburg, New Mexico.
• Ena Agnes(Mitchell), born January 3, 1906, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died December 1, 1999, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Children of Caroline Fawcett Richins

• Joseph Oriel, born April 12, 1883, at Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona, and died 19 March 1941 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Charles Parley, born September 18, 1886, at Deming, Grant County, New Mexico and died December 20, 1976, in Blythe, California.
• Emery Willard, born February 23, 1889, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, New Mexico and died May 27, 1891, in Colonia Diaz, Mexico.
• Mary Emma (Patton), born December 7, 1890, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died January 21, 1969, in Mesa, Arizona.

Children of Sarah Harper Richins

• Marland Lumin, born December 29, 1895, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died August 15, 1973.
• Carrie Roeen (Ford), born on October 25, 1899, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died May 12, 1983, in Prescott, Arizona.
• Sadie Esther (Agee), born on February 9, 1902, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico.
• Colola Beth (Whipple), born December 26, 1904, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico and died January 28, 1965, in Phoenix, Arizona.
• Orson Oriel, Jr., born July 5, 1908, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico. He died on April 24, 1990 in Chandler, Arizona.
• Olive Olga (McCulloch), born May 3, 1911, at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico.

Under the law of polygamy, Orson took Caroline Fawcett as his second wife and to them was born four children, three boys and one girl. Caroline Fawcett was born on August 24, 1862, in New Zealand. They were married on October 20, 1881. Her father’s name was Joseph Fawcett and her mother’s name was Mary Ann Stratford.

On February 23, 1895, he married Sarah Amanda Shurtliff Harper, who was a widow with two daughters, Mary Blanche and Elsa Vinetta. To them was born six children, two boys and four girls.

This made a total of nineteen (19) children in all for Orson Oriel Richins—eight boys and eleven girls.

Henefer, Utah

Orson moved from Henefer, Utah to Mesa, Arizona and lived there seven years. Then on account of his religious beliefs, he went to Old Mexico where he could live with his families. When father went to Mexico he made his home in a little town called Colonia Diaz. As an occupation, he took up freighting from Mexico to Deming, New Mexico. He took butter, eggs, cheese and all kinds of vegetables to sell and exchange for dry goods.

It was a lonely road over many mountains and very few travelers were seen on the road in the early days of 1887. The small towns were far apart and on many occasions, he saw bands of Apache Indians roving about. They would come to his wagon and stop him. Father always gave them whatever they wanted and when they had ransacked through all his provisions they would ride on their horses to the rear of the wagon for miles. Then they would give one of their war whoops, turn their horses, wave good-by to him and ride off in the direction from which they came. He said that he always had a prayer in his heart that his life would be spared and that he might see his families again.

On one of Father’s trips, ((See “Camp for the Night” for a story about Orson’s freighting adventures.)) he had sold his load and was on his way home and as usual, he wanted to stop at an old man’s place in Emory Canyon. I think he was a prospector and lived in a one-room adobe house, which was at the entrance of Emory Canyon. It was in a large range of rugged mountains where the Indians had their hideout. There was a small spring at the house, where Father could water his horses.

He was in Emory Canyon just a few miles away from the house and it was getting late in the afternoon but he wanted to make the old prospector’s home before night. He heard a still small voice say, “Camp for the night.” So he hobbled his horses and went to bed, but was unable to sleep much, as he could not understand why he was told to camp there.

He arose very early the next morning, hitched his team to the wagon and started on his way expecting to make it to the old prospector’s for breakfast. He had only gone a short distance when he heard Indians whooping and yelling and of course, this put him on edge. As he neared the prospector’s home he could smell meat frying and thinking he was just in time for breakfast, he forgot the Indians, tied his team and went to the house to greet his old friend. Upon entering the house he could see that the Indians had been there, and he found his prospector friend dead.

The Indians had made a big fire in the stove and placed his body on it to burn. Hurriedly father took his friend’s body from the stove and buried it near the house, all the time fearing the Indians would return. He knew he was prompted by that still small voice the night before and the Lord had saved his life.

He continued his homeward journey and stopped at Alamo Huecco and Dog Springs where he met a cowboy and told him of his scare. For protection, they agreed to stay together until the Indians had gone back to their hideout and then father continued his journey home even though he had to pass over the Indian’s trail several times. The scare made him very nervous for several weeks so he discontinued his freighting for some time.

Missionary Moments

My father was called on a mission for the Church, which meant leaving his two wives and eleven children while he labored in the Central States Mission for 27 months. While on this mission he visited Carthage Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith was killed by the mob. The stains of the Prophet’s blood were still on the floor, which was covered with a carpet. They have tried to remove these stains but it cannot be done.

During this time he made many friends and converts and filled an honorable mission. He returned to his home in Colonia Diaz and found his families in good health, thankful they had prospered during his absence. After his mission he continued farming, raising cattle and freighting from Colonia Diaz to Guzman.

During this time he was called to serve as a home missionary with Brother Mabin as his companion. Some times they would take their wives and children with them as an outing or trip. On one of these trips they were on their way home from Colonia Morales and had camped overnight in Guadalupe Canyon.

While building a fire the next morning to cook breakfast, a mad coyote came in camp, jumped and scratched my father’s face. He tussled with the mad coyote and his first thoughts were of the Mabin children, who were sleeping on the ground close to where he was building up the fire. He awoke Brother Mabin and told him to cover the children so the coyote would not harm them.

The coyote got away from him but was killed by a rancher the next day. The fear of hydrophobia was so prevalent in his mind that he prayed to the Lord for deliverance from the fear. He knew his prayers were answered because the fear was taken from his mind. My father said he knew that through the power of the Lord no ill effects came from the scratches of the rabid coyote.

Exodus From Mexico

In 1912, during the Mexican Revolution, Father and his families were driven from their homes. They had to leave for the United States in such a hurry that they left all of their possessions behind them. After a few weeks the Revolution quieted down and a group of relatives went back to Mexico and gathered what few things were left in the houses and some of the cattle that had not been driven off.

My father took up a homestead not far from Hachita, New Mexico and close to the Mexico border. He lived there for a number of years and progressed very nicely, but due to his wife’s health, he sold out to the Diamond A Cattle Co. and moved to the town of Hachita, New Mexico.

Father was a very religious man and while in Hachita he was Presiding Elder over the branch of the Latter-day Saints Church that was started by the people who were driven out of Old Mexico at the time of the Exodus in 1912.

While in Hachita, word came from the church authorities for the Saints and settlers to buy farms in Red Rock, New Mexico, which is 38 miles north of Lordsburg. Father invested all he had in a farm in Red Rock, then he asked all of his children and their families to go there and buy a home so they would all be together. The three or four years spent in Red Rock proved very unsuccessful and father worked so hard his health began to fail him. He gave up farming and moved to Virden, New Mexico, where the people consisted of mostly Latter-day Saints and his former acquaintances of Old Mexico.

Father’s Final Words

Father loved to read the four standard works of the church and the Desert News. He was a great pioneer and loved to start new homes, but old age was creeping upon him and his health was failing fast. A short time after moving to Virden, he had a stroke, which made him bedfast. He knew that his time upon this earth was short so he called his wives, children grandchildren to his bedside and gave each a blessing.

His daughter Golda Ireta, who had passed on in death before him, January 30, 1920, assisted him in living these blessings, because he would pause all through his blessings and say, “Ireta bring me more blessings, more blessings Ireta.” In all he gave 29 blessings, which have been a help to all his families. His last words to his children were, “Live the Gospel and Teachings of Jesus Christ and the Lord will bless you for it.”

He passed away on the 16th of December 1926 and was laid to rest at Virden, New Mexico.

The Story of the Sick Horse

Ena R. Mitchell

I would like to relate a story father told us about one of his many experiences when he was freighting out of Mexico selling the cheese, eggs and butter mother made. Uncle Bill, as father always referred to him, lived in the mountain like a hermit. ((See “Camp for the Night” for a story about Orson’s freighting adventures.))

Father was always prayerful and believed in his Father in Heaven’s protecting care. Father always made it a point to visit Uncle Bill’s place when he made his rounds to tell him about things that were happening in the world and all the news he knew about their friends. Uncle bill lived near Antelope Wells in the mountains in what is known as Emory Canyon. He was a hermit living alone, mining and prospecting. Father always tried to stay the night with him so they could visit. This time he was trying to get to Uncle Bill’s before dark and for no reason one of his horses became very lame and sick. The horse seemed unable to walk and tried to lay down. Seeing the condition of his horse that evening, Father got out of the wagon, took hold of the bridle and led the horse off the road into the tall mesquites to hide from view if any passerby would happen to come along, as he had fear of stopping near the well. He prepared for the night and gave the best care he could to the sick horse.

During the night he heard a group of horses trotting on the road. His fear was Indians, as he knew that they traveled at night when they were on a War Party. He kept still and crawled to where his horses were, in hopes he could soothe them so they would not make a noise and attract the other horses. Right at daybreak father was up ready to start on his trip. He got up early in hopes to arrive at Uncle Bill’s in time for breakfast. He harnessed the horses and the sick horse showed no sign of being ill as he had been the night before, so he was soon on his way.

Upon entering Emory Canyon he could see the smoke from the chimney of Uncle Bill’s house and also smelled meat like beef frying. Father was pleased, thinking he would soon enjoy a good deer steak for breakfast. Father approached the house and thought it strange that Uncle Bill did not greet him when he drove up. Father jumped off the wagon and opened the door of the cabin and to his horror, he saw a red-hot stove and Uncle Bill tied across the stove burning. Father, realizing that the Indians had just left, hurriedly cut the rawhide strings that held Uncle Bill on the stove and quickly dug a shallow grave, buried his friend behind the cabin and left before the Indians returned.

Father realized that the party of Indians that had passed him in the night had killed his friend. Thanking the Lord for his protection, he always felt and knew the Lord had a hand in the reason for his horse becoming so sick the night before. The Lord had answered his prayers and gave him protection so he might return to his family.

Missionary Opportunities

Father was called on a mission in October 1896 to serve in the Central States from October 1896 to January 29, 1899, for a total of 27 months. He left his families to care for themselves in his absence. I have heard my mother (Rachel) repeat many times how blessed his loved ones were while he was on his mission. Mother said they had very little food in the home, only enough flour to make one batch of bread when he left. When he came home he found the family well. Mother had cared for her family well and they were able to buy all their needs in clothing and food from the sale of cheese and butter she made and from selling eggs at a store in town. She had also purchased enough bricks to build a new brick home and there were two barrels of flour in the home.

Exodus From Mexico

The Mexican Revolution necessitated Father move his families to the United States for safety. When they left Mexico they went from Colonia Diaz, Mexico to the Corner Ranch in the United States (New Mexico), which was about 20 miles away, they stayed for three days. They hoped to return to their homes once the fighting in northern Mexico calmed down, but the conditions in Mexico only worsened. They were told they would not be able to return to Mexico for the foreseeable future. The United States Government ordered the refugees to Hachita, New Mexico and provided tents for their families. The tents, food and clothing were provided until the people could provide for themselves. I was 5 years old, but I remember the Tent City. I loved to go with Mother when she went to the big tent, which was the Commissary, to get food. Mother would give me dried peaches, prunes and apples to eat, which was such a treat. We eventually moved from the Tent City to Old Hachita. Mother was able to find work at a boarding house to support the family. Father was busy trying to find land to homestead. He and my brother-in-law, Ras Thygerson filed on a homestead twenty miles southeast of Hachita.

Father built a long one-room house made of 1″ x 12″ boards and a few half windows. It had a tin roof and a dirt floor. To deflect the heat, father and the boys went to the Big Hatchet Mountains and cut bear grass to put on the roof. We lived in this house with a dirt floor for over a year before father put a wooden floor in the house. Mother was very particular about the care of the dirt floor. Each day it had to be dampened and swept. The floor was hard and had little or no dust. We lived on the homestead, with father doing dryland farming and raising some cattle, from 1913 to 1922.

Father was called to be the President of the Branch in Hachita and the only means of transportation we had for many years was a team of horses and wagon. Each Sunday morning we were up at daybreak and ready to travel the 20 miles to attend Sunday School and Church. Our lives were very primitive.

The ranch was near the Mexican Border and many nervous and dangerous days and nights were passed. Mexicans often crossed into the United States stealing and murdering the white ranchers who lived along the border. While we lived on this ranch, my father and brothers never left the house or went anywhere on the homestead without first strapping a belt of bullets around their waist and carrying their rifles. Guns and ammunition were always kept in the house where they could be reached quickly. Even when going to and from the fields, guns were taken. Whenever we heard that some ruthless Mexican who had molested or killed other ranchers in the area was about, we were not permitted to undress for bed or use lights of any kind, as they might announce our whereabouts. We lived in constant fear.

Father, realizing the danger his family was in, asked the United States Army to be encamped below our ranch near the border. A small detachment of soldiers was stationed five miles above us at the Home Ranch, a large cattle company headquarters. The soldiers patrolled each day to the Mexican border, which was below our ranch. This offered a little protection for us.

Mother refused to live on the ranch any longer and moved to Hachita and ran a boarding house during the year of 1920-21. In 1922 she moved to Duncan, Arizona where I was to attend High School. Father sold the ranch and bought a small farm at Red Rock, New Mexico. The farm was very sandy and this purchase turned out to be unprofitable. Father and mother lived at Red Rock two years. Father was unable to make headway farming, as his health was very poor. Father underwent an operation for a hernia, after which father never fully regained his health. Father sold the farm at Red Rock and bought a lot in Virden, New Mexico where father and mother wanted to live. They moved to Virden and lived in one room of the home of father’s halfsister (Aunt Bea Smith) until they could build their own home in Virden. Father died December 16, 1926, and was buried in Virden, New Mexico.

The Return Home: Excerpts From My Missionary Journal

by Orson Oriel Richins

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, at Brother B. Pierces, Saturday, January 28, 1899.

The morning beautiful, the weather clear, sun shines bright, Brother Pierce and family well. I wash myself at Brother Pierce’s, went and ate breakfast with Brother J. L. Wilson at the restaurant, from there came and got ready to go on the RGSM & Pacific RR. Leaving Ciudad Juarez 9:00 am for Guzman station 78 miles. Arriving at Guzman Station 12:00. I was accompanied by G. L. Wilson, A. P. Spillsberry and one Mr. Stewart from the East coming into Mexico to look at the Country. The last named person and I had quite a chat one morning. Mr. Stewart said that the Prophet Joseph Smith was blessed with more than man’s wisdom, for said he, “He could not have organized the Church so perfect if he had not been blessed by Divine Wisdom.” I was met at the Station by my son Oriel Richins, and my brother-in-law Robert Maybin, (Eunice’s husband). Was pleased to see each other. From the Station we went ¼ mile to the wagons, where I was met by my dear wife Sarah and my daughter Rebecca and my sister Eunice. It was a happy meeting, being absent from each other 27 months. Robert Maybin had soon hitched up the horses on the wagon, and we were soon traveling towards Colonia Diaz, just before sundown we camped and ate supper, and let the horses have a rest and eat. We then hitched up again and drove until about 8:30 pm. Here we camped for the night, 25 miles from Guzman. The moon shined bright, a nice beautiful evening. We made our bed on the ground, said our prayers and I administered to Eunice, we then all retired for the night.

At our Camp on the Road, Sunday, January 29, 1999.

We all got up feeling well, (Eunice better). Made a fire, Eunice got breakfast ready, we said our prayers and ate our breakfast after which hitched up the horses on the wagon, and rolled out of camp about 9:00 am. The road nice and weather pleasant. Arrived at my home about 12:00. Here I met my dear wife Rachel and the rest of the family; Judith, Parley, Mary, Orson, Ireta, and George. Also two of my sisters, Agnes and Lois. We all got into the wagon and went to my Father’s. Here I meet my dear father who is 70 years old, enjoying good health and looking better than when I left. Also, met Aunt Agnes and the rest of my brothers and sisters including my brother Marland who I had not seen for 7 years. It was a joyful meeting, finding each other enjoying the best of health. We ate diner at Father’s and after dinner we sat in the parlor and sang hymns and had an enjoyable time. After which I took Oriel’s pacing mare and went up to my home in Diaz. Here I meet my little son Marland who had grown so much I would not have known him. Also Blanche and Elsie who had grown to be big girls. It was a joy to meet all my dear family, enjoying good health, and to think God had so blessed us, and permitted us to see each other again, being returned to the bosom of my loved ones once more after being absent 27 months on a mission in the Northern Illinois Conference. We feel to thank God for this glorious blessing. I returned from my home in Diaz to the Ranch. Here I was surprised by a wagon load of young folks (12) from town. The evening was spent singing and reciting. I also gave them a small sketch of my missionary experiences: the entertainment lasted until about 11:00 pm, dismissed by prayer by O. O. Richins. Our guests returning home to Diaz. I then had family prayers and we all retired for the night 10:30 pm.

The Value of Prayer in Father’s Life

by Ena R. Mitchell

In September 1921 mother, (Rachel H. Richins) her grandson Sidney Wright, and I moved to Duncan, Arizona, where I was to attend High School. We lived in three rooms of my brother Orson’s large house. He and his wife and family were living near Duncan. Mother did not want to live anymore at the ranch near the Mexico border. She felt if she moved to Duncan near her son and where I could attend High School, Father would consent to sell the homestead.

About the middle of September or the first part of October 1921, Father (Orson O. Richins) came and spent two days with us in Duncan. He had to return to the ranch to take care of a few things, and would only be gone overnight. Sidney was four years old and being young wanted to go with his grandpa. It was a thrill for him to ride in the Model “T” Ford with his grandfather. On their return trip to Duncan from the ranch, they had to travel an old road, which went near Brockman, about 20 miles southeast of Lordsburg. The Model “T” got stuck in mud. Father tried to get the car out but failed, so the only thing he could do was to get a shovel to dig the car out. Fortunately, he saw a ranch house about three-quarters of a mile off the road and thought it best to walk to it to see if he could borrow a shovel or something to dig with to get the car out of the mud.

Father went to the ranch house and borrowed the shovel and returned to the car and worked with the car and dug it out with the shovel. There was no road to the ranch house and the ground was muddy, as it had rained the day before. Father thought it best to walk again to the ranch house to return the shovel rather than risk getting the car stuck again. Father cautioned Sidney again not to get out of the car, advising him of the danger of wild animals and being lost in the thick brush. This worried father and he hurried to return the shovel he had borrowed. After returning the shovel he took a short cut through the brush in hopes to return to Sidney sooner, when suddenly the earth caved in beneath him and he found himself dangling in an old well up to his armpits. Father swung his legs and feet in hopes to touch something to get a footing against the side of the well, but he was unable to touch anything with his feet. He made efforts to try to wiggle forward on his elbows on the old planks that had been covered with dirt, but every time he made a move he could hear and feel the boards crack, and give from the weight of his body.

Father struggled for some time in hopes he could move enough to be able to touch a side of the old well with his feet, but it was impossible for when he did the rotten boards cracked and gave way. Father was gravely concerned about his predicament, for he seemed doomed to fall in the old abandoned well to his death.

He realized the danger of his young grandson Sidney, alone in the car in a wild and brushy country. What would happen to him if he got out of the car and wandered away in the tall brush? He would never be found and would be lost forever. In this anxiety, Father prayed humbly for some time and with anguish called upon the Lord to be freed from this awful peril and to deliver him so he could go to his young grandson. While praying for his grandson’s safety, Father poured out his heart humbly and in earnest prayer to the Lord for Sidney’s safety and protection.

Father recalls only that he awoke and found himself lying on the ground near the well where he had been dangling. He never knew how he ever got out of the well, or how long he had been lying on the ground unconscious. He knew it was about noon when he got the car out of the mud and went to return the shovel to the ranch, and now it was late in the afternoon. Father said he crawled some distance away from the well, as he was afraid that he might again become trapped. He hurried to the car, as he was anxious to reach Sidney. He had a prayer in his heart that he would find his young grandson safe. He half ran to the car, as he was some distance away from it, and found Sidney sound asleep in the back. Father knelt beside the car and offered up a prayer of thanksgiving to his Heavenly Father, thanking him for his blessings: delivering him out of the hole and finding his grandson safe and asleep in the Model “T”.

It was early evening when Father and Sidney reached Duncan. Orson was chopping wood and I was carrying the wood into the house when Father came and sat down on a large stump and related his experience. With tears running down his face and shaking from the ordeal, Father told of his pleading to his Father in Heaven to spare him, and for the safety of his grandson.

Father never wanted to speak of this experience again, as he was very humble and touched by the ordeal he had gone through. Father had great faith, especially that the Lord hears and answers prayers. He taught his children to have faith in our Heavenly Father as He hears our prayers and answers them.