Richard Richins
Richard was the oldest son of Henry Richins and Sarah Haynes. He had two older sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth, a younger sister, Meriam, and three younger brothers, Henry, William and Joseph.
Like most parents, Henry and Sarah wanted a son to carry on the family name and were delighted when their third child was a boy. They took him to the Painswick Church to be baptized and given the name of Richard. They were members of the Church of England and belonged to the Parish of Painswick, which included the village of Sheepscombe in Gloucestershire, England. The Church of England practiced infant baptism. The Vicar performed the baptism by sprinkling the baby’s head with water from the font, and giving him the name the parents had chosen. The date recorded in the Parish Register and Christening was March 26, 1800.
Richard’s father Henry, the youngest son in his family, did not have the opportunity to attend school. He could not read or write. This limited him to manual labor, while his older brother, Thomas, who attended school, was able to become an Overseer (one who supervises or manages an estate or large farm). Henry, knowing the value of schooling, apparently sent Richard to school, as I could find no place where he signed his name by marking an “X”.
Richard lived with his parents on a large estate called Ebworth, where his father was employed as a farm laborer. Ebworth was located on the northern part of Sheepscombe. Although Henry and Sarah struggled to raise seven children on his meager wage, the children had happy memories of their home and childhood. The country was beautiful, with green hills and meadows covered with wild flowers. There were woods and streams where Henry and his sons spent happy hours hunting and fishing. They lived in a cottage that was built to lease to the farm workers. There was a garden spot and the commons, where they could pasture a few cattle and sheep. Their home was also next to the game park.
Henry VIII often hunted in the Sheepscombe forest, but over the years many of the trees were cut down and replaced by farmland. However a large game park was preserved for hunting and the enjoyment of the Royal Family and Gentry. The game park was jealously guarded by a gamekeeper to keep the public out and protect the game from poachers. Poaching increased during the depression as the unemployed sought food for their families. This caused strict laws to be passed. The gamekeeper was allowed to shoot a poacher caught in the act, but most gamekeepers preferred to turn them over to the law for prosecution. Poachers faced a fine as well as a prison term, which only brought hardship to their families. Some of the more compassionate of the Gentry allowed the poor to take rabbits from their game parks.
It was an exciting time at Ebworth when the Gentry’s carriages arrived for the fox hunt. Although the common people were not allowed to hunt, they did enjoy watching along the stone walls and hedges, which separated the game park from the fields. From their vantage points they could hear the dogs barking at the hunting lodge, anxious to get started. When the bugle sounded, they knew the hunt was on. First to come into view were the braying dogs on the scent of the fleeing fox, followed by the hunters in their red caps and coats jumping their horses over logs, stone walls, and hedges in order to keep up with the dogs and fox. When the hunters passed from view and the barking of the dogs grew faint, the people returned to their work.
The Richins boys were no doubt excited by these fox hunts. It could have been the topic of their conversation for weeks. They may have speculated on how to hunt without being caught. Their parents would have warned them to stay out of the game park, but he warning probably sounded on deaf ears as they began to formulate a plan. Snaring a few rabbits was tame in comparison to a real hunt. They would have to plan a hunt when the dogs were locked in their pens, as a pack of barking dogs would surely give them away.
Sometimes their plans probably worked and other times it was a case of outrunning a winded gamekeeper or barely escaping through a small opening in the hedge, marked previously for such an occasion. Once safe from the gamekeeper’s grasp and out of sound of his threats and warnings, they could laugh and enjoy the challenge. Richard, being the oldest, was probably the ringleader. Henry was two years younger and William, six years younger. Joseph was ten years younger and probably too young to join them. In their day there were too few opportunities to hunt and be mischievous boys because children were part of the labor force. Even small children were hired for a mere nothing to scare birds out of the gardens and orchards.
Charlotte Priscilla Wager
Richard was still in his teens when he married Charlotte Priscilla Wager, a daughter of John Wager and Charlotte Gill. She was about 18, having been christened January 27, 1799. Richard was about 17 years old. Both Richard and Charlotte were under age to be married without their parents’ consent. They apparently gained it, for after the banns were read they were married at the Painswick Church on October 28, 1817 by Reverend Charles Neville. Samuel Holiday and Elizabeth Holberry witnessed the marriage. Richard and Priscilla chose to live in Sheepscombe at Ebworth Park. According to the 1814 census their home was next to Priscilla’s mother, Charlotte Wager.
Trying to discover Richard’s trade is like putting together an old puzzle with many missing pieces and other pieces that do not seem to belong. I searched the Parish registers, which often list the father’s trade when the child was christened. For the first four children Richard was listed as a laborer. This is such a broad term, he could have been in any trade. For instance, his brother Joseph was listed as a laborer in the Parish records, while the census stated he was the foreman of a thrashing crew.
I found Richard listed as a “shearman” on the1826 christening record for his grandson Thomas Richins. A “shearman” could have been someone who sheared sheep, or sheared metal to fit the curves and angles of machinery. Did Richard shear sheep or metal? To add to the confusion, when his son Edwin was christened in 1830, Richard was listed as a “hallier.” An old English dictionary lists a “hallier” as one who stayed at the hall where agriculture was taught. I had notice that Richard’s cousin, William Richins, was listed as a “hallier” in 1825 and later that year the Vicar had listed him as an Overseer (one who supervises or manage an estate or large farm). William’s father, Thomas, had been on Overseer. Did Richard go to Oxford to become an Overseer like his cousin and his uncle Thomas Richins?
Then I found in another book that a “hallier” was one who hauled goods. I went back to the dictionary to see if “hallier” was a synonym under haul, or listed as an adjective, but I found “hauler” was one who hauled goods, but no “hallier.” So even though they sound alike, they are two different words. “Hallier” is one who stayed at a hall at Oxford, and “hauler” is one who hauls goods. The question is, which one did the clerk mean to record? Did Richard haul goods or go to Oxford? Since there is a family tradition that one of Henry’s sons went to Oxford it could have been Richard.
I then was anxious to see what the next christening entry listed. Richard was listed as a laborer. The 1841 census stated he was an Agriculture Laborer. His sons’ marriages listed him a laborer. Priscilla’s death certificate and his own death certificate stated he was a laborer.
What happened to Richard’s schooling, if he did go? Perhaps the answer lies in the cause of his death. He died of intemperance—one given to excessive use of intoxicants. England was experiencing serious problems with intemperance, as they called it, but it was inevitable. There were no restrictions on drinking and no knowledge of its danger. Even children and babies were given beer to drink when the well water became distasteful from pollution. The mills had problems with workers becoming drunk and they often had to shut down the mills to end the fighting and riots. Farm workers were served beer during the rest period and the cash taken from their pay. A law prohibiting serving beer during the rest period was finally passed because the laborers became too drunk to work and were drinking up all their pay, leaving their families destitute. Also, Priscilla and Richard were young when they became parents. They were faced with heartache and sorrow. Did this lead him to drink?
Children of Richard & Priscilla Richins
Hannah Richins
Their first child was their daughter, Hannah. She was christened July 18, 1819. At age 18 she became the victim of the dreaded disease consumption, known now as tuberculosis. They did not know the cause of the disease, nor was a cure available at that time. Some people contracted the disease, but did not become ill. Rather, they were carriers and passed on the disease to others. The illness was also transmitted through infected cow’s milk. One fifth of all the deaths in England were from consumption. Tuberculosis formed in the lungs, bones or brain. It was very stressful when it reached the brain—sufferers became delirious, cried out in pain, and their bodies jerked and thrashed around until death finally brought relief and peace.
Richard was present when Hannah died from consumption. They buried her March 2, 1838.
John Edward & Mary Ann Richins
Their second child was a boy. Delighted with a son, they took him to be christened on March 20, 1821. They chose the name of John Edward in honor of Richard’s ancestors—his great grandfather John Richins and his grandfather Edward Haynes. He was not given time to honor their names though, as he only lived two months before he was called back to his Heavenly abode. They buried their infant son July 1, 1821. Their third child was a daughter, christened, Mary Ann. Her allotted time on earth was 16 months—time enough to endear her to her parents. They tearfully placed her body in mother earth April 13, 1824.
George Thomas Richins
With anxiety and fear they awaited the birth of their fourth child and hoped it could stay to fill their empty arms. He arrived in the winter of 1824 or 1825. They took him to be christened on January 23, 1825 and he was given the name of George Thomas. He survived his infancy and was employed before he was fifteen years old. He lived with his relatives, Jeremiah and Esther Wager, who had a son, Jeremiah, near George’s age and also a daughter, Mary.
He probably stayed with them until his marriage. As of 1991, We have not been able to find his marriage record, but we know he married Ann Pulum because her name appears on the birth certificates of their daughters, Hannah and Mary Ann. Perhaps his daughters were named in honor of his older sisters that had died.
George was listed as a laborer and they lived at New Town, Barton St. Mary, Gloucestershire, England. George and Ann had three children born in England before emigrating to Canada in 1856. The move essentially ensured the family wouldn’t see George Thomas again. It was almost like death to them.
The depression during 1850–1860 caused many people to leave England because they were out of work and could not find any in England. They migrated to other countries, especially the United States and Canada in search of work. It was also during those years that many of the converts to the Mormon Church left England to gather with the saints in Utah.
George and Ann had their fourth child in Canada in 1858. Ann died in 1859 and George married Mary Bulgar. He died February 25, 1899. There was no record of their being baptized, so their names were submitted to the temple to have their work done and the family sealed together. On the October 4, 1934 George was sealed to Richard and Priscilla in the Salt Lake Temple.
There is a family tradition that child number five was a twin. He was born June 6, 1826. He was christened five months later on November 26, 1826 and given the name of Richard’s grandfather, Thomas Richins. The tradition reports Thomas’ twin was a girl the family called Charlotte Priscilla. There is no record in the Parish Register of her birth or death and it is thought she died at birth.
In the 1841 census, Thomas was listed as 15 years old and living at home. He was still living at Sheepscombe when he was taught the gospel by Mormon Elders and was baptized at age 24. He was baptized January 1, 1850 by Elder William Davis. In the 1851 census Thomas was listed as unmarried, age 24, an agricultural laborer, and visiting at his Uncle William’s home. Three years later, he was in the city of Gloucester awaiting the reading of the banns so he could marry Harriet Deveraux, a daughter of John Deveraux and Esther Cockshed. They were married at the Saint James Church by the Reverand James Hollins December 15, 1853. Jeremiah Wager and Harriet’s mother, Esther Deveraux, were witnesses of the marriage.
Harriet’s parents belonged to the United Brethren congregation in Hereford. They became dissatisfied with the teachings of the Weslyan Methodist Church and, with some six hundred others, organized the United Brethren Church so they could teach and live the gospel as the Savior had taught it. They prayed for guidance from the Lord as to how they should proceed.
Wilford Woodruff was teaching the gospel in Staffordshire and was successful in baptizing many people. The coming was full of appointments for baptism, but when he arose to speak at the city hall, the Spirit directed him to go south. He bid farewell to his astonished audience, left their baptizing in the hands of his fellow missionaries and traveled south to Hereford. There he found the United Brethren congregation and baptized all but one member. Harriet’s parents were baptized July 30, 1846 by William Webb and confirmed the same day by Elder Thomas Price.
When Thomas was married he was listed as a waterman, which referred to one who traveled the waterways on a barge. When they returned to Harriet’s hometown of Eastnor in Herefordshire, he was an agricultural laborer again. Their first child was born there in 1855. In 1856 they joined the Deveraux family and a group of saints traveling to Utah in the United States. They stayed in Salt Lake City until 1861, when they were sent to Goshen, Utah to settle. [1]See “Life Story of Thomas Richins and Harriet Deveraux”, published by the Richins Surname Association.
Charles Richins
Richard and Priscilla’s fifth child was their son Charles, born August 17, 1828. There is no record of his christening. There seems to be some confusion in the Parish records for this time period. Reverend Neville had become ill and could no longer carry on the work as Vicar. He was replaced by the Reverend Ostreham. There are a few scattered entries for Painswick and some for Sheepscombe and records for other places were missing or not kept all.
Charles, like most of Richard’s sons, received some schooling and was able to read and write. He was living at home in 1841 at the age of 12. His mother died the following year in 1842. It is unknown if Richard kept the older boys, with the help of his mother and mother-in-law, or if they were dispersed to different relatives at that time.
Charles was living in Sheepscombe when he heard the gospel and was converted to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Branch Membership Records listed him being from Sheepscombe when he was baptized by Charles Shill on December 26, 1849 and confirmed the same day by Elder Charles Blackwell.
He was the first Richins to be converted and like many converts, was anxious to share the truth with his family and loved ones. He was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood June 16 1850, and had the privilege of baptizing his cousins Leonard and Peter Richins on July 7, 1850. They were confirmed by Elder Charles Blackwell.
Charles was later ordained to the Melchizedick Priesthood and he could then confirm new converts and preside in the Branch. He married Louisa Shill January 27, 1851 at Syde Parish Church. The Reverend W. Moore performed the ceremony and Leonard Richins and Louisa Williams were the witnesses. Charles was listed as a laborer at the time of his wedding. At the birth of his first child Hannah Louisa on September 9, 1852, he was listed as a husbandman.
Charles was not only the first Richins to be baptized, but also the first to emigrate to Utah. He arrived in Salt Lake City October 10, 1853. He was a help to those who came later. In 1860 he was asked by President Brigham Young to help colonize Henneferville on the Weber River and later sent to colonize in Mexico. He had two plural wives—Esther Stowe Ovard and Agnes Mary Willmont—in addition to Louisa Shill. He was the father of 30 children. [2]See “Life Stories of Charles Richins, Louisa Shill, Esther Ovard and Agnes Willmot”, published by the Richins Surname Association.
Edwin & John Richins
Richard and Priscilla’s sixth child was also a boy. He was christened May 16, 1830, and given the name of Edwin. Edwin only lived 10 months and was buried March 10, 1831. Was it Edwin’s birth and death that ended Richard’s days as a “hallier”? Or was it his drinking problem? At the christening of his next child, Richard was one again listed as a laborer.
The next child was their son, John. We have not found his christening record and there is some confusion concerning the day of his birth. The membership records give the date of March 25, 1833, but the family Bible lists March 20, 1833. In the census of 1841 John was listed as age 9, and living at home with his parents.
His mother died the following year and he and his younger brother, Edward, went to live with his relative, Esther Wager, who was a widow. Her son, Jeremiah, was living at home and like John, was classed as an agriculture laborer. The 1851 census also lists John and Edward as agriculture laborers. John was 19 and Edward was 16. Their older brother George had also stayed there years before.
Three years later John married Charlotte Taylor, daughter of Edward Taylor and Ann Nichols at the Brimsfield Church on May 18 1853 by the Rector W. Moore. He had not reached his 21st birthday, and Charlotte was only 19, so they needed the consent of Charlotte’s parents. The marriage was witnessed by his brother, George Taylor, and Louisa Gyther, whom George later married.
Charlotte was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and John was taught the gospel. He received a witness that it was the true church and he was baptized by his brother-in-law, George Taylor on February 5, 1854. They had a daughter, Hannah Louisa, born in 1854 at Foston Ash in Granham. John was then a husbandman.
In 1856 they joined the Taylor family and a group of saints and set sail on the S.S. Thorton for New York and Utah. They stayed in Salt Lake City until 1861 when they were sent to Goshen, Utah to settle. [3]See “El Roy Nelson Family History.” A copy is in possession of Richins Surname Association.
Edward Richins
Edward was Richard and Priscilla’s eighth child. He was born in April 1834. There is a discrepancy concerning the day of his birth. The obituary and LDS endowment records list April 25th, but his history has April 16th. He was christened August 24, 1834. He was about 7 years old when his mother died and he and his older brother John went to live with their Wager relatives.
In the 1851 census they were living with Esther Wager and her son Jeremiah. Edward received some schooling, as he could read and write. He was about 19 when he was taught the gospel by Mormon missionaries. He was baptized February 28, 1853 by George Humphries, who then confirmed him on March 3, 1853. After he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he desired to gather with the saints and his brothers in Utah. He worked and saved his money until he was able to buy passage on the ship Charles Banks. It docked at Boston and he joined the William Cooper emigrant train and arrived in Salt Lake City November 7, 1855. He settled in the Echo/Henefer area. [4]See “Life Stories of Edward, Caroline and Sarah Richins,” published by the Richins Surname Association.
William Richins
Six years after Edward’s birth, the last of Richard and Priscilla’s children arrived. William was born May 18, 1840 and christened June 28, 1840. He had just passed his second birthday when his mother died. Who cared for him after her death is not known.
William died of consumption on May 4, 1849 at the home of J. Richins, who was present at his death. William was 9 years old. There was at that time three Richins whose name started with “J”—John, Joseph, and Joseph. John was William’s brother, but he was with his brother Edward at the Wager home and too young, so that eliminates him. There was Joseph, the eldest son of William, but he also was too young and unmarried when Priscilla died.
This left Joseph Richins, a brother of Richard. He married Ann Davis in 1829. Their first son had died. There were three daughters, Maria 10, Juliann 7, and Ellen 6, and two sons, Mark 5 and Peter who was the same age as William. Joseph apparently took William to raise with Peter. Joseph’s wife, Ann, died of complications of childbirth just four months prior to William’s death. Maria, their eldest daughter, took over the care of the motherless family. She was present when the baby died. Joseph was present when his nephew, William, died of pulmonary consumption.
Author’s Final Comments
Only five of Richard and Priscilla’s eleven children lived to marry. They lost three or possibly four infant children, plus William at age 9, and Hannah at age 18. Though they married young, they only had 25 years together. Both Richard and Priscilla died young. Priscilla was only 42, when she died of complications of childbirth on September 21, 1842. She was buried four days later on September 25, 1842. Richard died of intemperance at his mother’s home on December 8, 1848.
It may be that it was only after Priscilla’s death that Richard began to have a serious drinking problem. A year after Priscilla died he lost his father to gangrene of his leg. Was it after his father’s death that he went to live with his mother, seeking comfort?
When I began to write the history of Richard and Priscilla there seemed only bits of information and no clear picture of their lives. As I collected information from different sources and meditated and prayed that I would give correct information and tried to make them a human family and not just statistics, personalities began to emerge and they became people with strengths and weaknesses. To me, they became real people with problems and adversities, but with a strong love that bound them together as a family.
I visualized Richard as a young boy full of mischief, who enjoyed a challenge and who, somewhat like David of old, went to meet the challenge with a few pebbles and sling. Perhaps he was a little immature in that he did not weigh the cost of his daring actions. He married before he reached maturity. He was perhaps moved more by his emotions and love, as most teenagers are, than by the responsibility of marriage.
I feel that a loving, tender-hearted man emerged. Even if he drank, there was not a complaint or whisper of abuse or cruelty. He was there to give his daughter comfort in her dying hour. He was at Priscilla’s side when she was suffering severe spasms. I picture him holding her in his arms to try to quiet and comfort her. I can see his sorrow at the dividing of his family after her death. Depressed and lonely, he sought forgetfulness in drinking.
As I visualized Priscilla, I saw her as a quiet girl who also gave stability to the family. I feel to weep for her as she gave birth to precious infants, but was left with empty arms. I feel her heartache as she watched her only surviving daughter develop the dreaded and fatal disease of consumption.
