William Richins
William was the sixth child born to Henry Richins and Sarah Haynes. He made his appearance on December 27, 1806 at Ebworth Park in Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire, England. Two months later his parents took him to the parish church at Painswick to be christened and given the name of William.
Christening in the Church of England involved baptizing infants by sprinkling and giving them a name. This was expected to occur soon after birth, as the Church taught that babies that died before being baptized would not be able to go to heaven. On February 15, 1807, Henry and Sarah walked the several miles to the church in wintry weather to have their son christened.
William was born into a family of five children: Sarah was the eldest, followed by Elizabeth, Richard, Henry and Miriam. William was later joined by Joseph, which brought the number of siblings to seven. Henry Richins, Sr. was an agricultural laborer on the Ebworth farm. I believe he was a contemporary tenant and he rented a home with land to raise some crops, as well as land on the Commons to pasture a few sheep and cattle.
Hard Times for English Farmers
The years from 1814 to 1836 were some of the bleakest years for agricultural laborers and small farmers. The fields of available land were nearly exhausted from the many centuries of over-cropping and not replenishing the soil nutrients. It was evident changes were needed if England wanted to continue feeding her burgeoning population. Some visionary farmers began rotating their crops and use lime to fertilize their fields. While this practice worked for the larger plots of land, it was impractical for the fields located in the long narrow plots in the open field farmed by the villagers to supplement their meager wages. The Commons were also rented by tradesmen to pasture a few head of livestock to augment their livelihood.
Parliament (many of whom owned land) passed laws to enforce the enclosure of fields and the Commons. Some landowners enclosed their farms by planting hedges, while others had stonewalls built around their property. [1]The stonewalls were built without mortar, but the stones were tightly interlocked so that many of these walls remain standing after hundreds of years. The Enclosure Act disenfranchised many small farmers, tenant farmers and yeoman who could not afford to enclose their fields. To make matters worse, England had lost much of her foreign trade during her war with France and was in a post-war economic depression.
The Industrial Era caused widespread unemployment as machinery began to replace manual labor. The soldiers returning from France swelled the already the numbers of unskilled laborers looking for work. With rampant unemployment at home, many workers migrated to other countries, such as the United States and Canada, in hopes of finding work to enable them to support their families.
Farming became a trade, an occupation, rather than just a way to supplement one’s income. The countryside changed as large landowners bought up the smaller fields and enclosed them with stonewalls or hedges. The depression and added costs of enclosing the fields drove down the wages of the agricultural laborer. An added blow was the change from paying the farm workers a monthly or weekly salary to a daily wage. This meant that if a laborer was unable to work because of inclement weather or illness he wasn’t paid for that day. The lives of farm laborers was tenuous in the best of times, but the decreased wages and not being able to grow crops or raise livestock to supplement their earnings brought poverty to many farm laborers.
The Richins Family at Ebworth Park
The Richins family survived by hard work and industry. The Enclosure Act seemed to not affect Ebworth Park. Perhaps it was already enclosed. Even though ownership of Ebworth changed several times during that time period, the Richins family was retained as laborers.
William was unable to attend school under those adverse economic conditions, so he began his training as an agricultural laborer at an early age. There was a good relationship between Henry and his sons. Some of William’s fondest memories were of hunting and fishing with his father and brothers. There were woods and groves teeming with deer, rabbits and game birds. The streams that separated Ebworth Park from Sheepscombe had pools and holes full of fish just waiting to be caught.
Like his brothers, he confessed to poaching and fox hunting in the Game Park and the Lodge Farm. Sir Francis Jermingham owned the ancient Lodge, which consisted of about 400 acres. Most of the land of the original Painswick Manor had been sold and many of its trees cut down for lumber. Sir Jermingham retained the Lodge and Lodge Farm for his own pleasure. He did not usually reside there, but did go there to hunt and fish. He often brought noted gentlemen and members of the Royal family to enjoy hunting and fishing. He preserved 22 acres of forest for a game park; he also held 18 acres of the Longridge Forest.
For young William, who loved hunting, it must have been hard to concentrate on bunching hay or digging potatoes when the sound of the bugle and braying of the hounds announced a hunt at the Lodge. Sometimes the laborers were allowed to watch the beginning of the hunt, since the Lodge was adjacent to Ebworth Park.
When the hunt was concluded and Sir Jermingham and his guests had departed, the Lodge and farm were returned to the care of the gamekeeper and overseer. It was then that the Richins boys probably planned their own escapades in the game park. Sometimes their hunts were successful and sometimes they considered themselves lucky to have outrun the gamekeeper!
When William reminisced about his boyhood days in Sheepscombe he told of tending a sheep and cattle on the Commons and the nearby green hills. He recalled lazy, peaceful days where he laid on the soft grass, chewing a tender blade of grass and looking up at the bright, blue sky through the spreading limbs of the tall beachnut trees. He could hear meadowlarks in the woods and see the swifts circling and darting above him.
The cows were feeding on the lush grass trying in vain to swish the flies away and the lambs and sheep carefully nibbling the grass so that by summer’s end, the pasture looked like a well-manicured lawn. In the evening William drove the sheep home as the sun dipped below the skyline. Then the cows had to be milked. This milk furnished milk, butter and cheese for their own use, as well as some extra to sell at the weekly market held on the Lodge farm. Each spring the sheep were sheared for their wool. A small amount was carded and spun into yarn to make warm winter clothing. The rest of the wool was sold o bring in a little extra income for the family. In the spring the leaves of the beachnut leaves were bronze, but turned brilliant green for summer and by fall the leaves were a blaze of scarlet.
Sometimes William felt a longing for his native homeland across the Atlantic Ocean, but with all the good memories, there were also many memories of hard work, lean times and a constant struggle to provide the necessities of life. While spring, summer and fall were fun and full of adventure, winter brought cold, bleak days to the Ebworth farm. On those days the sun did shine, it provided a little warmth, but more often it his behind a fog bank and turn the landscape bleak and dismal. The wheels of the farm cart squeaked and groaned over the frozen ground and the horses’ breath could be seen like small clouds in the crisp, cold air. The beachnut trees were bare and only the Scotch pine gave any color to the woodlands. Wintertime was best spent at home with the family around a warm fire.
Since neither William or his parents could read or write, they had to get their information from people rather than books. They depended on what they heard and saw around them. In the evenings they exchanged news and rumors they had heard during the day. As they struggled through the dark years they witnessed many changes. Many of the mills along the Sheepscombe and Painswick streams were forced to close because their water-driven looms could not compete with the new steam-powered operations. Steam engines were also used for the first railroads and steamships. The unemployed thronged to the industrial areas, only to find housing shortages and unsanitary conditions. Times were indeed very bleak.
Charlotte Ann Guy
As the years passed, William’s interests drifted from fox hunts to young ladies he met in church and at the market place. By the time he was nineteen his interests centered on a young lady named Charlotte Ann Guy. She was the daughter of William Guy and Charlotte Cooke. She was born on November 30, 1806 and was christened on Christmas Day, 1806. Charlotte was the youngest of the family, with four older siblings. Ann was the oldest child and she married Charles Birt. Elizabeth was next; she died as a young girl. Charlotte’s oldest brother, John, married Ann Jones and her other brother married Maria Burton. Charlotte’s father passed away when she was only seven years old.
William and Charlotte’s Family
Because William and Charlotte were both under age to get married, they had to first get consent from their parents [2]Both of William’s parents were living, but Charlotte’s father had already passed away. before their marriage could be solemnized. Since they were married, we can assume the parents did grant their consent for the wedding. The banns [3]The proclamation made in church of an intended marriage. Source:Webster’s New World Dictionary. were announced for several weeks before their marriage at the Painswick Church on January 29, 1826. The ceremony was performed by Reverend Robert Strong and witnessed by William sister, Miriam and her future husband, John Dickinson. William and Charlotte could not write, so they placed the usual X by their names. The witnesses, Miriam and John also sighed with an X.
William was able to rent a house, some land and pasture rights from Ebworth Park where he worked as a farm laborer. William and Charlotte began their life together with a great deal of determination and hard work that enabled them to raise a family of choice children. Their first child was named Joseph. He was born August 16, 1826 and was christened September 10, 1826. About two and one-half years later Leonard joined the family. He was born on his parents’ third wedding anniversary, January 29, 1829 and was christened February 22, 1829. A third son followed on February 12, 1832. He was christened May 21, 1832 and was given the name of Absalom. Enoch completed the male quartet when he was born on May 16, 1835. He was christened on June 7, 1835.
After four lively boys, Charlotte must have been pleased with her Christmas Eve gift of a baby daughter in 1837. Miriam (named for William’s sister) was christened January 28, 1838. There may have been too many Charlottes in the family to name her after her mother: William’s wife, his mother-in-law, his brother Richard’s wife (Charlotte Priscilla Richins) and her mother, Charlotte Wager.
Miriam was two and one-half years old when Peter was born June 9, 1840. He was christened July 9, 1840. Five years later Emma joined the family on April 30, 1845. She was christened June 1, 1845. The family had only a short time to enjoy their new sister before succumbed to dreaded and often fatal disease of consumption. [4]In most cases, consumption is tuberculosis of the lungs, or TB. Source: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
When the census was take on July 7, 1841 Georginia Welch was listed as Ebworth Park. She was living there with her servants in a large gabled house. She held about 300 acres and employed ten agricultural laborers, most of whom were of the Richins family. Adjacent to the Ebworth home lived a farmer (Mr. Lediard) that held 15 acres. He was probably a freeholder or a tenant farmer. House #5 at Ebworth was occupied by William and Charlotte Richins, both age 30.
William was listed as a laborer in the 1841 census. Like many women of the time, Charlotte had to work to help support her family. She worked on the farm in addition to her domestic chores and raising her children. Joseph was 14, Leonard was 12 and both were listed as laborers. Enoch was listed as 5 years old, Miriam as 3 and Peter as a 1-year old toddler.
Absalom Richins is missing from William’s family in the 1841 census, but a closer look reveals that he was staying with his grandmother, Charlotte Guy, age 65. Charlotte had apparently sent her son, age 8, to stay with his grandmother to keep her company. In another Ebworth Park house the census lists the family of Richard and Charlotte Priscilla Richins, with children Thomas, Charles, John, Edward, and baby William. Richard’s oldest son, George, was living next door in the home of Jeremiah and Hester Wager with their children, Jeremiah and Mary. Jeremiah Wager, his son Jeremiah and George Richins were all listed as laborers.
William’s mother-in-law, Charlotte Wager, also lived nearby at Ebworth. House #196 was occupied by Henry and Sarah Richins, our common ancestors. Sarah’s unmarried sister, Hannah Haines, age 60, was living with them. Henry was working as a laborer. In another Ebworth house lived Henry’s son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Ann Richins and their children. Another of Henry’s sons, Henry lived at the Lodge Farm with his wife Rachel.
At the time of the 1851 census, the Ebworth estate was still in the hands of Georginia Welch, farmer Lediard still farmed his 15 acres and William and Charlotte Richins still lived in house #5. However, only Leonard (22), Enoch (16) and Peter (11), all listed as laborers, were living with them. Miriam was living away from home and working as a domestic servant. Joseph had married Jane Morse and had two children, making William and Charlotte grandparents.
Death had taken William’s father, Henry Richins in 1843 at the age of 74. He died from gangrene of the leg. His wife, Sarah lived to witness the death of her daughter-in-law, Charlotte Priscilla Richins, and tried to help and comfort her son Richard. She was also present when Richard passed away in 1848. Sarah died in 1849 at the age of 79.
Richard and Charlotte’s son George had married and emigrated to Canada. Absalom was working as a miner in Wales. John and Edward were living at the Jeremiah Wager home with Hester (then a widow) and her son Jeremiah. All were identified as laborers. Thomas was visiting with William ad Charlotte Richins the night the census was taken and Charles was visiting with Joseph and Jane Richins. The youngest son of Richard and Priscilla Richins died of consumption in 1849.
The homes Richard and Priscilla Richins and her mother Charlotte Wager had occupied remained uninhabited after their deaths. Henry and Rachel Richins were still living on the Lodge Farm, with Henry working as a laborer and Rachel as lodgekeeper.
The biggest change for the Richins family came about with their introduction to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Prophet Joseph Smith sent some of the Apostles to open up the British Isles for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The harvest was bountiful as the gathered choice people to the Church.
Charles Shill, Charles Blackwell, William Davis and other missionaries went to the Painswick area and found fertile ground in the Richins family. Charles Richins was the first of the family to be converted; he was baptized on December 26, 1849. He desired this great blessing with all his family. William and Charlotte were baptized on January 1, 1850 by Charles Shill. They were confirmed members of the Church January 3, 1850 by Charles Blackwell and William Davis, respectively. Their son Joseph was also baptized on January 1, 1850 by Charles Shill. He was confirmed on January 3, 1850 by Charles Blackwell. His wife Jane was baptized a month later on February 10, 1850 by William Nichols and confirmed the same day by Charles Blackwell.
After Charles Richins was ordained a Priest he baptized Peter (10) and Leonard (21) on July 7, 1850. Charles Blackwell confirmed Peter on July 8, 1850 and Leonard on July 13, 1850. Enoch Richins joined the Church and was baptized by Charles Blackwell on April 21, 1850. Miriam was baptized November 3, 1856 by Robert Jones, whom she later married.
All William and Charlotte’s family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and eventually emigrated to Utah.
William was ordained an Elder on April 27, 1856 by J.W. Coward/Cornord and Joseph was ordained a Priest April 27, 1854 by Robert Jones. Leonard was ordained a Priest on December 22, 1850.
Elders Ezra T. Benson and Parley P. Pratt arrived in England in 1857 to commence their missions. They called for a reformation and rededication and a renewing of covenants. The Lord said he would give line upon line and precept upon precept, so there was sometimes a misunderstanding when a new principle was introduced. At first Church members did not realize that baptism not only washed away past sins, but also future sins (hinged on proper repentance). This misunderstanding caused some of the converts to be baptized several times. William and Charlotte were rebaptized in 1857. Miriam was rebaptized in 1866 before emigrating to America with her parents. Many of the Richins family were rebaptized upon arriving in Utah or before they went to the Endowment House of the Temple.
The Trek to Utah
When William was in his 60th year he had the desire to emigrate to Utah. He and his wife Charlotte made their plans and sailed from Liverpool, England on April 30, 1866 with their daughter Miriam and her son Arthur and their grandson Lorenzo. They traveled on the ship John Bright. There were 764 Saints in the company under the direction of C.M. Gillet.
They had to contend with strong headwinds while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, such that the ship made very little progress for three days. Most of the passengers became seasick because of the turbulent seas. There were not more than twenty people of the entire company that could render assistance to their neighbors and these people were kept busy carrying slop buckets to every quarter of the ship. Calmer waters prevailed after three days and before long everything was put in order again.
The captain and officers of the John Bright were pleased with the company and spoke highly of them. The ship’s company was organized into wards under the supervision of the Elders on board. In selecting the leaders they chose those whom they felt the Lord wanted to take charge.
The provisions on board ship were very good and all spoke of them with high regard. There was a good water supply, but prudence was used in dealing water out to the passengers, as they didn’t know what emergencies might arise. The wards took turns cooking and passing out the water. They would commence dealing out the water at 5:30 am. While one ward was doing this, the others cleaned the ship and made ready for the morning prayer, which was held at 7:00 am. With such a large company, they had to get an early start or night would be upon them before they were finished.
The first ward took its turn and cooked breakfast. The company was so large that when breakfast was over the first ward started in cooking dinner. No dinner meals were cooked until all 764 Saints had been served breakfast. The next day a different ward took its turn. These duties were rotated among the wards so everyone had an opportunity to cook the meals and pass out the water. This arrangement worked very well considering the large number of people involved.
The company had their evening prayer at 8:00 pm. At 9:00 pm the hurricane deck was cleared of all sisters and guards were posted to ensure no females went on deck and no sailors went below. There was a brass band aboard ship and their music, songs and hymns of the Saints helped cheer their hearts and enliven the voyage. The Saints prayed often for God’s blessings to be upon them while on their voyage to Utah.
The ship anchored in New York City on June 6, 1866. From there the Saints began their trek to Utah. They went by way of New Haven, Connecticut; Montreal, Canada; Detroit, Michigan; Chicago and Quincy, Illinois; and St. Joseph, Missouri, arriving in Wyoming, Nebraska on June 19, 1866.
On July 7th, William Richins and his group left Wyoming in the company of Captain Samuel D. White’s Mule Train. They arrived in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, September 5, 1866. Upon arriving in the Salt lake Valley William and his wife settled in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Miriam and Lorenzo went to live in Henefer.
William was a quiet, mild mannered man who worked as an agricultural laborer. He always carried a cane, as that was his style, but he seldom used it. William and his wife moved from Pleasant Grove to Provo, Utah, where he passed away on December 8, 1873. He was laid to rest in the Provo City (Utah) Cemetery. His wife Charlotte went to Henefer, Utah to live with her daughter Miriam Richins Jones. Charlotte lived in Henefer until her death in 1878. She was laid to rest in the Henefer (Utah) Cemetery.
Children
Joseph Richins
Joseph was the first of their children to marry. He married Jane Morse on March 5, 1848 at Sheepscombe by the Reverend Joseph Osterham. Jane was born on August 20, 1824 in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. Joseph and Jane were blessed with six children: George Henry, Lorenzo, Emma, Albert Francis, William and Arthur Joseph.
Joseph first heard the Gospel preached by Charles Shill and Charles Blackwell in his native town of Sheepscombe. He became interested in their teachings and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Charles Shill on January 1, 1850. His wife Jane followed him and was baptized a month later on February 3, 1850 by Elder William Nichols.
Joseph was ordained a Priest April 27, 1854. At that time Priests did missionary work, so he accompanied Elder Nichols on preaching missions. He shared his testimony about the truthfulness of the Gospel and the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith He had the privilege of baptizing a lady by the name of Showell.
Joseph and his wife longed to go to Utah (Zion). One of their sons (Lorenzo) had gone ahead of them with his grandfather, William Richins. Joseph and Jane wanted to be reunited with their family, so in 1872 they prepared to sail for the United States. On September 4, 1872 Joseph, Jane and four of their children bid farewell to their son and brother, George Henry Richins, who remained in England, and boarded the steamship Minnesota. George W. Wilkins was in charge of the 602 Saints that were in the company on the Minnesota. They landed at New York City on September 17, 1872.
After arriving in Utah, Joseph and his family settled in Henefer, Summit County, Utah. They lived in a little log house over by the foothills, or in the local vernacular, “over the meadow.” Joseph was a hardworking man. He and his sons cleared the land of sagebrush and trees, so they could till the soil and provide for their family. Joseph was also a good butcher and always went by the signs of the moon to tell him when it was time to kill the animals so the meat wouldn’t spoil so quickly.
Joseph Richins became a United States citizen on April 5, 1881. He was ordained an Elder in October 1876, which enabled him and Jane to receive their endowments in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were sealed together by Joseph F. Smith, President of the Church.
Jane Morse Richins was a faithful Latter-day Saint who loved her family dearly. In October 1885 she became ill and suffered greatly for about three weeks. She had the best care available, but it seemed as though her mission on earth was fulfilled and she was needed elsewhere. She passed away November 3, 1885. She was laid to rest in the Henefer Cemetery.
On April 21, 1866 Joseph married Hannah Harrop in the Logan Temple, with President Merrill officiating. During their stay in Logan they performed temple work several friends and family members who had died. In November 1886 they returned to the Logan Temple to do the temple work for Joseph’s parents, Henry and Sarah Haines Richins, as well as many other people. He also had Elizabeth Morse, who had died and was the sister of his first wife Jane, sealed to him.
Joseph became very ill during the winter 0f 1886, but through the blessings of the Priesthood and the kind attention of his wife and family, he was restored to his former health. On July 6, 1892 Joseph and Hannah received their second anointing in the Salt Lake Temple, where they also performed additional temple work for Joseph’s wives who had died.
Joseph was ordained a High Priest on March 4, 1887 at Hoytsville, Utah by President Andrew Peterson. He fulfilled a calling as a stake missionary in the Summit Stake, beginning in 1896. He supported his forth son, William, on a mission to the Northwestern States. Joseph loved his family and helped them when and how he could. He died March 14, 1898 at the age of 72 and was buried in the Henefer (Utah) Cemetery.
Leonard Richins
Leonard Richins [5]A more extensive family history is available from the Richins Surname Association married Susan Jaynes on October 10, 1852 at Sheepscombe. They were the parents of four children born who were born in Redmarley, Worcestershire, England, with the exception of Charlotte (second child), who was born in Painswick. Both Leonard and Susan were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before they were married. Leonard was baptized on July 7, 1850. The date given for Susan’s baptism on her Temple Index Bureau Card is 1839. This may be an error, since it was before January 11, 1840 when Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor and Elder Turley arrived in England for missionary work. Even so, she may have been among the first groups of converts in England. She was unable to write and gave her baptismal date from memory. She could have misstated the year, or there may have been missionaries in England before the Apostles arrived in 1840. Regardless of the circumstances, Susan was rebaptized on October 3, 1880.
Their daughter Charlotte became ill with scarlet fever in January 1865. Scarlet fever was often fatal in those times without our modern “miracle drugs.” The Bishop’s Transcripts records of Redmarley lists the private christening of Charlotte’s brothers and sisters, Heber George (11), Mary Jane (6) and Leonard (2) on January 13, 1865. Charlotte died that same day, apparently before she could be christened. Her death certificate gave her burial as January 16, 1865. [6]Most of the ministers did not allow Mormons to buried in the churchyard, so the children of Leonard and Susan Richins may have been christened in the parish church so Charlotte cold receive a proper burial in the churchyard.
The Richins families could not afford for all their family members to emigrate to Utah at the same time. Leonard went first and earned the money he needed to send for the rest of his family by working as a farm laborer and repairing watches and clocks.
Absalom Richins
Absalom Richins [7]A more extensive family history is available from the Richins Surname Association.lived with his grandmother Charlotte Guy until her death when he was 10 years old. Later he went to Wales to work in the iron mines. He married Eliza James on October 12, 1850 in Llangynidr, Wales at the Church of St. George. The ceremony was performed by the minister Eleazer William. Absalom could write his name, but Eliza signed hers with an X. No children were born to them and after Eliza’s death Absalom married Ann Robinson on October 26, 1856. They were the parents of four children, but only one daughter, Elizabeth Ann, survived to adulthood. They emigrated to Utah and settled in Echo, Utah next to his brother Leonard.
Enoch Richins
Enoch Richins emigrated to Utah before 1865. He settled in Provo, Utah and began hauling freight for a living. Most of his trips were out to the Uintah Basin. He also ventured into a shingle mill in Wasatch County with William Nutall, John Parcell and Elijah Davis. He bought land from John McFee and began selling land in Charleston, Wasatch County, Utah.
He married Fanny Boardman in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 24, 1865. Heber C. Kimball performed the ceremony. Fanny was the daughter of Robert and Mary Boardman. Enoch and fanny were never blessed with any children, which was a great disappointment to them. Enoch married a second wife, Susanna Bird, the daughter of Frederick Bird and Mary Fenor. They were married December 15, 1866 in the Endowment House by George Q. Cannon. They were the parents of four children: Mary Jane, Sarah Ann, William Frederick and Joseph Henry. Susanna was expecting her fifth child when she was injured during a family fishing trip. She died five days later on March 31, 1877 and was buried in Charleston, Utah April 3, 1877.
Susannah’s children went to live with Fanny, but according to the family, she was jealous of Susanna and did not treat the children well. Enoch was a freighter, which required him to be away from home much of the time. As soon as the children were able to find employment elsewhere they left Fanny’s home. LDS membership records indicate Enoch was active in the church. He baptized his children and performed ordinances for many relatives and Church members. He was a High Priest and was a counselor in the Charleston Ward bishopric when the first permanent chapel was built there in 1873.
A short family history states Enoch had four wives and that one of them, named Ford, left him. The only thing it says about her is that one day she and Enoch were playing around and he dunked her head in a swill barrel. However, we have found no records to date to support Enoch having four wives. If the swill barrel incident did take place, it might have been with his first wife, Fanny Broadman. Fanny did divorce him and married Howard Winterton, whom Enoch had hired to help him on his Charleston farm. In 1923, at the request of the Winterton family, President Heber J. Grant allowed the cancellation of Fanny’s sealing to Enoch and also allowed her to be sealed to Howard Winterton.
Enoch and Sarah Ann Keeler, widow of Solomon Joseph Keeler, were married on March 27, 1890 in the Manti (Utah) Temple by Daniel H. Wells. Enoch was 54 years old and Sarah was 42. They moved to Vernal, Utah and then to Maeser, Utah. Enoch’s son Joseph lived in the Uintah Basin. The marriage license for Joseph and Lola Pickup listed them as being from Ashley, Utah. They were married by William O’Neil on December 25, 1895. Enoch and Sarah seemed to lose contacts with the rest of the Richins Clan after they moved to the Uintah Basin. Enoch died February 10, 1905 at Maeser, Utah and was buried February 12, 1905. Sarah died January 24, 1920 at Maeser, Utah. Enoch’s daughter Sarah Ann married Louis Mechem and his son William Frederick married Amanda Carter.
Miriam Richins
William and Charlotte’s only surviving daughter, Miriam [8]A more extensive family history is available from the Richins Surname Association., and her son Arthur emigrated to Utah with her parents in 1866. She lived in Provo, Utah for several years with her parents and then moved to Henefer, Utah to get work. According to Arthur’s patriarchal blessing he was adopted by his grandparents and stayed with them in Provo. He spent some time with his Uncle Enoch, with whom he had a close relationship. When Miriam married Robert Jones of Henefer, Arthur went to Henefer and worked for different farmers. He married Lucy Booth and they lived with Robert Jones and his mother until they could finish building their own home. Miriam and Robert were the parents of six children: Alfred, Emma, John, Amelia, Clara and Charles.
Peter Richins
Not much is known about Peter Richins. He was baptized by Charles Richins in England when he was ten years old. He married Matilda Barnfield on December 10, 1865 at the Independent Church at Painswick. Like all the sons of William and Charlotte he had an opportunity for some schooling and could read and write. Matilda, like most girls of the time, did not receive and education and had to sign her name with an X. The marriage was witnessed by E. Hopkins and M. Richins. This would most likely have been Peter’s sister Miriam. They were parents of four children: Charlotte Ann, born April 6, 1867 at Cockshoot in Painswick; Louisa, born February 10, 1870 at Cockshead; and Ann [9]The birth certificate did not list a name for this last daughter, but the family called her Ann., born May 20 1875 at Sheepscombe.
When Peter and Matilda’s family emigrated to Utah is uncertain, but their oldest daughter Charlotte married Peter Bertz on May 22, 1887 at Echo, Summit County, Utah. E. Bromley, Justice of the Peace, performed the ceremony. They lived in Park City, Utah and had six children. Peter Bertz died at Park City and Charlotte married a Mr. Becon and then John Byrne of Portland, Oregon. They had a son Vincent Byrne. He said that Charlotte’s parents and one sister returned to England and the other sister went to Chile in South America.
There was a hand-me-down story that Peter became unhappy with the people and the Church and returned to England where he died from heart disease at Brockward September 5, 1892 at the age of 52.
Ebworth Park
In northern Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire, England there was a farm or estate called Ebworth Park. It became the residence of the Richins family and was part of the Painswick Manor. The forest of Sheepscombe and Ebworth Park has been greatly diminished by the late 1700’s when the Richins family moved to that area. The trees had been cut for lumber and firewood. Both the Manor of Painswick and Ebworth Park saw many different overseers before Henry Richins moved to the area. Most of Henry’s family settled at Ebworth.
When Hazel Richins visited England to do some research at the records offices she found they were not open on Saturdays. To fill the time she hired a taxi to take her to the places where the Richins family lived. She visited the Painswick and Sheepscombe Churches. Those were special experiences themselves, but she also wanted to visit Ebworth Park where the Richins lived and worked.
She asked the taxi driver to take her to <Ebworth Park, but he had never heard of it, let alone how to get there. He was very obliging and began to enquire of the men along the street, but none of them knew Ebworth’s whereabouts either. Then an elderly man came along walking down the street with a dog on a leash and he was able to give them directions to Ebworth Park.
Hazel and the taxi driver headed north and the rolling green hills gave way to more level fields of some golden grain called corn by the English. It was harvest time and many acres had already been harvested, leaving stubbled fields. In the distance several fields had been set afire to clear the land. The smoke from the fires cast a haze over the area. They turned south, or what Hazel thought was south, since she didn’t know the area and didn’t have a map. As she scanned the area she noticed the trees on the skyline filled in the ravines and hollows and she wondered where the Parkbegan or ended. Then just ahead she noticed the remains of a building. The taxi driver stopped and let her take a picture of the view.
They drove ahead to the ruins and Hazel took a close up picture of the building. As she looked around she noticed that that seemed to be the end of the road. There was a yard to turn around in and one house still standing that looked as if someone still lived there. She decided to knock on the door to see if there was someone who could tell her about Ebworth Park.
As she started for the house a big, black dog came bounding toward her barking and growling with his hackles raised. She decided to abandon her quest and fled back to the taxi. The taxi driver reached back and opened the door as Hazel dove into the car and slammed the door. The dog remained by the car door barking and growling even as the taxi turned and started back up the road. He escorted the car until he was satisfied it had chased it away and then returned to its guard post.
Hazel then realized she had only two or three pictures of the area and house for all her expense and time getting there. She was disappointed she hadn’t been able to walk around and talk to someone. Later when Mr. Beard, who had done some research for the Richins family, heard her experience he made a trip to Ebworth and took a picture of the ruins from a different angle.
Note from the Author, Hazel Richins
I am glad that I did have a brief visit to the area where the Richins family struggled through the worst of times, but with hard work and self-reliance they developed strong characters and faith to meet the challenges of live. They developed courage to accept the Gospel in spite of persecution and leave their beautiful homeland to come to the desert land of Zion (Utah) and help build the wasteland to productive farms and orchards. They left us a wonderful heritage. May we bear the Richins name in honor to them who laid the foundation.
I have tried to make out ancestors live with human wants and desires and not just statistics. I thought, how wonderful it would be to have a journal of their lives in this choice land of liberty. We have the privilege of prophets, scripture and the priesthood to guide and direct us. We live near temples where we can be sealed as eternal families and link our families to these ancestors in the eternal family chain.
Thanks is expressed to Melva Foster Richins and Selma Richins Taylor, granddaughters of Joseph Richins and Jane Morse, who wrote a brief history of William and his son Joseph in 1965. Some of their material on the life of William and Joseph, after they left for America, is included in this life story.
