Hello, list! I'm a new subscriber and looking for information on my RICHARDS family.
My gt.gt. grandfather was Eli RICHARDS. He was born in Wells Co, IN in 1841.(at least I
figured that from his age at his marriage in 1860-age 19) The first time I find him is in
the marriage records of Berrien Co, Michigan in 1860 and the 1860 census. He married Laura
Starr 28 Apr 1860. They had 3 children, but the first died in infancy. The 2nd was my gr.
grandmother, Mary Elizabeth RICHARDS RUTLEDGE. The 3rd was Eli Edward RICHARDS who moved
to Plymouth,IN some time before his mother died in 1915. Eli was drafted into the Civil
War in 1864-the 15th MI Infantry and served until Aug.1865. He returned home ill from
thyphoid fever and died in Sept. 1865. He's buried in Baroda Cemetery, Baroda Twsp.,
Berrien Co., MI. I have been looking for his parents, but have been unsuccessful as there
is no Eli listed as a 9 yr. old in the 1850 census in MI or IN. Some investigative work
has turned up a !
Lewis Richards, b. VA, who was 62 in 1867. It seems that he married a 24 yr. old from
Jackson, IN in 1867 in Berrien Co., MI. The witnesses were his son, Lewis L. (death
records name his parents as Lewis and Elizabeth RICHARDS and his birthplace as IN), and
Laura RICHARDS, the widow of Eli. Now that makes me suspicious that they were related. I
find an 1860 census for Lewis RICHARDS, but no 1850 either in MI, IN, OH, or VA. OH! the
young woman that he married in 1867 was Frances Ponless, but I can't find anyone by
that last name in MI or IN in 1850 or 1860 census'. This is a mystery that I'm
hoping someone can help me solve. MI death records began in 1867, so there is no help
there. I have been unable to find any land records to help. Thank you ahead of time and
forgive the rambling, it comes with age. Mary in Michigan researching RICHARDS,
RUTLEDGE, STARR, SHAFFER, DIXON, ALLEN AND HOLT among others. mahutchins(a)usol.com