Connecticut western news., 1900-10-11
Death of Thomas Richards.

1uOuhS nICuhruS ul6u OI u6aTb ulb6A5e at Lake Hopatcong, N. J., on Tuesday evening, October 2 He had been an invalid for more than three years and had been confined to his bed most of that time. The readers of the NEWS will remember the interesting series of articles on post routes. and the early in- dustries of Canaan and Mount Riga, which Mir. Richards contributed to it's columns last yea begin ping with the issue of May 4. 1899 and ending with the issue of Sept. 2l, 1899. On Sept. 1e, 1899, Mir Richards suffered another and very severe attack of heart disease and for many days was in very critical condition. However he rallied suf- 6cently to be removed last spring from Jersey City to Lake Hopatcong but has been confined to his bed ali summer, and as matter of fact his death at any time during the past year would not have been a surprise. The remains of Mir. Richards were brought to East Canaan last Friday evening via. of the O. N. E railroad, and on Saturday morning was laid to rest io Hillside cemetery where MT Richards parents, and his little daughter Cornelis. are buried. William Richards and Her. man Williams accompanied the remains from Lake Hopstcong.
 .oI lc Riga, in the town of Salisbury. Conn. |, Oct. 29 1924. His parents were Salmon and Elizabeth Richards. When only ten years old he was appointed mail carrier, was sworn into the U s. Postal service. and he carried the mail on horseback between Mount Riga and Salisbury. In 1884 or '35 lis parents removed from Mt. Riga to the Hunting ton Tavern in East Canaan. In 1886 and '37 Thomas attended the district school at No. 5 school house in East Cs- naan. In 1844 we find him working as g puddler in Huntington & Day forge. In 1848 he moved from Cuyshogs Falls, Ohio, to, Ames' works near Falls Vii. age. Conn, where he worked as puddler The writer does not know when Thomas left Falls Village nor where he worked in after years except that he worked a long time in High Bridge, N. J., and for a number of years has spent his win ters in Jersey City, N J, and his summers at Stevensville, N. Y. The foregoing facts in regard to his places of residences are gleaned from his articles published last year in the NEWS
 Thomas Richards married Mary Day, daughter of the late Roswell Day of East Canaan. She has been 8 genuine helpmeet, devoted wife and mother, and faithful nurse in his declining years. She survives her companion ir the journey of life. Mir. Richards if also survived by two sons, George and William; one daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Lance of Jersey City; and by an adopt ed daughter, Mrs. Herman Williams oi Brooklyn. N. Y. George Richards i' an engineer on the Central Railroad o New Jersey, and resides in Jersey City
 William Richards is station agent al Lake Hopatc, ng for said railroad.
 Salmon Richards died May 5, 1864 aged 70 years. His wife Elizabeth died Sept. 20, 1848, aged AZ years; and now their son Thomas has passed away al the ripe age of nearly 76 years. mourn ed by all who knew him. The writel of these lines never had personal ac quaintance with Thomas Richards an6 is not prepared to write 8 complete sketch or eulogy of him; nevertheless the writer wishes to say that Mir Rich
 ards "reminiscences of the old post route and the early industries of Ga
 naan was labor of love, performed
 while he was an almost helpless invalid
 but that self imposed task furnished sketches that were of deep interest t,
 all the residents of Canaan, young Q
 we'll as old, and the sketches are valu able data for whoever in the futur,
 writes the history of this town.