The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-04-06
HON. GEO. RICHARDS DEAD.
Dover's Distinguished Citizen Passes Away
at New Orleans tuesday.

Hon. George Richards, of Dover.
died at the new ST. Charles Hotel at
New Orleans, Tuesday morning at
2. .25 O'Clock. Mr.. Richards had been
on visit to Hot Springs, Ark, for his
health. Last week he started on his
return home but decided to stop two
days in New Orleans While there
he was taken suddenly i'll and his con-
dition at once became so serious that
DR.. Britton D. Evans, medical direc-
tor at the Morris Plains Hospital, his
family physician, was sent for. He
hurried to the South, but short time
after his arrival Mr.. Richards expired
Death was due to complication of
diseases.
Word was at once sent to Mr.. Rich
ards only son, George, Jr., at Dover.
Mr.. Richards had been in poor heath
for some time. After the death of
his wife about a year ago, he was
stricken with pneumonia and since
then has never regained his former
strength though able to attend to his
business affairs. The remains arrived
in Dover Wednesday evening at 8
O'Clock. The funeral services will be
held Monday afternoon at his late
residence on Prospect street at 3
o'clock. The burial will probably be
made in the family vault at Rockaway
Tuesday and will be private. Rev.
W. W. Holloway, d. D., pastor Of the
Presbyterian Church, will ofticiate.
Out of respect the flags on all bust
ness places in Dover are at half mast
and the stores of the George Richards
Company are drapped in mourning.
The flag at Washington Head
quarters, of which the deceased was a
member is also at half mast
He acquired such an education as
the place afforded in the public school,
At the age of eighteen he was placed
upon his own resources, working in
the Hurdtown mines, in which his
father had been employed for years
1t was while employed here that
Mr.. Richards laid the foundation of
his success and adopted the principles
of progressive business methods. which
was always his strong characteristic.
The recognition of his close attention
to his duties led the Glendon Iron
Company to place him in the position
of shift boss which at that time was
considered an important place. In
1868 he was promoted to the position
Of superintendent. After serving in
this capacity for some time, Mr..
Richards S services became so valuable
that the company made him manager
of its extensive interests in New Jer.
sey, which position he filed for nearly
forty years. During this time he either
ventured into other enterprises OF
other enterprises were launched by
him. Mining machinery was in de-
mand and Mr. Richards organized a
company for the manufacture of the
same The plant was erected in
Dover and is known as the Morris
County Machine and Iron Company,
of which he was made president.
Timber for the mines was also essen
tial and so Mr.. Richards originated
the Dover Lumber Company, of which
he was also made president.
AS the output of the mines of
which he had the superintendency.
had to be worked in part and placed
ON the market, Mr.. Richards organized
the Dover Iron Company; several rail-
roads were constructed over which the
product could be transported. About
this time the National Union Bank
was added to Dover's enterprises by
Mr.. Richards, and he was made presi-
dent of the institution. He also held
the following offices President of tho
Dover Iron Company, of the Morris
County Machine and Iron Company,
the Ogden Mine Railroad Company,
the Hibernia Underground Railroad
Company, the National Union Bank,
the Dover Lumber Company, the Do
yer Printing Company, the George
Richards department. stores. He was
a director of the Delaware and Bound
Brook Railroad Company, the East
Tennessee and Western, North Caro-
lima Railroad Company, the Cranbury
Iron and Coal Company, the Chester
Iron Company, the Ross & Baker Silk
Mill at Port Dram, the American
Sheet Iron Company and of the Lin
coin Lithia Water Company of North
Carolina.
In 1860, Mr.. Richards was married
to Miss Elizabeth Ann Mccarthy, of
Rockaway. who died about a year
ago. During his long resident in
Dover he watched with pride the
growth of the place from little min
ing district to a thriving centre of in
dustry. Through his generosity, pro-
gressiveness and wide influence, the
town of Dover has much to be thank
full for and on account of the interest
he took i'll local affairs both from
political standpoint and his widely
bestowed generosity, his sudden death
is real calamity. When the town
was Incorporated, Mr.. Richards was
elected mayor and held the Office for
sixteen consecutive years, his success
sor being elected only when Mr.. Rich
ards declined to serve further in that