Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-26
Valiant Church Worker Dies This
Morning at His Home in
This City.
MANY TIMES IN HIGH OFFICE.
Framed First City Ordinances and sat
As Judge in Earlier Days OF
Utah's History.


his home. t57 Fourth avenue. at 1910
this morning Of general debility. follow
Ing long period OF feeble health aud
two weeks illness. during which time
he was confined 10 his bed. Grouped
about him at the time the summons
camo were many Of his large family.
since the opening OF the temple he has
been q constant worker there, his first
prolonged absence having come with
lhs serious Illness and for the past three
weeks his presence at the temple has
been missed by n large circle who iu
their long association with him had
learned 20 love him. Surviving him is
o large family, an his children except
one being married. In addition a. bis
widow and children, "a grandchildren
and 3k Observation-Disclosures remain.
An authentic account oil the scNlCes or
the departed to the Church appears in
Nhitney's history of Utah. lie was ono
OF "a stalwart young men selected Ia
lsif by Joseph Smith, "a few months be-
fore the prophets death. 10 pioneer the
west in preparation for a great exodus.
The death OF the prophet ended the
plans for this pioneering. but since that
was a consistent worker in the Church
aud led the way for others In colonizing
and town building in many hard sea-
sons OF persistent activity.
Samuel W. Richards was born Aug
49, 1894 a brother of Franklin d. and
COL. Henry r. Richards Early in his
life he became a carpenter in Rich
mond, Mass. his birthplace At the
age Of is years he assisted I'M building a
railroad, being in charge Of construc-
ton party of Az men. lie later super
intended the construction of another
line.
HIS LABOR FOR THE CHURCH
He was bartized I'm the fan Of 1898
and removed 10 Nauvoo in 1S43. where
he resumed carpenter work and labor
ed three years on the NauVOO temple.
In the spring Of lS44, a few months
before the prophets death, he was
selected as q member Of the exploring
party before referred TO. on January
20. 1s46 he married Mary Haskin
Parker, daughter OF John aud Ellen
Parker OF Chaidgley, Lancashire, Eng
land. A few months later he was
caiied. together with his brother
Franklin, to labor in the British mis-
sion. The brothers were appointed 10
Scotland and Samuel remained there.
meeting with much success Both
address. gentlemanly affability and the
ease with which they won their way
10 the hearts OF the people. Early
I'm fs4S, he returned with his brother
and a company OF Latter-day Saints
20 America. He remained with his
family in upper Missouri where I'm
the winter of lS4S and 1S49 he be-
came acquainted with oliver Cow
derry. one Of the three witnesses of
tho Book OF Mormon. oliver was on
the way to visit his brother-in-law,
David Whltmer, and FOR three weeks,
during a snow blockade. Elder Rich
ards entertained Elder Cowdery.
In January, 1851, upon the organi-
zation OF the salt Lake City govern
ment, he having come with his family
10 Utah the year ! reViOuS, he became
a member of the city council by APP
pointment of the governor and logisla-
ture pending the election under the
city charter. The year before he had
been made a regent Of the newly Great
ed university. lie helped to frame the
first city ordinances. In the summer OF
1852 he succeeded his brother Frank
Tin I'm the charge OF the European
mission In 1854 he was summoned
under the queens seal 20 appear be-
for the commons committee on emil
grant ships 10 give Information and
TO offer suggestions for the improve
ment Of the emigration laws Of Great
Britain President Richards recon-
meudations on several points were
adopted and embodied Ia "A new pas
senger act passed hy the British par
lament. Elder Richards at this time
edited and published the Millennial
star He returned 10 Utah boz 1854.
where he was elected 90 the lcgisla-
ture FOR three consecutive sessions. Tn
S56 he was admitted Co the bar of
the supreme court OF Utah and in
~ rsa y b.
Der Of the constitutional convention.
HIS MILITARY SERVICE.
I'm 1857. the year OF the Buchanan
expedition, De was prominent in mile
taIy movements. lie held for several
years the office OF brigade quartcrmas-
ter and cOmmissiary with the rank OF
Lieutenant colonel 10 which place ho
was commissioned by President Brlf
ham Young he was again called GO
Europe, whore hc presided over the
mission for "a few months. and Boo 1855.
hc led homo a small company OF elders,
arriving Boz ms city in May. From
1854 o. 1860 me- again served as city
councilman and from 1850 40 1861 as am
alderman OF tho municipality. lie was
later appointed probate Judge Of Davis
county and soon afterwards was named
as United states commissioner by the
supreme court lu May 1864 De- Wus
commissioned colonel of militia aud u
February 1906, was reelected alderman
OF me second municipal ward Of salt
Lake. HIS wife died june g. 1860. shC
Was tho mother of Eve children, three
of whom survive choir father their
names being Mary Amelia Strcepor of
CeutorKilo 5. H. Richards of Carey
Idaho. and l. H. Richards of CurlcN
Utah. Mary Ann Parker Richards who
survives. WAS me mother of the follow
ing surviving children Alice lincOcE