Richards family spreads to areas in Northwest Florida

By Curtis Thomasson (Contact) | Andalusia Star-News

Published Friday, May 1, 2009

Today’s column will be a continuation of the review of the John J. Richards family. In last week’s column, he and his second oldest son who survived the war, John Joseph Richards, were covered. Today, John J. Richards’ other children will be presented.

John J.’s oldest son, William Nicholas Richards, joined the Confederate Army on July 9, 1861, in Andalusia and was assigned to Company B, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment. There were accounts kept for him through December 1862, but none have been found beyond that date. It appears that he lost his life soon after that as his death date is recorded as being 1863. His brothers who survived the war reported that he died during battle, possibly at Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee.

When the 1860 census was taken, William Nicholas was married to Sarah J. Richards and living two houses from his parents. He and Sarah were both listed as being 22 years old and he to be worth $300. Although they did not have children at the time, records have been found that indicate they had at least one child before he went off to war. Another record was located in Crenshaw County where a Sarah J. Richards was married to Elias Gany or Ganus in 1868. Although there is no documented proof that this is William Nicholas’s widow, it seems very likely.

John J.’s third son, James Wesley Richards, also served in the Confederate Army in the same company as his two older brothers. He was serving as a private when he was captured on November 25, 1863, on or near Missionary Ridge, Tennessee. On December 7, 1863, he was moved to Louisville, Kentucky, for exchange to Rock Island, Illinois prison, where his brother, John Joseph, was also held. He remained there until he was paroled on May 25, 1865. (Correction: James Wesley’s military service was not included in last week’s column.)

Following the war, James Wesley returned to his home in Crenshaw County. Soon he went to call upon the widow of his army buddy, G. Barnett Franklin, from Greenville, Butler County. She was Sarah (Merrill) Franklin, daughter of Jacob Merrill. She was left with a 10-year old son, Barnett, and a 5-6-year old daughter, Elizabeth “Betty.” James Wesley and Sarah were married about 1866, and they made their home in Crenshaw County. They had three children before Sarah’s death in 1870. They were Rebecca Susan, b. 1867, d. 1962, m. James Canty Walding; Robert Benjamin, b. 1869, d. 1902, m. Lauretta L. Johnson; and Belle, who died as an infant.

James Wesley was left with four children, so he was married in 1873 to Arra Maloy. They then had the following children: Missouri Ella, b. 1873, d. 1963, m. 1895 William C. Hathorn (1873-1939); William Angus, b. 1875, d. 1923, m. 1898 Elzie Elizabeth Maloy (1875-1953); John Thomas, b. 1878, d. 1958, m. (1) 1896 Sarah Elefair Kilcrease (1882-1908) (2) Harriett Meacham (1885-1915) (3) Ethel Williams Strickland; Oscar Rochester, b. 1880, d. 1943, m. 1901 Lola Corine Kilcrease (1885-1958); Hannah Elizabeth, b. 1882, m. E. H. “Larkin” Gay; James Jasper, b. 1885, d. 1953, m. (1) 1905 Battie Elefair Chandler (1879-1949) (2) Edna Hall; Joseph Marion, b. 1886, d. 1890; Frances Arra Ann, b. 1889, d. 1979, m. 1911 Alexander McVickers (1890-1969); and infant daughter, b.&d. 1891.

The oldest surviving daughter, Mary Susan Richards, was married in 1881 to James C. Sutley, son of Harris Sutley. They made their home in Coffee Springs in Geneva County. They had one son, John Harris Sutley, b. 1883 in Elba, m. Lillie Mae Wilks (1892-1973).

The next son, Francis Marion Richards, was only 15 years of age when the War Between the States ended, so he did not render service as his four older brothers had. He grew up in his parents’ home in Butler County. Some time before 1880, he was married to Mary Elizabeth Bedgood, who was listed in her widowed Mother’s household when the 1870 census was recorded. Her mother was probably Matilda Bedgood who had in addition to Mary Elizabeth, William, b. 1852; Franklin, b. 1854; and Martha Jane, b. 1855. All in this family were born in Georgia.

Francis Marion and Mary Elizabeth reared the following children: John Lawson, b. 1880; John J., b. 1881, d. 1903; Martha Jane “Mattie,” b. 1883, d. 1967, m. Tom E. Cayson; Thomas Wesley, b. 1885, d. 1898; William Nicklous, b. 1887, d. 1981, m. Rhoda Camilla Brannan (1888-1966); Marion Marvin, b. 1889, d. 1963, m. Lela ?; Elizabeth Dixie, b. 1892, m. ? Jackson; Minnie Carolina, b. 1894, m. (1) William C. McBroom (1888-1934) (2) David Adison; Benjamin Baker, b. 1895, d. 1973, m. Rosalee Thomas; and Emmer Lee, b.&d. 1898.

Francis Marion and Mary Elizabeth Richards lived in Covington County for some years, but around 1900 they moved to make their home in DeFuniak Springs in Walton County, Florida. They reared their children there. At their deaths, they were buried there in the Magnolia Cemetery.

The youngest daughter, Hannah Jane Richards, was married in 1879 in Crenshaw County to William Lawson. They made their home off Brooklyn Road, which is southwest of Andalusia. They had the following children: Ed, b. 1879, d. 1965, m. Elba C. Shavers (1887-1972); Jesse, b. 1882, m. “Son” Powell; Ola, b. 1886; Thomas, b. 1888, m. Matilda “Til” Shavers; Lila, b. 1890, m. Charlie Hall; Pearl, b. 1894, m. Robert Shavers; and Minnie, b. 1898. Matilda Shavers and Robert Shavers were sister and brother and the children of Henry Allen and Mary (Grimes) Shavers. Family legend says that Mary Grimes Shavers was of Indian descent. The youngest two children, Pearl and Minnie, may have been by William Lawson’s second wife, Emma Battle. This has not been determined by local family researchers.

The primary source for this genealogy is the book, Family history of: John J. Richards, by Joyce Richards Blalock, Jack E. Richards, and the Richards’ Clan. Joyce Blalock and another descendant, Floyce Richards Butler, made the book and other records available for this writing.

Anyone who has any correction to the above or additional information related to the Richards family is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or E-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HISTORICAL MEETING: The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. Guests interested in Confederate heritage and history are welcome.