Tehama-Sacramento-Yuba County CA Archives Biographies.....Richard, Henry Charles 1840 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 5, 2007, 1:49 am Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) HENRY CHARLES RICHARD.-As an old resident of Red Bluff and as one who has taken an active interest in the growth and development of the city, Mr. Richard is justly entitled to honorable mention in the history of Tehama County. He is a native of East Troy, New York, born January 5, 1840, in the same house in which his father, Isaac Richard, first saw the light in 1809. Isaac Richard was a machinist by trade, and a deacon in the Presbyterian Church. His life was passed at his native place until 1850, when he went to Illinois, bought land, improved it, and made his home on it for nineteen years, when his death occurred, at the age of sixty-nine. Our subject's grandfather, Isaac Tasmaster Richard, was a native of Germany, born and reared in Westphalia. He came to America in 1802 and settled in New York. In 1808 he removed to Troy and there reared his family and lived for many years. He moved a short distance into the country, made his home on land he owned, was there successfully engaged in the dairy business, and died in 1852. Mr. Richard's mother was nee Lucy Ogden, a native of Jamaica City, Long Island, and daughter of William Ogden, a merchant. Her father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was captured and held a prisoner for three months. His death occurred in 1840. Henry C. Richard was the second of a family of nine children, and his education was obtained in the public schools. October 26, 1853, he left home and traveled on foot by himself 300 miles. His first work was to lead a cart horse that was working on the canal, running from Lake Michigan to Jeffersonville, Indiana. He worked eleven days and was to have received $1.10 per day, but was cheated out of it and never got a cent. He says it was the first and only wages he ever lost. He then tramped sixty miles to Bedford, Indiana, where he carried brick, sawed wood and did whatever he could get to do. January 26, 1854, he began to learn the harness and saddlery business, serving three years. During that time he had both the mumps and the measles and lost only seven days' work. The first year his salary was $2.50 per month; the second, $4.00; and the third, $6.00. When his three years had expired he had $160, a kit of tools and a suit of clothes. At this time, seeing the necessity of a better education, he attended school for six months. Then he tramped through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and to St. Louis, Missouri, working at the latter place for a short time. Soon, however, his love for travel took him to Iowa and from there to Nebraska. In the fall of 1858 he saw a little bottle of gold dust that came from Cherry Creek. An attack of the California gold fever was the result, and he soon began to make preparations for a journey to the new El Dorado of the West. In November he returned to the place where he had learned his trade, and there worked three weeks. February 1, 1859, Mr. Richard started for California, coming via New York and the Isthmus of Panama, landing at San Francisco. From there he went to Sacramento, then to Marysville, and from there went to Red Bluff On the 9th of March, 1859, he went to work in Red Bluff, and for thirty-one years has made this city his home. The first year he worked for C. A. Moore, after which he was employed for nearly a year on a ranch. October 1, 1860, he went to work for Mr. S. B. Gallard and remained with him seven and a half years. Mr. Richard says he was a splendid man. He still has one of the business cards they used at that time, and it reads as follows: "S. B. Gallard, Purchaser of Hides, Tallow and Skins, Main Street, Red Bluff." Mr. Gallard's death occurred March 15, 1875. Mr. Richard and Mr. Collins bought out Mr. Gallard in 1868 and carried on the business for seventeen years. At the end of that time our subject bought out his partner and became sole proprietor. In 1870 Mr. Richard purchased the lot and built his brick store, 25x70 feet, in which he has since done business. In 1880 he built a good home on the corner of Jackson and Oak streets. Mr. Richard was married, May 30, 1868, to Miss Sarah Rambo, a native of San Joaquin County, by whom he has had seven children, all born in Red Bluff. Their names are as follows: Annie Ogden, Arthur Calvin, William Henry, John, Franklin, Charles Acton, Bruce Duncan and Ruth Aggie. Two of the children are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Richard are members of the Methodist Church. He is a trustee of the church and rendered efficient aid in building their house of worship. He is a public-spirited citizen and also aided in building other church edifices of the city. He is a Master, chapter and commandery Mason, and has been Treasurer, Senior Warden and Master of the lodge. Has also been Royal Arch Captain for many years. In politics he is a Republican. He has been city trustee for ten years and president of the board for two years. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/richard1205nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb