CENTRE LINES


The Richards Family


This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on Richards. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Three books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deal with the Richards family. They are Maribel Hildebrand's work, Margaret Kinsey's Ball Cousins: Descendants of John and Sarah Ball and of William and Elizabeth Richards of Colonial Philadelphia Co., Penna. (1981), and David Richards' David Alexander Richards 1863 & Cecilia Esther Spotts, Ella Mae Richards 1903-1975 & Arthur S. Erickson, Lee Oscar Richards 1906 & Edith Roena Shope, Minnie Francis Richards 1908-1995 & Allen Perley Herritt (1997).

There are 32 different first-name entries for Richards family in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) but no one by that name having a full-length profile.

And, now, your ancestors' RICHARDS neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Frederick C., 63, jeweler--150 E. Linn
	Isabella
	Charles F. 31

In CENTRE HALL Borough:

Moses B., 49, carpenter
	Rebecca S.
	Kate

In HAINES Township:

Benjamin, 34--Coburn

In HUSTON Towsnhip:

David, 35, farmer--Martha
	Sarah 
	Elizabeth
	William S. 13
	Budd J. 9
	Samuel T. 6
	George N. 4
	Newton S. 6 mos.
Hannah--Martha
Maggie--Julian
Milliken, 49, laborer--Julian
	Frances
	David 17
	Edward 15
	William 12
Reuben W., 40, farmer--Julian
	Alina
	Rollen R. 23
	Morgan 21
	Benjamin 19

In MILES Township:

Charles W. Richard, 9 mos.--Rebersburg

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Alfred W., 45--7th St.
	Sarah J.
	Susan J.
	Bessie W.
	John C. 4
	Alfred C.
David, 38, laborer--3rd St.
	Addie
	Grace
George H., 34, laborer--3rd St.
	Mary
	Howard H. 8
	Iva C.
Hannah--Spruce St.
Matilda--3rd St.
Susan--Spruce St.
	Ellie

In RUSH Township:

John E., 29, shoemaker--Philipsburg
	Martha M.
Theodore B., 54, farmer--Philipsburg
	Amanda H.
	William H. 28
	Rachel J.
	Edward J. 16

In TAYLOR Twonship:

Pius S. Richard, 32, farmer--Port Matilda
	Laura
	Walter 10
	Grace
	Maud
	Thomas 4
	Martha

In UNION Township:

John C., 34, laborer--Fleming
	Lydia A.
	George 6
	Margery 7 mos.

In WORTH Township:

Catharine--Port Matilda
	Warren 29
William, 28, farmer--Port Matilda
	Alis
	Jesse 8
	Robert 6
	Anna
	Blanchard 2
	Henry 11
Winnie--Port Matilda
	Mary
	Abbie
	Charles 1

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