From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 610 - 612
 
HORACE S. RICHARDS.  In the death of Horace S. RICHARDS, Walworth county lost 
one of its most valued citizens.  Much of his long and useful life was spent 
within its borders, although he first saw the light of day in faraway bleak New 
England.  In America, it has been truthfully said that labor is kind, and the 
sovereignty that the liberty-loving people of this country acknowledge is that 
of business.  The men of influence in this enlightened age are the 
enterprising, progressive, representative men of industry and commerce and to 
such ones advancement and progress are due.  Mr. RICHARDS was one who had the 
mental poise and calm judgment to successfully guide and control large business 
affairs, and at the same time he had a keen appreciation of the ethics of 
commercial life, so that he not only commanded the respect of his fellow men 
for his uprightness, but also excited their admiration by his splendid 
abilities.  So, after a most commendable career, he has gone to "join the choir 
invisible of those immortal dead who live again, in minds made better by their 
presence."
 
Mr. RICHARDS was born at Burlington, Vermont, April 21, 1831.  He was the son 
of William and Susan (STAFFORD) RICHARDS.  The family moved to St. Lawrence 
county, New York, while he was a child and there he grew to manhood.  When he 
was about fourteen years old he began working in the woolen factories there, 
and for many years he followed this work in one branch or another.
 
Mr. RICHARDS was married in March, 1856, to Harriet Martha HODGE, daughter of 
Milo and Lilias (ROBERTSON) HODGE.  She was born in Potsdam township, St. 
Lawrence county, New York.  The parents of the mother of Lilias ROBERTSON were 
named Webster (closely related to Daniel WEBSTER) and they reared Lilias from 
early childhood, her mother having died when she was very young.  Milo HODGE 
was the son of Benjamin and Hanna (SMITH) HODGE.  They came to Wisconsin about 
1855 and located in Waushara county, where they lived a number of years, and 
they died in this county.  Lilias HODGE, Mrs. RICHARDS' mother, died in New 
York.  Milo HODGE came to Wisconsin and located at Mukwonago, where he was 
married again and spent the rest of his life.
 
After Mr. RICHARDS' marriage he remained in New York until the commencement of 
the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Ninety-second New York Volunteer 
Infantry, and after a year in the service he was seized with a serious illness 
and was discharged for physical disability.  After his discharge he and his 
wife and children came to Wisconsin.  His health was very poor and he came here 
believing that the change would benefit him.  He located at Mukwonago, where he 
worked in a carding mill.  Later he moved to Lake Geneva, where there was a 
larger mill, and here he was employed a number of years.  After the mills 
ceased operation he followed the carpenter's trade for a  few years, but his 
health continuing to fail, he retired from active work.  Mr. RICHARDS took an 
active interest in public affairs and took a keen interest in politics.  He was 
a Republican.
 
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. RICHARDS, namely: Herbert, who lives in 
Lake Geneva, and who married Jennie LaBELLE, is a painter by trade; George 
Frederick, who lives in Beloit, married Josie (HOLLAND) DOWNS, and they have 
one son, George Frederick, Jr.; Charles married Nora WITHIE and lived in 
Michigan until his death, in February 1895; Minnie is the wife of Joseph ELLIS 
and lives in Zenda, this county, where he has a hardware business, and they 
have two sons, Allen and John; John, the fifth child of the subject and wife, 
is a professor in the State University at Madison; he married Mabel WILSON; 
Lillian is the wife of J. Melvin JOHNSON and lives at Madison, where Mr. 
JOHNSON has an official position with the American Tobacco Company.
 
The death of Horace S. RICHARDS occurred on July 27, 1909, after a well spent 
and honorable life, in which he won the esteem of all with whom he came in to 
contact.  He was well known throughout this county, having come to Wisconsin 
1863, and to Lake Geneva in 1866.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)