| Richard Richins & Charlotte Priscilla Wager |
| Painswick, Gloucestershire, England |
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| PARENTS: Henry Richins 1763-1843 Sarah Haynes 1770-1849 M 10 April 1792 Painswick, Gloucestershire, UK |
| PARENTS: John Wager 1763-1841 Charlotte Gill 1764-1844 M 26 Dec 1785 Painswick, Gloucestershire, England |
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| Children of Richard & Priscilla Richins Contributed By Ryan Richins · Apr 8, 2014, 11:00 AM · 0 Comments By Family Heritage Series Editor | Published 03/28/2007 | Richins Family Children of Richard & Priscilla Richins Hannah Richins Their first child was their daughter, Hannah. She was christened July 18, 1819. At age 18 she became the victim of the dreaded disease consumption, known now as tuberculosis. They did not know the cause of the disease, nor was a cure available at that time. Some people contracted the disease, but did not become ill. Rather, they were carriers and passed on the disease to others. The illness was also transmitted through infected cow’s milk. One fifth of all the deaths in England were from consumption. Tuberculosis formed in the lungs, bones or brain. It was very stressful when it reached the brain—sufferers became delirious, cried out in pain, and their bodies jerked and thrashed around until death finally brought relief and peace. Richard was present when Hannah died from consumption. They buried her March 2, 1838. John Edward & Mary Ann Richins Their second child was a boy. Delighted with a son, they took him to be christened on March 20, 1821. They chose the name of John Edward in honor of Richard’s ancestors—his great grandfather John Richins and his grandfather Edward Haynes. He was not given time to honor their names though, as he only lived two months before he was called back to his Heavenly abode. They buried their infant son July 1, 1821. Their third child was a daughter, christened, Mary Ann. Her allotted time on earth was 16 months—time enough to endear her to her parents. They tearfully placed her body in mother earth April 13, 1824. George Thomas Richins With anxiety and fear they awaited the birth of their fourth child and hoped it could stay to fill their empty arms. He arrived in the winter of 1824 or 1825. They took him to be christened on January 23, 1825 and he was given the name of George Thomas. He survived his infancy and was employed before he was fifteen years old. He lived with his relatives, Jeremiah and Esther Wager, who had a son, Jeremiah, near George’s age and also a daughter, Mary. He probably stayed with them until his marriage. As of 1991, We have not been able to find his marriage record, but we know he married Ann Pulum because her name appears on the birth certificates of their daughters, Hannah and Mary Ann. Perhaps his daughters were named in honor of his older sisters that had died. George was listed as a laborer and they lived at New Town, Barton St. Mary, Gloucestershire, England. George and Ann had three children born in England before emigrating to Canada in 1856. The move essentially ensured the family wouldn’t see George Thomas again. It was almost like death to them. The depression during 1850–1860 caused many people to leave England because they were out of work and could not find any in England. They migrated to other countries, especially the United States and Canada in search of work. It was also during those years that many of the converts to the Mormon Church left England to gather with the saints in Utah. George and Ann had their fourth child in Canada in 1858. Ann died in 1859 and George married Mary Bulgar. He died February 25, 1899. There was no record of their being baptized, so their names were submitted to the temple to have their work done and the family sealed together. On the October 4, 1934 George was sealed to Richard and Priscilla in the Salt Lake Temple. There is a family tradition that child number five was a twin. He was born June 6, 1826. He was christened five months later on November 26, 1826 and given the name of Richard’s grandfather, Thomas Richins. The tradition reports Thomas’ twin was a girl the family called Charlotte Priscilla. There is no record in the Parish Register of her birth or death and it is thought she died at birth. In the 1841 census, Thomas was listed as 15 years old and living at home. He was still living at Sheepscombe when he was taught the gospel by Mormon Elders and was baptized at age 24. He was baptized January 1, 1850 by Elder William Davis. In the 1851 census Thomas was listed as unmarried, age 24, an agricultural laborer, and visiting at his Uncle William’s home. Three years later, he was in the city of Gloucester awaiting the reading of the banns so he could marry Harriet Deveraux, a daughter of John Deveraux and Esther Cockshed. They were married at the Saint James Church by the Reverand James Hollins December 15, 1853. Jeremiah Wager and Harriet’s mother, Esther Deveraux, were witnesses of the marriage. Harriet’s parents belonged to the United Brethren congregation in Hereford. They became dissatisfied with the teachings of the Weslyan Methodist Church and, with some six hundred others, organized the United Brethren Church so they could teach and live the gospel as the Savior had taught it. They prayed for guidance from the Lord as to how they should proceed. Wilford Woodruff was teaching the gospel in Staffordshire and was successful in baptizing many people. The coming was full of appointments for baptism, but when he arose to speak at the city hall, the Spirit directed him to go south. He bid farewell to his astonished audience, left their baptizing in the hands of his fellow missionaries and traveled south to Hereford. There he found the United Brethren congregation and baptized all but one member. Harriet’s parents were baptized July 30, 1846 by William Webb and confirmed the same day by Elder Thomas Price. When Thomas was married he was listed as a waterman, which referred to one who traveled the waterways on a barge. When they returned to Harriet’s hometown of Eastnor in Herefordshire, he was an agricultural laborer again. Their first child was born there in 1855. In 1856 they joined the Deveraux family and a group of saints traveling to Utah in the United States. They stayed in Salt Lake City until 1861, when they were sent to Goshen, Utah to settle.[1] Charles Richins Richard and Priscilla’s fifth child was their son Charles, born August 17, 1828. There is no record of his christening. There seems to be some confusion in the Parish records for this time period. Reverend Neville had become ill and could no longer carry on the work as Vicar. He was replaced by the Reverend Ostreham. There are a few scattered entries for Painswick and some for Sheepscombe and records for other places were missing or not kept all. Charles, like most of Richard’s sons, received some schooling and was able to read and write. He was living at home in 1841 at the age of 12. His mother died the following year in 1842. It is unknown if Richard kept the older boys, with the help of his mother and mother-in-law, or if they were dispersed to different relatives at that time. Charles was living in Sheepscombe when he heard the gospel and was converted to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. The Branch Membership Records listed him being from Sheepscombe when he was baptized by Charles Shill on December 26, 1849 and confirmed the same day by Elder Charles Blackwell. He was the first Richins to be converted and like many converts, was anxious to share the truth with his family and loved ones. He was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood June 16 1850, and had the privilege of baptizing his cousins Leonard and Peter Richins on July 7, 1850. They were confirmed by Elder Charles Blackwell. Charles was later ordained to the Melchizedick Priesthood and he could then confirm new converts and preside in the Branch. He married Louisa Shill January 27, 1851 at Syde Parish Church. The Reverend W. Moore performed the ceremony and Leonard Richins and Louisa Williams were the witnesses. Charles was listed as a laborer at the time of his wedding. At the birth of his first child Hannah Louisa on September 9, 1852, he was listed as a husbandman. Charles was not only the first Richins to be baptized, but also the first to emigrate to Utah. He arrived in Salt Lake City October 10, 1853. He was a help to those who came later. In 1860 he was asked by President Brigham Young to help colonize Henneferville on the Weber River and later sent to colonize in Mexico. He had two plural wives—Esther Stowe Ovard and Agnes Mary Willmont—in addition to Louisa Shill. He was the father of 30 children.[2] Edwin & John Richins Richard and Priscilla’s sixth child was also a boy. He was christened May 16, 1830, and given the name of Edwin. Edwin only lived 10 months and was buried March 10, 1831. Was it Edwin’s birth and death that ended Richard’s days as a “hallier”? Or was it his drinking problem? At the christening of his next child, Richard was one again listed as a laborer. The next child was their son, John. We have not found his christening record and there is some confusion concerning the day of his birth. The membership records give the date of March 25, 1833, but the family Bible lists March 20, 1833. In the census of 1841 John was listed as age 9, and living at home with his parents. His mother died the following year and he and his younger brother, Edward, went to live with his relative, Esther Wager, who was a widow. Her son, Jeremiah, was living at home and like John, was classed as an agriculture laborer. The 1851 census also lists John and Edward as agriculture laborers. John was 19 and Edward was 16. Their older brother George had also stayed there years before. Three years later John married Charlotte Taylor, daughter of Edward Taylor and Ann Nichols at the Brimsfield Church on May 18 1853 by the Rector W. Moore. He had not reached his 21st birthday, and Charlotte was only 19, so they needed the consent of Charlotte’s parents. The marriage was witnessed by his brother, George Taylor, and Louisa Gyther, whom George later married. Charlotte was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and John was taught the gospel. He received a witness that it was the true church and he was baptized by his brother-in-law, George Taylor on February 5, 1854. They had a daughter, Hannah Louisa, born in 1854 at Foston Ash in Granham. John was then a husbandman. In 1856 they joined the Taylor family and a group of saints and set sail on the S.S. Thorton for New York and Utah. They stayed in Salt Lake City until 1861 when they were sent to Goshen, Utah to settle.[3] Edward Richins Edward was Richard and Priscilla’s eighth child. He was born in April 1834. There is a discrepancy concerning the day of his birth. The obituary and LDS endowment records list April 25th, but his history has April 16th. He was christened August 24, 1834. He was about 7 years old when his mother died and he and his older brother John went to live with their Wager relatives. In the 1851 census they were living with Esther Wager and her son Jeremiah. Edward received some schooling, as he could read and write. He was about 19 when he was taught the gospel by Mormon missionaries. He was baptized February 28, 1853 by George Humphries, who then confirmed him on March 3, 1853. After he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he desired to gather with the saints and his brothers in Utah. He worked and saved his money until he was able to buy passage on the ship Charles Banks. It docked at Boston and he joined the William Cooper emigrant train and arrived in Salt Lake City November 7, 1855. He settled in the Echo/Henefer area.[4] William Richins Six years after Edward’s birth, the last of Richard and Priscilla’s children arrived. William was born May 18, 1840 and christened June 28, 1840. He had just passed his second birthday when his mother died. Who cared for him after her death is not known. William died of consumption on May 4, 1849 at the home of J. Richins, who was present at his death. William was 9 years old. There was at that time three Richins whose name started with “J”—John, Joseph, and Joseph. John was William’s brother, but he was with his brother Edward at the Wager home and too young, so that eliminates him. There was Joseph, the eldest son of William, but he also was too young and unmarried when Priscilla died. This left Joseph Richins, a brother of Richard. He married Ann Davis in 1829. Their first son had died. There were three daughters, Maria 10, Juliann 7, and Ellen 6, and two sons, Mark 5 and Peter who was the same age as William. Joseph apparently took William to raise with Peter. Joseph’s wife, Ann, died of complications of childbirth just four months prior to William’s death. Maria, their eldest daughter, took over the care of the motherless family. She was present when the baby died. Joseph was present when his nephew, William, died of pulmonary consumption. Author’s Final Comments Only five of Richard and Priscilla’s eleven children lived to marry. They lost three or possibly four infant children, plus William at age 9, and Hannah at age 18. Though they married young, they only had 25 years together. Both Richard and Priscilla died young. Priscilla was only 42, when she died of complications of childbirth on September 21, 1842. She was buried four days later on September 25, 1842. Richard died of intemperance at his mother’s home on December 8, 1848. It may be that it was only after Priscilla’s death that Richard began to have a serious drinking problem. A year after Priscilla died he lost his father to gangrene of his leg. Was it after his father’s death that he went to live with his mother, seeking comfort? When I began to write the history of Richard and Priscilla there seemed only bits of information and no clear picture of their lives. As I collected information from different sources and meditated and prayed that I would give correct information and tried to make them a human family and not just statistics, personalities began to emerge and they became people with strengths and weaknesses. To me they became real people with problems and adversities, but with a strong love that bound them together as a family. I visualized Richard as a young boy full of mischief, who enjoyed a challenge and who, somewhat like David of old, went to meet the challenge with a few pebbles and sling. Perhaps he was a little immature in that he did not weigh the cost of his daring actions. He married before he reached maturity. He was perhaps moved more by his emotions and love, as most teenagers are, than by the responsibility of marriage. I feel that a loving, tender-hearted man emerged. Even if he drank, there was not a complaint or whisper of abuse or cruelty. He was there to give his daughter comfort in her dying hour. He was at Priscilla’s side when she was suffering severe spasms. I picture him holding her in his arms to try to quiet and comfort her. I can see his sorrow at the dividing of his family after her death. Depressed and lonely, he sought forgetfulness in drinking. As I visualized Priscilla, I saw her as a quiet girl who also gave stability to the family. I feel to weep for her as she gave birth to precious infants, but was left with empty arms. I feel her heartache as she watched her only surviving daughter develop the dreaded and fatal disease of consumption. ________________________________________ [1] See "Life Story of Thomas Richins and Harriet Deveraux", published by the Richins Surname Association. [2] See "Life Stories of Charles Richins, Louisa Shill, Esther Ovard and Agnes Willmot", published by the Richins Surname Association. [3] See "El Roy Nelson Family History." A copy is in possession of Richins Surname Association. [4] See "Life Stories of Edward, Caroline and Sarah Richins," published by the Richins Surname Association. |
