Scope and Contents

Photocopies of microfilmed copies of diaries, letters, notes, and financial records. Richards was born in Massachusetts in 1824 and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He migrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he served in the "Nauvoo Legion" militia. Richards married Mary Parker in Nauvoo and moved to Utah in 1849. He served as missionary and mission president for his faith in Great Britain, the East U.S., and Europe. He was made a patriarch in 1902 and died in 1909.

Scope and Contents Oath sworn before Martin S. Lindsay, Notary Public, in Salt Lake City on 11 Dec. 1903. The document affirms that Richards was among 25 young men who were called during the winter of 1843-4 by the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith (1805-1844), to explore the mountains in the West for a place where the Mormons could go to avoid persecution. Richards states that the men had weekly meetings to prepare for the trip and the decision to explore the West was made by Joseph Smith and not by his successor...

Scope and Contents Handwritten and signed letter dated 27 Feb. 1853 and addressed to Samuel W. Richards in Liverpool, England. The item was composed in Salt Lake City, Utah. Young reports on the condition of Utah at the end of a severe winter during which the Utahns received no mail from outside the territory. Young also writes about the sugar industry in Utah, the progress on buildings and machinery of the Deseret Manufacturing Company, the excavations on the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple, the...