Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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Copyright.  All rights reserved.

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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County, Illinois; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.

David RICHARDS, farmer and stock-raiser, P. 0. Joliet; was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., March 
27, 1813; be was raised to the dairying business, which be followed until he came West in 1837, 
making the journey with a team, and settling in Joliet; the first three years he spent in 
handling stock through the West, buying principally in Illinois and driving to Wisconsin and 
selling to the settlers; he then engaged in the meat business in Joliet, handling stock at 
the same time; in 1842, the State became bankrupt and all internal improvements ceasing, Mr. 
Richards being engaged in supplying the contractors on the Canal, became involved in the 
financial wreck, and although he paid in full, lost the accumulation of years; in 1844, he 
engaged in farming and raising and dealing in stock, in which he has continued with good 
success to the present time; he was one of the parties engaged in the Joliet Woolen-Mill 
enterprise which was started in 1866; he had the management of the feeding department of 
the Michigan Central Stock-Yards, for seventeen years, and received the first carload of 
stock which was shipped into Joliet by rail; he subdivided and sold the east half of the 
northwest quarter of Section 15, known as the Canal Trustees' Subdivision, and embracing 
a part of the best-settled portion of the city at the present time; he still owns a large 
amount of real estate in the city, besides about seven hundred acres of farm lands in the 
county; he erected his fine residence on the corner of Washington and Richards streets in 
1860. He has been too much engaged in his own business to seek or accept public office of 
any kind. Mr. Richards was married Jan. 16, 1840, to Miss Mary A. LARRAWAY, of Herkimer Co., 
N. Y.; they have six children living - Mary, now Mrs. T. H. INGERSOLL, of Joliet; Nancy 
Jeanette, wife of J. D. SMITH, of Omaha, Neb.; John, Newton, William M. and Anson.