Category: Richards Family

Susan Richards and Sterling Hood

I kept going over this court record concerning Sterling Hood and Susan Richards, but I had a difficult time transcribing it!  My mother was able to figure out what it said, so she ended up doing the transcription.

A little background on Susan and Sterling:

Here is a snippet from The Richards Epic Part One:

Susan Richards was born about 1813 in Jones County, North Carolina. Susan, or Suki as she was known, had suffered an illness and her mind had never matured (according, again, to Earle Epic). She lived with her mother in 1850, where she is listed as “idiotic”. In 1860, after Rhoda had passed (I suppose?) Susan was living with her sister Rhoda and family, again listed as “idiotic”. I am unable to find Susan on a census record after 1860, so I can only assume that she died sometime prior to 1870.

Also from The Richards Epic Part One:

Rhoda Richards was born August 15, 1829 in Jones County, North Carolina. Though the exact date of marriage isn’t known (from what I understand the marriage records are missing), Rhoda married Sterling Hood about 1849, most likely in Crittenden County, Arkansas. Rhoda died on March 11, 1911. The children of Rhoda and Sterling are:

Nancy J Hood was born about 1850. I have no further information.

James W Hood was born in August of 1853. He married Ester S (surname unknown). James and Ester had the following children: Sterling Hood, Parker E Hood, Rosa Lee Hood, Julia F Hood and James W Hood, Jr.

Hillary or Hillowry E Hood was born about 1855. I have no further information.

Robert S Hood was born in 1858. He married Minnie M Newton on July 24, 1890. Robert and Minnie had the following children: Olive W Hood, Bluford K Hood, Nancy Rhoda Gertrude Hood, Ida Bell or Isabell Hood, Jessie Caroline Hood and Rachel Hood.

Laura Hood was born about 1865. She married WT Wilkins on December 19, 1886. I believe I found her on a 1940 census living in Houston, Harris County, Texas with her granddaughter, but I can’t be certain. I have no further information.

Edmund P Hood was born about 1871. Edmund married Dora Jane Place on October 8, 1893. Edmund and Dora Jane had the following children: Jerome R Hood, Clarence R Hood and Everett P Hood.

 

Ok, so while slogging through the court records of Crittenden County, Arkansas I came across this little mention concerning Susan Richards’ guardianship.  So I now at least know she was still living in the Autumn of 1860.  I hope I can eventually find the death dates of everyone. 

Susan Richards Guardianship

Now on this day the account of Sterling Hood Guardian of Susan Richards filed Oct 16th 1860, is laid before the court examination to, and it appearing to the court that said account has been duly advertised and no exception, and the court having carefully examined the same doth approve and confirm the same. It is further ordered that the said Guardian be and he is hereby allowed to sell a sufficient amount of the personal property of his ward to pay off her indebtedness.

 

One of the great things about finding something like this is that it reminds me to research people I may have forgotten about.  And I do not want anyone to ever be forgotten.  And although neither Susan or Sterling are in my absolute direct lines, it is still important to research them.  Valerie of Begin With ‘Craft’ wrote a fantastic post about the importance of researching ancestors that are not in your direct lines that everyone should read!

Police Inspector Clegg DeMumbrie Richards

I love finding photos of my family in old newspapers.  This article appeared in the Greensboro Record on February 22, 1938 (Greensboro, NC).  A distant cousin had actually sent me a scan of the original photograph a few months ago, but this is neat (even though the photo isn’t as good as the one the cousin emailed to me) because it has the story with it.

Clegg DeMumbrie Richards, Greensboro Record, Greensboro, NC, February 22, 1938

HELD FOR PART IN MURDER PLOT

Jailed without bail on a first degree murder charge, James O. Martin (right), filling station operator of Memphis, Tenn., is shown in custody of Police Inspector Clegg Richards after officers quoted him as confessing he plotted the slaying of Oliver James George, one of his station attendants, to collect a $12,500 insurance policy in which the youth had named him beneficiary.  Two negroes also were arrested for the slaying.

Bluford Napoleon Richards

I am so excited about this!  I don’t usually post more than one post at a time, but this…wow.

Bluford Napoleon Richards, my great-grandmother Minnie Virginia Richard’s brother, was the only one of the siblings (with the exception of little George Washington Richards who died just under two years of age) that didn’t seem to have any pictures.  Well, I found one!  Kind of.  It’s a drawing from a newspaper, but it’s more than what I had before!

It’s from and advertisement for Patterson’s Tuxedo Tobacco by The American Tobacco Company.  I found the advert in the August 4, 1916 issue of New Orleans States, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Blufrod Napoleon Richards Fri Aug 14 1916 New Orleans States bluford1

BLUFORD NAPOLEON RICHARDS

Salesman for Cedar City Mills, Lebanon, Tenn.

“I never knew what pipe pleasure was until I got on to TUXEDO.  Gee, but it is great, I cheerfully recommend it to my friends.”

BLUFORD NAPOLEON RICHARDS

This thrills me so much, that I just had to share!

Chief Jerome E Richards in the News!

I love finding newspaper articles about my ancestors!  This is another article about my 2nd great-grandfather, Chief Jerome E Richards of the Memphis Police Department.

This was found in the September 12, 1900 issue of the Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas, following the hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900.  It is still considered the deadliest storm to ever hit the United States.

Jerome E Richards Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX) Wednesday, September 12, 1900AID FROM MEMPHIS POLICE

They Raise Funds to Aid the Galveston Police Department

Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 11—The Memphis police department today took independent action with regard to the appeal for help from Texas.  The following telegram was sent to the Chief of Police at Galveston by Chief Jerome E. Richards:

“The Memphis police department contributes $100 for the relief of the members of the police force of Galveston and their families who suffered by the awful calamity by the recent cyclone.  Money goes forward by Pacific Express, with our heartfelt sympathies.

“JEROME E. RICHARDS,

Chief of Police”

Willie Dinges Sanders

Look what I found!  A delayed birth certificate for Bluford Napoleon Richards’ wife!  I have thought this whole time that her name was Willie Dee Sanders.  Come to find out, it’s actually Willie Dinges Sanders.  Interesting.

Willie Sanders Birth 

Willie Sanders Birth

And because of this delayed birth record, I was able to look up her death.  Willie died on July 26, 1978 in Denison, Grayson County, Texas.

Now, to find her family in Texas!

Willie Dee Sanders

I don’t have much information on Willie Dee Sanders.  I know, from stories, that she was a very sweet woman.  What follows is what my mother told me:

Great Aunt Dee was Great Uncle Blu's wife (Bluford Napoleon Richards). She was a very interesting animal lover, probably because they had no children of their own. She had a parakeet that she loved a lot. I don't remember it's name, but I think it was a blue one. She would chew food, open her mouth, and the bird would fly to her and eat what she had chewed . . . from her mouth, that is. I was always amazed at that. Our parakeets didn't do that at our house. She also had a white poodle, and I also don't recall it's name or gender. That was the first time I'd seen a toy box and special bed for a dog. It was a cute little thing, and she spent a lot of time playing with it and treating it as if it were a baby. Uncle Blu was killed in a car accident when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. There was a handy man who would take care of their house after that and would drive Aunt Dee wherever she wanted to go . . . in the yearly brand new car she would buy. She decided at some point, maybe in the early 1970s or late 1960s, that she would move from Memphis to Texas to be near her family. Out of gratitude to the handy man, she gave him her house. I believe it was on Cherry Drive in Memphis. Soon after my uncle was killed she gave me his tie stick pin made into a necklace. It was filigree with a diamond in the middle and 2 sapphires, one at the top and one at the bottom, on a platinum chain. I wore that necklace all the time, until the night we were in San Diego, California in the mid-1970s. It somehow fell from my neck without my realizing it and was lost, probably around Coronado Hotel. I cried for a long time having lost that bit of him, but I still have the memories of visiting the two of them in Memphis.

Minnie Virginia Richards’ Oyster Dressing

This week I am posting Christmas recipes from my family. Enjoy!

My mother says:

Grandmother's holiday tables were full of delicious goodies. She would have a pan of cornbread dressing, which was really yummy. There was one more dressing on the table, too . . . oyster dressing. That was also quite tasty, especially with giblet gravy. Well, I put giblet gravy over just about everything on my plate, though. So, I say, "Grandmother, you sure could cook but most importantly you knew how to spread love."

Minnie Virginia Richards' Oyster Dressing

Ingredients:

12 ounce loaf of French bread, cubed and very dry (dry in oven at very low heat)

8 ounce can of whole oysters, reserve liquid and chop well (fresh oysters can be used, just make sure to reserve the liquid)

1 cup of chopped celery

1 onion, chopped

2 teaspoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons of bacon grease (drippings)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning

Directions:

Place bread cubes in bowl.  In a saucepan heat the chicken broth, the oyster liquid and a teaspoon of butter until hot.  Pour over the bread cubes and mix well to ensure all bread cubes get wet.  Melt the other teaspoon of butter and the bacon grease on medium in a skillet and sauté celery and onions until soft.  Sprinkle poultry seasoning on bread mix, add the onions and celery (with the grease) and the oysters.  Mix well.  Pour into glass baking dish (8×11.5).  Bake at 350 until top is browned.

This is VERY good with giblet gravy!  YUM!

Minnie Virginia says she hopes you enjoyed her Christmas recipes, but now she’s done cooking and she’s going to relax!

Minnie Virginia Richards 1961

Minnie Virginia Richards’ Lemon Nut Cake

This week I am posting Christmas recipes from my family. Enjoy!

My mother writes:

Lemon nut cake is the traditional family Christmas goody from my grandmother, but I don't know how far back this recipe may go in the family. Grandmother would beat the batter by hand with no mechanical tools. The aroma as this cake bakes alone brings back more great memories of my grandmother's kitchen, holiday table, and love.

Minnie Virginia Richards' Lemon Nut Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 pound butter

4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons baking powder

6 eggs

1 pound broken pecans

1 pound white raisins (golden raisins)

2 ounce bottle lemon extract

Directions:

Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggs and mix well. Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture a little at a time with the lemon extract. Have nuts and raisins floured and add to cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees in tube or Bundt pan until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Minnie Virginia Richards’ Bourbon Balls

This week I will post Christmas recipes from my family.  Enjoy!

My great-grandmother made fantastic Christmas food, from what I hear.  Her Christmas spread was quite impressive.  My mother writes:

Holidays at my grandmother's house were always wonderful, but any time with my grandparents was wonderful. Of all of Grandmother's recipes for special occasions, this one for bourbon balls is unlike any other. It does not include chocolate. They are best prepared and sealed for a week or so. And, they weren't for the children.

Minnie Virginia Richard’s Bourbon Balls

Minnie Virginia Richard's Bourbon Balls

Ingredients:

40 Nilla wafers

4 1/2 cups chopped pecans

4 1/2 cups raisins

4 1/2 cups whole dates (about 40)

1 1/2 cups bourbon

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix all but powdered sugar in food processor. Roll into 1 inch or so balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place in airtight container.

Tips from Digging Up Your Family:

These can be eaten right away, but they are best after a week.

If the mix is too wet add more wafers.

If the mix is too dry add more bourbon.

REMEMBER:  These are not for children!