My Genealogy Hound

HENRY A. RICHARDS, a prominent resident of Pottstown, was born July 22, 1837, in Birdsboro, Berks county, being the son of Anthony and Elizabeth (Ammon) Richards.

John Richards (grandfather) and his wife Mary (Miller) Richards lived in Maryland, but later emigrated to Ohio. They died in middle age, and are buried in the Catholic cemetery, at Canton, Ohio. Their children: Samuel, John, Adam, Michael, a cabinet maker, who died in 1901; and Anthony, who died August 29, 1870. The parents of John Richards were buried at Fleetwood. They were also Catholics. The name was originally spelled Reichart. Davis Ammon (maternal grandfather) lived in Springfield, Berks county, where he was a farmer. His descendants still live on the homestead. He married (first wife) Miss Fisher, and they had these children: John, Henry, Adam, Isaac, Elizabeth, Susan, and Matilda, all of whom are deceased except Matilda. He married a second time. He was a Free and Accepted Mason, and the family belonged to the Episcopal church.

Anthony Richards (father) was a contractor and was connected with the Reading Railroad during the later years of his life. He also had an interest in the Schuylkill Navigation Canal Company. He died August 28, 1870, at the age of sixty-four years, and his wife, Elizabeth (Amman) Richards, died in 1878, aged sixty-eight years. They are buried at the Charles Evans’ cemetery in Reading. They were members of the Baptist church, and were baptized at Valley Forge. Their children: Henry A., John, born in 1840, died in infancy; J. Howard, born July 30, 1850, resides in Philadelphia, and is president of the Schuylkill Valley Stove Company, of Spring City. In politics he is a Republican. He married Sallie Dunlap, of Limerick township, Montgomery county, and they have no children.

Henry A. Richards left school when he was eighteen years of age, and entered the employ of the Reading Railroad, with whom he remained until 1870. For two years he engaged in the lumber business in Lebanon, and for another two years in the fire brick business in Clearfield. He then went to Pinegrove, where he carried on a mercantile business until 1879. From that time he has been employed as inspector by the Reading Railroad Company.

Henry A. Richards married, April 12, 1864, at Pinegrove, Lila Lutz, daughter of William and Susanna (Barr) Lutz. Her father was a retired iron manufacturer and blacksmith in his later years, residing on the Conestoga creek, in Lancaster and Schuylkill counties. He was a Democrat in politics. He and his family were members of the United Brethren church. They had three children: Cyrus, Pamella, and Lila, wife of Mr. Richards. Mrs. Lutz died first, at the age of seventy-one years. Her husband died at the age of eighty-seven years. Both were buried at Pinegrove, in Schuylkill county. Mrs. Richards’ grandfather was John Lutz, who resided in Lancaster county, near Reamstown. Casper Lutz came to America in 1733 in the Theressa from Rotterdam, in Holland. Nicholas Lutz, of Reading, who served in the Revolutionary war, was a member of the family, being a brother of Mrs. Richards’ great-grandfather, On Mrs. Richards’ mother’s side the grandparents were John and Elizabeth (Petre) Barr, who resided in Pinegrove, where they died and were buried. John Barr (grandfather) was a soldier in the war of 1812, serving as captain. He was a wealthy resident of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and was the first postmaster of Pinegrove, which was originally called Barrtown. He had the following children: George, Paul, Mary, Sarah, Jacob, Susanna (mother), John, Eliza, and one child who died in childhood. John Lutz (grandfather of Mrs. Richards) had the following children: Mary, William (father); John, Rachel, George, Samuel, Edward, Hannah, Sallie, Joseph, Jesse, Elizabeth, and Catharine. The great-grandfather of Mrs. Richards was Peter Jacob Lutz.

Henry A. Richards removed to the present homestead in .December, 1882, and has since resided there. Mr. and Mrs. Richards have had the following children: William Lutz, born September 22, 1865, died January 20, 1881. Elizabeth Bell, born 1868, graduated in the high school, Pottstown, in 1886, married Charles Frank Duden, son of Emma and Andrew Duden, of York county, who was a contractor and builder of that county, the son, Charles F., being a banker, formerly residing in Pottstown, where he was a cashier of the Citizens’ Bank; he died January 7, 1904. They have two children: Henry Richards, born January 17, 1899, and Lila Frances, born November 6, 1901. Susanna Barr, born March 8, 1883, a student and musician of Wilson College; she is a singer of considerable reputation. Madge, twin sister of Susanna, died in infancy.

Mr. Richards is a Republican in politics. He has been a member of the town council for a number of years, and has also been a school director for several terms. He is a Knight Templar, and member of the Order of Free and Accepted Masons. He is a heavy stockholder in the Light Cycle Company, of Pottstown. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. He has rebuilt his present home, improving it very extensively, and owns a number of other properties in Pottstown, and also in Schuylkill county.