Born 2 Apr. 1821 in Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts.[1] Son of Phinehas Richards and Wealthy Dewey.[2] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Phinehas Richards, 3 June 1838.[3] Gathered with the Latter-day Saints in Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, Oct. 1838.[4] Moved to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, 1839.[5] Ordained as a seventy by Joseph Young, 9 Apr. 1840, in Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois.[6] Served missions in northern Indiana, 1840–1841, and Ohio, 1841–1842.[7] Married Jane Snyder, 18 Dec. 1842.[8] Ordained a high priest by Brigham Young, 17 May 1844.[9] Appointed to serve a mission in England, spring 1844; recalled to Nauvoo from New York following the death of Joseph Smith, 27 July 1844.[10] Served a mission in Michigan to raise funds to finish the Nauvoo temple, Jan. 1845.[11] Worked as a carpenter and painter on the Nauvoo temple, 1845.[12] Served as assistant church historian, Aug. 1845–1846, 1884–1889; served as church historian, 1889–1899.[13] Accompanied his brother Samuel to fulfill his mission to Europe, 1846.[14] Presided over the Scotland mission with his brother Samuel, Oct. 1846.[15] Served in the presidency of the British mission, 1847.[16] Presided over a group of British Saints in the Willard Richards pioneer company while immigrating to the Salt Lake Valley, arriving 19 Oct. 1848.[17] Ordained as an apostle by Heber C. Kimball, 12 Feb. 1849.[18] Presided over the British mission, 1851–1852, 1854–1856, 1867–1868; editor of the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 1851–1852, 1854–1856, 1867–1868.[19] Established the Perpetual Emigration Fund, 1851.[20] Periodically served in the Utah territorial legislature, 1852–1875.[21] Regent for the University of Deseret, 1856–1857.[22] Served as brigadier general of the Great Salt Lake Military District, 1857.[23] Moved to Ogden, Weber Co., Utah Territory, 1869; served as probate judge, 1869–1884.[24] Cofounder of the Ogden Junction newspaper, 1870.[25] Served as the first president of the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1894.[26] Visited by EBW, 25 June 1894.[27] Participated in the Brigham Young monument cornerstone celebration attended by EBW, 1 July 1897.[28] President of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 1898–1899.[29] Counseled with EBW on matters relating to Relief Society, 1899.[30] Died 8 Dec. 1899 in Ogden.[31] Memorial of him published by EBW, 15 Dec. 1899.[32]
[1] “Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988,” database, Ancestry.com (https://ancestry.com, accessed 8 July 2020), Franklin Dewey Richards. Vital Records of Richmond Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1913), 40. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 6 Aug. 2019), Franklin Dewey Richards (KWNN-566).
[2] Vital Records of Richmond Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1913), 40.
[3] Franklin D. Richards, Papers, 1833–1900, “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 8, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 10/60, CHL. Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 19.
[4] Franklin D. Richards, Papers, 1833–1900, “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 8, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 10/60, CHL. Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 315.
[5] Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 36. Adelbert M. Dewey, ed., Life of George Dewey, Rear Admiral, U.S.N., and Dewey Family History (Westfield, MA: Dewey Publishing, 1898), 541.
[6] Franklin D. Richards, Papers, 1833–1900, “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, pp. 13–14, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, CHL. Andrew Jenson, Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 116. Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 37.
[7] Franklin D. Richards, Papers, 1833–1900, “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 14, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 14/60, CHL. Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 37. Andrew Jenson, Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 116.
[8] Hancock Co., IL, Birth Certificates, Death Records, Marriage Records, Applications for Marriage Licenses, 1829–1947, Marriage Certificates, nos. 1–899, 1829–1844, Franklin D. Richards and Jane Snyder, 18 Dec. 1842, microfilm 1532140, DGS 4661406, image 1531/2041, FHL.
[9] Joseph Smith, Journal, bk. 4, 1 Mar.–22 June 1844, p. [122] (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1842-june-1844-book-4-1-march-22-june-1844/124, accessed 7 July 2020). Andrew Jenson, Church Chronology: A Record of Important Events Pertaining to the History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1899), xxvi.
[10] Joseph Smith, Journal, bk. 4, 1 Mar.–22 June 1844, p. [122] (https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1842-june-1844-book-4-1-march-22-june-1844/124, accessed 7 July 2020). “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, pp. 27–29, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, images 28–30/60, CHL. Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 54–55.
[11] “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 30, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 31/60, CHL. Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 57.
[12] “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 31, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 32/60, CHL. Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 316.
[13] Franklin L. West, Life of Franklin D. Richards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1924), 57, 174. Andrew Jenson, Church Chronology: A Record of Important Events Pertaining to the History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1914), xx.
[14] “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 32, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 33/60, CHL. Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, Co., 1904), 316.
[15] “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, p. 36, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, image 37/60, CHL. Edward W. Tullidge, Tullidge’s Quarterly Magazine 2 (1883): 583.
[16] Edward W. Tullidge, Tullidge’s Quarterly Magazine 2 (1883): 584. Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 316.
[17] “Franklin Dewey Richards,” Pioneer Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel/, accessed 7 July. 2020). “In Memoriam,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Dec. 1899, 84. “The Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards,” 1880, pp. 40–41, Richards Family Collection, 1837–1961, MS 1215, images 41–42/60, CHL.
[18] Journal History of the Church, 12 Feb. 1849, CR 100 137, CHL. Andrew Jenson, Church Chronology: A Record of Important Events Pertaining to the History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1914), 34.
[19] “Franklin D. Richards Dead,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 9 Dec. 1899, 1–2. 1851 England Census, Liverpool, Lancashire, p. 23, Franklin D. Richards. Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 1 Jan. 1852, 16. Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 5 Jan. 1856, 16. Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, 14 Dec. 1867, 800.
[20] “Franklin D. Richards Dead,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 9 Dec. 1899, 1–2. Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 316.
[21] Territory of Utah Legislative Assembly Rosters, 1851–1894, 1–38 (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 7 July 2020).
[22] Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 317.
[23] “Re-organization of the Militia,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 29 Apr. 1857, 61.
[24] “Franklin D. Richards Dead,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 9 Dec. 1899, 1–2. Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 317–318.
[25] Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah in Four Volumes (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1904), 317. “The Ogden Junction (Ogden, Utah), 1870–1881,” Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83021443/, accessed 8 July 2020).
[26] Genealogical Society of Utah, Genealogical Society of Utah History, p. 4, CR 226 10, CHL.
[27] EBW, Diary, 25 June 1894.
[28] EBW, Diary, 1 July 1897.
[29] “Lorenzo Snow Made President,” Standard (Ogden, UT), 14 Sept. 1898, 4.
[30] EBW, Diary, 27–28 Apr. and 31 Aug. 1899.
[31] Ogden, UT, City Recorder Death Registers, series 27191, vol. 1, 5 July 1890–30 Dec. 1899, p. 98, line 15, F. D. Richards, Utah Division of Archives and Record Service. “Franklin D. Richards Dead,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 9 Dec. 1899, 1–2.
[32] “In Memoriam,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Dec. 1899, 84.