San Francisco County
Biographies
FLOYD S.
RICHARDS
Few men in the country have had wider experience in cement and chemical engineering, or extending over more diversified territory, than Floyd S. Richards, now one of the foremost consulting engineers of San Francisco, California, and affiliated in professional advisory capacity with a number of the most important corporations in California and Nevada. He is a native of Wolverine, Michigan, where his birth occurred January 8, 1883, and he is a son of George D. and Susie C. (Casler) Richards.
Floyd S. Richards attended the grade and high schools of Wolverine, the Gutchess Business College in Detroit, Michigan, and Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan, from which latter institution he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1907. He took a long course in both chemical and cement engineering, extending over a period of six years. He was first with the Alpena Portland Cement Company and the Hecla Portland Cement Company in Michigan, likewise the Crown Portland Cement Company in Canada. Later he initiated the rotary kiln lime production in Wisconsin and West Virginia, installing plants for chemical purposes. In the winter of 1907-08 he was called to Chicago by the International Harvester Company for special research work in bimetals. After war was declared against Germany, he was active in dead-burned magnesium production in West Virginia, and was also associated with the Dupont Company in the manufacture of high explosives. He was selected by Major H. S. Sparkman of Philadelphia to go to Australia to assist Frank Oakden, consulting engineer, where they established and operated cement plants in New South Wales, Queensland, and West Australia. He returned to the United States in 1923, and rebuilt the Cape Girardeau plant in Missouri for the Marquette Cement Company. In 1926 he opened his own offices in the city of San Francisco, and he is now consulting adviser for some of the largest manufacturing interests of the state of California. Mr. Richards has a wealth of experience behind him, a natural talent in engineering work, and unlimited energy and industry, all of which have combined to create the enviable position he now holds in his profession. He is a member of the San Francisco Engineers Club, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Australian Chemical Society.
On May 23, 1907, in Charlotte, Michigan, Mr. Richards was united in marriage to Miss Queen Day, who was born in that state. They have become the parents of three children, namely: Gertrude, who was born in Chicago, Illinois; Kenneth, who was born in Alpena, Michigan; and Ruth, whose birth occurred in Charlotte, Michigan. The family residence is situated at 104 Lunado way in San Francisco.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 205-206.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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