San Joaquin
County
Biographies
W. H.
RICHARDS
The subject of this sketch has been prominently
before the public for the last eighteen years as an undertaker, and one of the
leading fraternal Society men of this State. He was born in Cornwall, England,
in 1845, and commenced his career in life unaided, and relying on his own
resources. He emigrated to California in 1875 and
commenced business at Stockton as an undertaker, this being his occupation, and
in which he had been thoroughly educated. He remained in Stockton twelve years,
when he sold out to good advantage and opened a fine undertaking establishment
at Los Angeles. At the end of two years his large patronage and business was
purchased at a high price, and in April of this year he rented the whole
building at 1021 Market street, San Francisco, with a
view of making one of largest and most complete undertaking establishments west
of the Rocky Mountains. As a manager and funeral director he has been very
popular, and his large experience and tact enable him to attend to the
obsequies and funerals in a most efficient manner. He first became a member of
Stockton Lodge, No. 11, I. O. O. F. in 1877, went through all the chairs,
having been elected to office on the first meeting night after taking the
degrees. He joined Parker Encampment, No. 3, Stockton, and filled every
station, and as an auxiliary to membership in Rebekah
Degree Lodge in Stockton. In 1880 he became a member of San Joaquin Lodge, No.
19, F. and A. M., at Stockton; Centennial Lodge, No. 38, Knights of Pythias in 1881, and filled every chair in this Order.
About this time he joined Court Yosemite Foresters, Champions of the Red Cross,
and passed through all the official stations in each Order. He is a member of
Stockton Lodge, No. 31, A. O. U. W., American Legion of Honor and Knights of
Honor, having filled every chair in this Order. During his career as an officer
he has during a long period filled continuously one official position in three
separate organizations at the same time. It is a matter of record that Bro.
Richards has held a larger number of official positions in fraternal
organizations during the time he has been a member than anyone in this State.
He is genial, benevolent, frank, and
has faith in his fellow-men. He is a vigorous and strictly temperate man,
possessing an even and unruffled temper, courteous in his demeanor, the friend
of the poor and needy---ever ready to do good to his fellow-man. In his
conversation he is pleasing, agreeable, frank and candid---in fine, he is one of nature’s true noblemen.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Illustrated Fraternal Directory Including
Educational Institutions on the Pacific Coast”, Page 176, Publ.
Bancroft Co., San Francisco. Cal. 1889.
© 2012 Cecelia
M. Setty.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Genealogy Databases