CHARLES COMSTOCK RICHARDS (1859-1953)

Charles Comstock Richards was born 16 Sep 1859 in Salt Lake City, Utah, son of Franklin Dewey Richards and Jane Snyder Richards. His father was a member of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His mother was Jane Snyder Richards. In 1869, when he was 10, his parents moved to Ogden, Utah. Educational facilities were inferior so he attended school up to the age of 11.

He started out in life as clerk in the Ogden branch of Z.C.M.I. department store for 18 months, after which he returned to school for another year. He then worked in the offices of the County Clerk and Recorder of Weber County, where he reamined 15 years. He was elected Recorder and later Clerk. Being studious, he devoted his spare time to study and reading law to fit himself for the legal profession. In 1884, he was admitted to practice at the bar of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah. From that time to 1890 he was Prosecuting Attorney of Weber County

He became Vice President of the first Democratic Club of Ogden. In 1892 he was elected Chairman of the Territorial Democratic Committee.

He repeatedly represented the county in the Utah Legislature. Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, appointed him Secretary of Utah Territory in 1893, at 34; as such he became the Ex-Officio Secretary of the Utah Commission.

In March 1895, during the absence of Caleb W. West, Governor of the Territory who was in Washington, D.C., it became the duty of Richards, as Acting Governor, to issue the call for the Constitutional Convention, and to turn over the reigns of government from the Territory of Utah to the State of Utah on January 6, 1896.

After statehood, he devoted himself to the practice of his profession.

On 18 Dec 1877, he married Louisa Letitia (Lettie) Peery. They resided in Ogden, where they had eight children, 6 boys 3 girls.

He died 10 Aug 1953 in Salt Lake City and was interred in the Ogden City Cemetery.
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By Paul Davis Peery, nephew - Profile excerpts from Genealogical and Biographical Record of the State of Utah (1902), pp. 85-87.