Fremont County Herald
June 14, 1917

Death of A.D. Richards

Augustus D. Richards has gone to his long home and the mourners go about the streets. His years were almost three score and ten, and during all the years of his life his home was on the farm where he was born. His early history dates back to the real pioneer days, and if there is such a thing as pride of ancestry in Fremont County, Gus Richards is a man who could, without question, claim his share.

He was the son of Milton and Jane Jackson Richards who settled here in 1846, in the days of the Morman hegira, a few months before Iowa became a state, three years before the organization of Fremont county and five years before the birth of Sidney.

Milton Richard was one of the big men of his day and occupied a prominent place in the early history of the county. He was first clerk of the district court and issued the first marriage license when the county seat was at Austin. In 1851 his wife named the new county seat Sidney, in honor of her old home at Sidney, Ohio, and the town was platted and modeled on the lines of the Ohio town. The public and private life of Milton Richards, the old pioneer, according to the records of the historian and the testimony of those who knew him was of the purest and best.

Augustus Dolphus Richards was born four miles south of Sidney, August 24, 1849, and died June 8, 1917, after a lingering illness of nearly two years. On December 31, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Yates. To this union no children were given, but three orphan boys, the youngest five years of age were taken into their home and reared to manhood. One now lives in Kansas City, two in Oklahoma, none being able to get here to attend the funeral on account of the high waters.

When 17 years of age Mr. Richards made a profession of faith in Christ and united with the Christian church at Sidney. He lived until the end in the faith of the gospel and died in hope of its glory. He was a man of honor, industrious, kind and sympathetic to those in distress about him and the world has been enriched by his life.

Four sisters and one brother survive, namely, Milton Richards who lives in Nebraska; Mrs. James Ray, Ottawa, Kansas; Mrs. S. P. Cadle of Washington; Mrs. Frances Stephens and Mary Story who live near Sidney. He also leaves a wife and numerous other relatives to mourn his loss.

The funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon, June 10, at the Sidney Baptist church, conducted by the pastor, Rev. J. P. Thomas, who paid a noble tribute to the departed brother. The speaker said his acquaintance with Mr. Richards, although of short duration, had been an inspiration to him. He took the very appropriate and suggestive text from Acts 11:24: "He was a good man." Rev. Thomas told what it meant to be a good man. Some who are called good by men are not good in the sight of God. To be a good man in the sight of God a man must be a believer in God and in Jesus Christ, and not only a believer but also a man who obeys and follows God's commandments and teachings.

Although, on account of the floods, the people east of the Nishnabotana could not be present, the church was completely filled by the relatives and old friends and neighbors. Interment was in the Sidney cemetery, the services at the tomb being conducted by the I.O.O. F., Mr. Richards having been a member of this organization for 25 years.