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HISTORY OF SHADRACH MONTGOMERY RICHARDSON
written April 1926 by Ivy Richardson Francom, Daughter
Shadrach Montgomery Richardson was born in Keg Creek, Pottawattamie County, Iowa March 11, 1848, is the son of Shadrach Richardson and Lavina Stewart.
He came to Utah with his parents and one brother Willshire arriving at Payson, Utah in September, 1852, his mother died in December of the same year.
I have heard him tell many times the only recollection he had of his mother was when they camped in Echo Canyon on the pioneer trail, she walked with him up Echo Cave, he was at that time only four years old.
He tells many stories about playing with his companions on what is known as the old Fort wall at Payson. He also tells of himself and John Calvin hunting calves up the Payson Creek. There was an old Indian passed them and after he had gone by them he turned around and pointed his gun at them which frightened them very much. They ran as fast as they could and climbed over the back wall.
When they got over the wall they looked back at the Indian and he stood laughing at them. As clothing and shoes at that time were hard to get, the children went barefoot most of the time. He tells of going coasting barefooted using a board warmed in the over and coasting until it would get cold then running back to the house to warm both feet and board.
When he was a boy in his teens he spent a great deal of his time herding stock in the Tintic valley. He helped haul the rock from Cottonwood Canyon for the building of the Salt Lake Temple. He was one of the home guards in the Black Hawk Indian War in the year 1866. At the age of 21 with his father and brothers he moved to Benjamin, Utah. Father always enjoyed a joke and had one to tell for every occasion.
On May 30th 1875, he was married to Keturah Hand at Benjamin, uncle Franklin Stewart pronouncing the ceremony. Two weeks later they went through the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.
They lived with grandfather Richardson while father was building their house. Their home was used as a schoolhouse and church for a number of years until a school house was built. Father built the school house and a number of other houses in Benjamin at that time. These houses were built of adobe instead of logs as most of the houses were then.
He was a school trustee for 12 years spending much time for the betterment of education conditions during that time.
The following excerpt was taken from FHS article by Delilah F. Bunker…full story in FHS.
Keturah Hand, a very beautiful little English girl, with an abundance of dark brown hair and deep blue eyes and a beautiful complexion had moved to Benjamin to make her home…
She had several suitors who proposed to her but she had eyes for only one man, a large strong handsome man, Shadrach Montgomery Richardson, who was 10 years older.
One Sunday when out walking, they accidently met his cousin, Sarah Bergen. She asked them where they were going and Grandpa answered “We are on our way to be married.” Shadrach said to Keturah “Let’s play a joke on Sarah and get married.” So off they went to his Uncle Benjamin, who was the presiding elder of the Benjamin branch of the Church, and were married.
