Richards Family

Here is some Richards family genealogy- more on the Higbee line coming soon.

1. HELEN ISABELLE RICHARDS

• born 31 Aug 1907 in Bangor, van Buren, Michigan
• parents: James Arthur Richards and Ida Mae van Vranken
• married Richard Walter Thompson (see his genealogy here) 25 Dec 1937 in East Lansing, Ingham, Michigan
• three children
• died 7 Jun 1971 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan; buried (1) Crystal Springs Cemetery, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan; (2) Michigan Memorial Park, Flat Rock, Wayne, Michigan

2. JAMES ARTHUR RICHARDS

• born 30 Oct 1881 in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan
• parents: Joseph Richards and Helen Noe
• married Ida Mae van Vranken on 20 Oct 1906 in Bainbridge, Berrien, Michigan
• two children, both born in Bangor, van Buren, Michigan
• Helen Isabelle (see above)
• James Burton, born 17 Apr 1909
• died 2 July 1946 in Eau Claire, Berrien, Michigan; buried Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

3. IDA MAE VAN VRANKEN

• born 12 Feb 1881, probably in Berrien County, Michigan
• parents: Urias van Vranken and Isabelle Petrie
• died 21 Oct 1973, probably in Berrien County, Michigan; buried Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

4. JOSEPH RICHARDS

• born 6 Nov 1848 in St Austell, Cornwall, England
• parents: William Richards and Jane Hocker (?)
• emigrated to Canada and then to the United States around 1870-1872
• married Helen Maria Noe on 25 Dec 1878 in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan
• six children:
• Clara Jane, born 9 Nov 1879 in Benton, Berrien, Michigan
• James Arthur (see above)
• Mary A., born 6 May 1883 in Benton, Berrien, Michigan
• Lucy P., born 10 May 1885 in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan
• Elizabeth, born 17 Jan 1887 in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan
• Charles Newton, born 30 Jun 1892 in St. Joseph, Berrien, Michigan
• died 13 Apr 1917 in St. Joseph, Berrien, Michigan; burried in Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

5. HELEN MARIA NOE

• born about 1854 (Jan 1854 per 1900 census) in Summit or Medina counties, Ohio
• parents: Elzever Noe and Mary Crittendon
• died between 1920 and 1930; presumably buried in Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan, but unconfirmed.

6. URIAS VAN VRANKEN

• born 1 Oct 1844 in Bainbridge, Berrien, Michigan
• parents: Garrett van Vranken and Emily Higbee
• married Isabelle Petrie on 14 April 1876 in Niles, Berrien, Michigan
• three children:
• Eva Elizabeth, born 29 Jan 1878
• Ida Mae (see above)
• Ina, born 12 Feb 1881
• died 9 Mar 1918 in Bainbridge, Berrien, Michigan; buried Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

7. ISABELLE PETRIE

• born 20 Mar 1854/5 in St Joseph, Berrien, Michigan
• parents: Alexander Petrie and Elizabeth McDonald
• died 30 May 1927 in Berrien County, Michigan; buried Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

8. WILLIAM RICHARDS

• born about 1810 in St. Stephens-in-Brannell, Cornwall, England
• parents: William Richards and Elizabeth
• married Jane Hocker (?) before 1841 in Cornwall, England
• at least nine children:
• William H, born about 1843, emigrated to Berrien County, Michigan
• James H, born about 1844
• Edwin, born about 1845
• Caroline Jane, born about 1847
• Joseph (see above)
• Elizabeth/Emma, born about 1850
• Charles, born about 1854
• Julia, born about 1857
• Arthur, born about 1859
• died aft 1881

9. JANE HOCKER (?)

• last name could potentially be Hockins or Hawkins- more research needed on this topic
• born about 1815 in St. Austell, Cornwall, England
• parents unknown
• died aft 1881

10. ELZEVER NOE

• born 28 Dec 1821 in Ohio
• parents: Benjamin Noe and Elizabeth (Vickers?
• married Mary Crittendon on 2 Feb 1851 in Medina County, Ohio
• four children:
• Helen Maria (see above)
• Anna, born in Ohio
• Leverett, born in Ohio
• Clara, born in Indiana
• died 4 Jun 1893 in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan; buried in Morton Hill, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

11. MARY CRITTENDON

• born 7 July 1830, possibly in New York
• parents: Leverett Crittendon and Maria _?_
• died 23 Nov 1896 in St. Joseph, Berrien, Michigan; buried in Morton Hill, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan

12. GARRETT VAN VRANKEN

• born 8 Dec 1815 in New York
• according to some sources, he was of Dutch descent, orphaned at a young age and adopted by an English family.  He may have been the son of James G. van Vranken and Margaret/Peggy Wheeler.
• married Emily Higbee on 9 January 1842 in Bainbridge, Berrien, Michigan
• nine children:
• James, born 1843
• Urias (see above)
• David, born 1846
• Mary Ellen, born 1848
• Emily, born 1850
• Caroline, born 1852
• Garrett, born 1859
• Nora, born 1861
• Melissa ("Lissa"), born 1865
• Garrett went to the gold fields in California in 1851/2 before his daughter Caroline was born and returned in 1858/9, after Caroline died young.
• died 19 August 1877 in Berrien County, Michigan; buried in Penn Yan, Bainbridge Center, Berrien, Michigan

13. EMILY HIGBEE

• born 2 Mar/Nov 1819- some sources say in Ontario County, New York, others say Crawford County, Ohio
• parents: James Higbee and Mary Finton/Fenton
• more information on her family here
• died 14 Feb 1911 in Bainbridge, Berrien, Michigan; buried in Penn Yan, Bainbridge Center, Berrien, Michigan

14. ALEXANDER PETRIE

• born about 1828 in Scotland
• parents unconfirmed; record found for an Alexander Petrie born 16 Jun 1828 in Nairn, Nairnshire, Scotland to George Petrie and Isobel Dick- this may or may not be the same Alexander Petrie
• married Elizabeth McDonald on 29 Feb 1852 in Berrien County, Michigan
• three children, all probably born in St. Joseph, Berrien, Michigan
• Isabelle (see above)
• (James) Alexander, born 3 Nov 1856
• Anna, born 1859
• according to family history, he died aboard a schooner wreck in Lake Michigan.  This presumably happened between 1860 (when he was found in the census) and 1867 (when his wife remarried).

15. ELIZABETH MCDONALD

• born 6 April 1837 in New York City, New York, per her death certificate (other sources say Canada and Scotland)
• parents: James McDonald and Isabelle/Isabella Leach, both born in Scotland, I believe
• married (2) William Rector 28 Feb 1867 in Berrien County, Michigan; he was born about 1809 and died 6 Dec 1878
• died 3 Dec 1911 in Sodus, Berrien, Michigan; buried in Crystal Springs, Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan