Fonds F1549 - James Richards fonds

James Richards, 1874-1956, moved from McLaren's Depot, Ontario to Calgary, Alberta in 1903 to join his brother, William, who had come the previous year. Bill had gone into the sawmill business with George Hatt on the Morley reserve. In 1904, the brothers bought the sawmill and in 1910 joined with George Wayman, owner of City Planing Mills in Calgary, to form Richards Brothers Company Ltd. The company operated both the City Planing Mills and the Morley sawmill until 1920 when it was liquidated due to financial difficulties. The sawmill burned shortly after. James' wife, Agnes Gemmill, died in 1915, leaving him with seven children to raise. He remained in the Morley district and supplied pilings to Alberta Wood Preservers and hauled poles for Calgary Power before he retired.

For further information see the entry by Audley and Jim Richards, as told to Wendy Vaughan, "The Richards Family", in Big Hill Country : Cochrane and Area. -- Cochrane : Cochrane and District Historical Society, 1977, p. 123-129.