Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/265

Rh was pastor successively of churches in New Hol- land. Trappe, Germantown, and Reading, Pa. Dur- ing his pastorate at Easton he was professor of the German language and literature in Lai'ayHtr. He received the degree of D. D. from Jefferson college, Pa., in 1852. Dr. Richards was a brilliant preacher and a forcible writer. His publications include " The Fruitful Retrospect," a sermon preached at Trappe at the centenary celebration of the laying of the corner-stone of the church (Pottstown, Pa., 1*43). and " The Walk about '/.ion." a sermon delivered at the close of his pastorate (F.astnn, 1851). Among his unpublished manu- scripts is the translation of a large part of "Hal- le'sche Naehrichten," a work published in two vol- umes (Halle, 1887), which is the primary source of American Lutheran history. His son. Matthias Henry, clergyman, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 17 June, 1841, was graduated at Pennsylvania college. Gettysburg, in 1860, and at the theological semi- nary there in 1(304, and in the latter year was or- dained to the ministry. He has been successively tutor at Pennsylvania college in 1861-'3, pastor at South Easton, Pa., in 1864-'o, and at Greenwich, N. J., in 18(J5-'S, professor of the English language and literature in Muhlenberg college in 1868-'73, pastor at Indianapolis, Ind., in 1873-'6, and again professor in Muhlenberg college since 1876, and secretary of the faculty. He has delivered a large number of lectures, and is a frequent contributor to periodicals. Since 1880 he has been editor of 'Church Lesson- Leaves" and " Helper" (Philadel- phia), and since 1886 the managing editor of the " Church Messenger " at Allentown. Of his numer- ous sermons, addresses, and other literary produc- tions that have appeared in the various periodicals of the church, only three poems have been pub- lished separately in pamphlet-form, and "Church Lesson Leaflet " (Philadelphia, 1887-'8).

RICHARDS, Maria Tolnian, author, b. in Dorchester, Mass., 8 Oct., 1821. Her maiden name was Tolman. After graduation at the Female seminary in Townsend, Mass., she married, in 1842, the Rev'. Samuel Richards, who held pastoral es in Edgartown, Mass., and Providence, R. I. For seven years they conducted in the latter city a school for girls, which was closed, owing to the impaired health of Mr. Richards. His death occurred in 1883. Mrs. Richards has been identified with vari- ous departments of philanthropic and missionary work, having served as president of the Rhode Isl- and branch of the Woman's Baptist home mission society and of the Rhode Island branch of the Woman's national Indian aid association, and as a trustee of Hartshorn's memorial college, Richmond, Va. She has given courses of lectures on English and biblical literature in several cities, and is the author of " Life in Judea, or Glimpses of the First Christian Age " (Philadelphia, 1854), and " Life in Israel " (New York, 1857).

RICHARDS, Robert Hallonell, metallurgist, b. in Gardiner, Me., 26 Aug., 1844. He was gradu- ated at Massachusetts institute of technology in 1868, was an assistant there until 1871, when he was chosen to the chair of mineralogy, and now holds the professorship of mining and metallurgy. His introduction of laboratory methods into the teaching of mining and metallurgy has been the great work of his life. Prof. Richards has in- vented a jet aspirator for chemical and phys- ical laboratories (1874) ; and an ore-separator foi the Lake Superior copper-mills (1883). During 1886 he was president of the American institute of mining engineers, and he is a member of va- rious other scientific societies. He has devoted his attention largely to improved metallurgical processes, especially in copper, on which he is an accepted authority. His papers on that subject have been contributed to the " Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers." but his carliiT publications tended more to chemistry and mineralogy and appeared in the " American Jour- nal of Science." His wife, Ellen Henrietta, chemist, b. in Dunstable, Mass., 3 Dec., 1842, was graduated at Vassar in 1870, and at Massachusetts institute of technology in 1873. She continued at the institute as resident graduate, and married Prof. Richards in 1875. In 1878 she was made in- structor in chemistry and mineralogy in the Wom- an's laboratory of the institute, and in 18s."> >he became instructor in sanitary chemistry. 31 rs. Richards has obtained deserved recognition as a chemist by her original investigations in that science. Her special work has been that of education, and her influence in developing scientific studies among women has been large. The application of chemical principles and knowledge to the better conduction of the home is one of her chosen fields, and in teaching this subject to women she is probably the pioneer in this country. Mrs. Rich- ards was the first of her sex to be elected a mem- ber of the American institute of mining engineers, and she is a member of several other scientific bodies. In addition to various chemical papers, she has published " Chemistry of Cooking and Clean- ing " (Boston, 1882) ; " Food Materials and their Adulterations" (1885); "First Lessons in Miner- als'" (1885) : and with Marion Talbot edited " Home Sanitation " (1887).

RICHARDS, William, missionary, b.in Plain- field, Mass., 22 Aug., 1792 ; d. in Honolulu. 7 Dee., . After graduation at Williams in 1819, and at Andover theological seminary in 1822. he was or- dained, and on 1!) Nov.. 1S22, embarked as a mis- sionary to the Sandwich islands. In 1838 he be- came councillor, chaplain, and interpreter to the king, and after the recognition of the independence of the islands by foreign powers was sent as am- bassador to England, and to other courts. On his return to Honolulu in 1845 he was appointed minis- ter of public instruction.

RICHARDS, Sir William Buell, Canadian jurist, b. in Brockville, Ont., 2 May. 1*15; d. in Ottawa. Ont.. 26 Jan., 1889. He en- tered parliament iu, and became a member of the executive council in 1851. He was appointed queen's counsel in 1850, puisne judge of the court of common pleas of Ontario in 1853, and chief jus- tice of that court in 1863. Judge Rich- ards became chief justice of Ontario in 1868, arbitrator for that province in tlie matter of the northwestern boundary in 1874, and chief justice of the supreme court of Canada in 1875. He was deputy to the governor-general of Canada in 1876 and in 1878, was knighted in 1877, and received the confederation medal in 1885. His brother. Albert Norton, Canadian lawyer, b. in Brockville, Ont., 8 Dec., 1822, after re-