Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/271

Rh pared tn pass to Santo Domingo to co-operate in ihr conquest "f tin- island, when he died of yellow fever. Richepanse was held in high esteem by Napoleon, wlm gave liis name to a street in Paris.

RICHERY, Joseph de (reesh-ree), French na- val officer. b. in Alons. Provence, 13 Sept., 1757; d. there. 21 March, 1799. lie enlisted as a cabin- boy in 17(36, became midshipman in 1774, and lieu- tenant in 1??M, ami co-operated in the capture of Newport by Count d'Estaing, taking part in the engagement with the English fleet as commander of the long boats that were ordered to destroy the fire-ships at the entrance of the bay. He served afterward at Savannah in October, 1779, was pres- ent at the capture of St. Vincent and Grenada, and took part in most of the engagements in the West Indies till 1781, when he was attached to the squadron of Bailli de Suffren, and served in the Indian ocean till the conclusion of peace. He was promoted captain in 1793 and rear-admiral in 1795, and appointed to the command of a fleet to destroy the fisheries of Newfoundland. Sailing from Tou- lon, 14 Sept.. 171)3. with five ships of the line and two t'rigales, he attacked, mi 7 Oct., an English mer- chant fleet escorted by three ships of the line, took one of the latter and captured thirty other vessels, which he sold at Cadiz. He left Cadiz, 2 Aug., 1796, and, arriving on 28 Aug. upon the great bank of Newfoundland, ruined all the fisheries, not only upon the coast but also at Saint Pierre and Mique'- lon island, while he detached Capt. Georges Alle- mand with two ships and one frigate to destroy the fishing stations along the coast of Labrador. In fifteen days he sank or captured upward of 100 ve--els, destroyed the settlements in Hull bav, and when he left for Prance the fishing industry was ruined in Newfoundland for several years. He arrived safely with his prizes at Rochefort on 5 Nov. in time to take part in the expedition to Ire- land. Declining health compelled him to retire from active service in 1797.

RICHET, Jules Cesar (re-shay), West Indian author, b. in St. Pierre. Martinique, in 1697; d. there in 1776. He was for many years civil judge of the tribunal of St. Pierre. His works include " Essai sur 1'art de la culture de la canne a sucre " (St. Pierre, 1748); " Recueil de jurisprudence, a 1'usage des lies du vent" (Paris. 1761); " Traite de legislation coloniale " (2 vols., 17(ili) ; Memoire sur le cannellier de la Martinique" (1767); " Ob- servations sur la culture du cafe" (1769); and " Description abregee de la Martinique "(2 vols., St. Pierre, 1772).

RICHEY, Matthew, Canadian clergyman, b. in Kanielton, Ireland, 25 May, 1803: d. in Halifax. Nova Scotia, 24 Oct., 1883. He was educated in Ireland, and afterward came to Canada, where he was principal of the Methodist academy at Cobourg in 1836-'9. He was subsequently stationed as a minister of the Methodist church at various places. Mr. Richey was superintendent of Methodist mis- sions in Canada and Hudson bay in 1846-'7, presi- dent of Canada conference in 1849, and president of the conference of eastern British America in 1856-'60. He was eminent as a pulpit orator, and published " Memoir of Rev. William Black, includ- ing an Account of the Rise and Progress of Meth- odism in Nova Scotia" (Halifax, 1836). and a vol- ume of sermons. The degree of D. I>. was con- ferred upon him by Wesleyan university. Conn., in 1847. His son, Matthew Henry. Canadian jurist, b. in Windsor, Nova Scot in, 10 June. 1N2*. was educated at the collegiate school, Windsor, ,-it Upper Canada college, Toronto, and at (Queen's unnersity, Kingston. He studied law. was ad- mitted to the bar of Nova Scotia in 1850, became queen's counsel in 1N73. and received the honorary degree of 1). C. L. from Mount Allison Wesleyan college in 1884. He was a member of the Do- minion parliament for Halifax from 1878 until 4 July, 1883. when he was appointed lieutenant-gov- ernor of Nova Scotia. He was mayor of Halifax in 1864-'7 and 1875-'8, and had been a member of the senate of the university of that city.

RICHINGS, Peter, actor, b. in London, Eng- land, 19 May. 1797 : d. in Media, Pa., 18 Jan., 1871. His full name was Peter Richings Puget, and his father was Vice- Admiral Puget, of the British navy. The son was educated for the ministry at Pem- broke college. Later he became successively clerk in the India service at Madras, a lieutenant in the British army, and a student of law in Lincoln's Inn. None of these pursuits proving congenial, he figured for a time as a comedian at several minor theatres in the British provinces. In 1821 he came to this country, where he made his first appearance at the New York Park theatre, on 25 Sept., 1821, as Harry Bertram in Bishop's opera "Guy Manner- ing." Here he remained among the stock-company until 1839. In the autumn of that year he became stage-manager of the National theatre, Philadel- phia. In 1843 he was lessee of the Holliday street theatre, Baltimore, and from 1845 until 1854 he was connected with the Walnut street theatre, Philadelphia, both as stage-manager and manager. Prom that time onward, for about eleven years, he conducted the Richings opera troupe, a travel- ling company, appearing on frequent occasions as an operatic artist. At the close of this venture he retired permanently to a farm. Richings was one of the time-honored galaxy of the old Park theatre, and in romantic plays and melodramas became a general favorite. Fops, military officers, eccentric- characters, and stage-villains were equally well represented by him. but he had no hold on the le- gitimate drama. His voice was a baritone, and was used judiciously on many occasions. Dajidini in " Cinderella," Beppo in " Fra Diavolo." Pietro in ' Masaniello," and Olifour in "La Bayadere." were rendered by him with remarkable effect. Caroline Mary, his adopted daughter, came to this country from England in her infancy. She first appeared in public as a pianist, and subse- quently became leading soprano of the Ridiing- English opera troupe. In 1867 Miss Richings married Pierre Barnard, and retired from the stage, but returned in 1883. Her later life was spent at Richmond. Va., where she died in 1884.

RICHMOND, Charles Gordon Lennox, fourth Duke of, governor-general of Canada, b. in 1764; d. in Richmond, Lower Canada, 28 Aug.. 1819. His father, Lieut. -Gen. Lord George Henry Lennox, was a grandson of the first Duke of Richmond, a son of Charles II. and the Duchess of Portsmouth! Charles entered the army in his youth, and in 1806 succeeded to the dukedom at the death of his uncle. In 1S08 he was appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, where his administration of affairs was productive of the happiest results in quieting the public discontent. He succeeded Gen. Sherbrooke as governor-general of Canada. 29 July. 1819, and administered its government till his death. He was very popular, and though by nature conciliatory, was determined and energetic, and did not hesitate to draw upon the funds in the hands of the receiver-general when the legislature refused to grant supplies to defray the civil list. While making a tour of Canada he purchased a tame fox, which, becoming rabid, bit him on the hand, and hydrophobia resulted, causing his death. In 1789