Isaiah Richmond

As printed in 1910

ISAIAH RICHMOND (1809-1899).

Isaiah Richmond, one of the early residents of Geneseo and for many years one of its most influential citizens, was born in Middleboro, Massachusetts, August 5, 1809. He was the youngest son of Benjamin and Abigail (Dean) Richmond and eighth in descent from John Richmond of Wiltshire, England, who is said to have been a descendant of the first Duke of Richmond. He traced his ancestry back through Benjamin, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, John and John. John Richmond came to America about 1635, being one of the first purchasers of Taunton, Massachusetts, in 1637. "The family were large landowners in the easterly part of the town and gave to a village in that section the name of Richmondtown, which it still bears. Walter Deane, also, his material ancestor, was one of the original purchasers of Taunton and Dean street was named in his honor. The descendants in both Dean and Richmond fine were stanch defenders of the colonies in the trying times of the Revolution.

Mr. Richmond, while a student at Scituate, Rhode Island, met Eliza Angell Fenner, also a student at the same seminary, whom he afterward married October 28, 1833. She was a daughter of Jeremiah Fenner, of North Scituate, a descendant of Thomas Fenner, who came from England and died in Branford, Connecticut, in 1647, whose son Captain Arthur Fenner and his descendants were prominent in the history of Providence, Rhode Island, and who furnished two governors to the state. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Richmond lived about four years at the Richmond homestead in Middleboro, Massachusetts, when they removed to North Scituate, Rhode Island. Here at the Fenner homestead they resided for ten years and here were born three of their children: Mary Eliza,

ISAIAH KICILMONI) who was born March i6, 1837, and died December 31, 1892; Joseph Warren, born February 20, 1840; and Edwin Adelbert, born October 4, 1842.

In 1835, Mr. Richmond first invested in land on the prairies of Ilhnois, in Tazewell county. Part of the land was purchased of residents of Tremont and part from the "Smithfield Western Emigrating Association" of Tremont. In November, 1839, he bought of the government one hundred and sixty acres in this vicinity, the papers bearing the name of President Van Buren. Mr. Richmond made two journeys to the west on horseback to look after his extensive landholdings — about one thousand acres in all — but not until 1844, did he bring his family to the new country. He made a home for one year at Tremont, which place he left for Groveland near Peoria, where he lived till 1854. There were hard times in those days of "Wild Cat" money and is was difficult to obtain money sufficient to pay taxes on land. In Groveland, Mr. Richmond conducted a hotel which was maintained a temperance house. In that day the use of intoxicants was much more common than at the present time and it required great courage to thus go against public opinion, but he stood firmly by his convictions and thus by his example advocated the cause of temperance.

Four children were born at the Groveland home: Abbie Dean R., who was born October 30, 1844, d died July 12, 1872; Francis Eugene and Maria Louisa, twins, born August 17, 1847; and Prudence Amelia, who was born March 27, 1850, and died March 31, 1853.

About this time, Mr. Richmond purchased land on the south side of Geneseo, securing about sixty acres and, in 1854, built a house, moving his family from Groveland in December to the home at the foot of State street, where his youngest child Helen Annette, was born, and who afterward married Mortimer Fleet and lives in Ashland, Oregon. Soon selling the first house, Mr. Richmond built and occupied the house one block east on Buffalo street, now called Oakwood avenue, which continued to be the home until after the death of his wife in 1879. This part of Geneseo was called the Richmond addition.

Soon after coming to Geneseo, Mr. Richmond engaged in the nursery business, there being at the time but one other nursery in the county — the small one at Wethersfield. Having a natural aptitude for horticulture and kindred occupations, he developed the business till his nursery became the center of a large local trade, people coming long distances for trees and plants. There are many orchards in the vicinity which were planted from his nursery stock and some of them are the result of his making leases of land on which to grow young trees, it being stipulated that he leave an orchard on the land. In 1866, wishing to extend the business, he and his son Joseph bought of Mr. Merriman the site of the present nursery, the land being then covered with hazel bushes and scrub oaks, but considered superior to prairie soil for the propagation of nursery stock. Mr. Richmond soon after sold his interest to his sons Joseph and Edwin, who thereafter conducted the nursery business.

Mr. Richmond was a man of sterling worth and highly respected by all who knew him. He was a liberal giver toward all measures for the advancement of the town or community. He was a life-long member of the Congregational church and assisted largely in the building of the present church edifice. Visiting pastors and all who were interested in good work, were always cordially welcomed to his hospitable home. He was always a strong advocate of the temperance cause and was among the first to believe that prohibition was the only safe course. In politics he was a republican.

As printed in History of Henry County, Illinois (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.