George Richards

George Richards


George Richards, the fifth son and eighth child of Peter and Ann Channing (Huntington) Richards, was born in New London, Conn., Nov. 2d, 1816. He taught school for a short time, and in 1842 entered Andover Theological Seminary. A year later he removed to the Yale Theological Seminary, and 1844 became a Tutor in this College. He was ordained, Oct. 8th, 1845, as associate pastor of the Central (Congregational) Church, in Boston, where he remained until 1859, having become sole pastor in 1851. After a visit to Europe, he took charge of the Congregational Church in Litchfield, Conn., in Dec. 1860. Thence he removed at the close of the year 1865 to Bridgeport, Conn, where he was installed over the First Congregational Church, Jan. 3d, 1866. He was dismissed from this pastorate, Aug. 1870. For a year or two previous, Mr. Richards had been afflicted with a nervous disease, which was accompanied with partial loss of sight and impaired reason, and which finally resulted in his decease, at Bridgeport, Oct. 20th, 1870. In July, 1868, Mr. Richards was chosen a member of the Corporation of Yale College. He married, in 1846, Miss Anna M Woodruff, of Philadelphia. [In 1871,] she [was] still living with five children: of whom the eldest son [was] a member of the Junior Class in this College. Writings, Rev George Richards was a minister in the Boston Central Church. Among his writings include a moving memorial service for the senior pastor in the congregation, Rev. William M. Rogers.