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William Richey
1 Feb 1796 - 21 Oct 1879



Below was posted 6 April 2010

We have a nice mix of family traditions and documented facts about William Richey, his mission to the Cherokee nation 1855 - 1860 and who he married and when. Which are which? Let's try making a timeline for some of the people and events.

William Richey

- b 1796  Pickens County, AL

- became a mechanic and farmer

- ? m abt 1817 Nancy Ridge, Cherokee

- m 1820 Margaret Ann Adair
 Pickens County, AL


- his children wouldn't talk about his Cherokee marriage

- 1831 had a farm in Noxubee, Miss. [the Chotaw Indian Purchase]

- 1844 converted from Baptist to L.D.S. church in AL

- 1844 son James preached to Wm's people in the western part of Pickens County AL

- 1844 son James preached to mother's people in Itawanba County Miss.

- 1847 Spring - William reurned from mission to Texas and southern states, brought his mother [Rebecca Belton] from AL
- 1847 moved his family from Pisga to Winter Quarters


- 1848 crossed plains with Willard Richards Company

- 1853 Margaret dies in Manti

- 1855 at conference Wm called on mission

Nancy Ridge

- b abt 1801
   Cherokee Nation East (GA)


- daughter of Major Ridge

- m abt 1817 to ?

- d abt 1818-19 in childbirth
- baby daughter died too

John Ridge

- b abt 18
   Cherokee Nation East (GA)


Major Ridge

- b abt 1771,   3/4 Cherokee
   raised as a Cherokee in GA


- adopted white man's way

- friend of Andrew Jackson

- m

- his home in Rome, Georgia, is a national historical landmark called the Chieftains Museum/MajorRidge Home
Sarah Ridge

- b 1814

William Richey is #4 on Chart 4


Cherokee chiefs were elected, they didn't have royalty. So a woman could be the daughter of a chief but she wouldn't have been a "princess."

Sources for Sarah Ridge
1. An article Sarah Ridge by Dorothy (Doyen) Ridenour [Sarah's 3rd great granddaughter] http://www.paulridenour.com/mrmain.htm

Dottie Ridenour's Bibliography:
2. Wilkins, Thurman, "Cherokee Tragedy: The Ridge family and the Decimation of a People," University of Oklahoma Press, Second Edition, Revised, 1986.
3. Franks, Kenny A., "Stand Watie and the Agony of a Nation," Memphis State University Press, 1979.
4. McNeir, Forest W., "Forest McNeir of Texas," The Naylor Company, 1956.
5. "An Open letter by Sarah Paschal" to the Arkansas Gazette, published January 15, 1840, Little Rock Public Library, Arkansas.
6. The Handbook of Texas Online, "Sarah Ridge Pix" and "George Washington Paschal," The Texas State Historical Association, 1997, 1998, 1999.
7. "Living Between Two Cultures: The Story of the Ridge Family, " Georgia Historical Society Fall Meeting, November 1, 1997, by Dr. Alice Taylor-Colbert, Associate Professor of History, Shorter College, Rome, Georgia.




Questions or Suggestions?  Email dwyn@ancestorpages.com
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   James & Lucinda's page
    (William's son)