Francis Gardiner Richards (1833-1884)

Francis Gardiner Richards, of Boston & Gardiner, Maine

He was born at Gardiner, Maine, that was founded by his great-great-grandfather, Dr. Silvester Gardiner. He was educated at Rugby School in England before graduating from Harvard (1853). He initially studied law but preferred to go into business and sailed to Calcutta. On hearing of his father's death in 1858, he returned to America and took charge of his father's businesses at Gardiner, notably the firm of Richards & Hoskins, Paper Makers. He was a trustee of the Gardiner Savings Bank and a director of the Cobbessee National Bank. In 1879, he married Annie Ashburner, daughter of Samuel Ashburner. His wife was a close friend of the diarist and author Alice James, sister of Henry James. They had two children and he died at Boston, Massachusetts.
Contributed by Mark Meredith on 22/06/2022 and last updated on 25/06/2022.