Mark Richards (politician)

Mark Richards (July 15, 1760 – August 10, 1844) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont and as the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Vermont.

Mark Richards
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's At-large congressional district
In office March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1821
Preceded by	Luther Jewett
Succeeded by	Phineas White
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office 1801–1805
8th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
In office 1830–1831
Lieutenant	Samuel C. Crafts William A. Palmer
Preceded by	Henry Olin
Succeeded by	Lebbeus Egerton
Personal details
Born	July 15, 1760 Waterbury, Connecticut Colony, British America
Died	August 10, 1844 (aged 84) Westminster, Vermont, U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Other political affiliations	Democratic-Republican
Profession	congressman, lieutenant governor

Biography

Richards was born in Waterbury in the Connecticut Colony on July 15, 1760, and received limited schooling. In 1776, he enlisted during the American Revolutionary War.[1] Richards moved to Boston after the war to work in a general store. In 1796 he moved to Westminster, Vermont to open his own store.

Richards was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1801 to 1805. He served as sheriff of Windham County from 1806 to 1810 and was a Presidential elector in 1812.[2] He served on the Governor’s council from 1813 to 1816.

Richards was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the US House of Representatives, and served from 1817 to 1821 as a member of the 15th and 16th United States Congress.[3][4] He served again in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1824 to 1826, in 1828 and from 1832 to 1834. He was the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1830 to 1831.[4]

Death

Richards died on August 10, 1844 in Westminster, Vermont and is interred in the Bradley tomb in the Old Westminster Cemetery in Westminster.[1]

References

1. "RICHARDS, Mark, (1760 - 1844)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
2. "Mark Richards (1760-1844)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
3. "Rep. Mark Richards". govtrack.us. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
4. Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography, American Publishers Association, Chicago, Ill., 1914, p. 1

External links

• United States Congress. "Mark Richards (id: R000217)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Information from the Vermont Archives
• govtrack.us
• Mark Richards at Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard