Adair County Citizen Celebrates 100th Birthday

Joseph William Richards, who lives with his daughter, Mrs. Lorsey Wilson, in the Ozark community, was 100 years old on Thursday, July 24. He was born in Russell County on July 24, 1852, but moved to Adair County many years ago. He was a stone mason and farmer before his retirement.

His grandfather, Amos Bryce Richards, lived to be 97, and according to Mr. Richards was never ill until his last illness. His father was James O. Richards and his mother was Polly Ann Leach of Russell County.

He married Miss Mary Jane Leach, who died about fifteen years ago, and to this union five children were born: Mrs. Lorsey Wilson and Elmer Richards, who are still living, and Milburn Richards, Ruel Richards, and Mrs. John [Lora Edith] Calhoun, who died several years ago. He has 18 grandchildren, one of whom is Mrs. Allie Parsons, Columbia, and 9 great grand-children. He is a member of the White Oak Baptist Church and a Democrat.

Mr. Richards is in surprisingly good health for one of his years. He has some difficulty hearing and wears glasses, but his memory of events of his earlier years is quite clear. He was very willing to talk to T.E. Jeffries, and a representative of the News about his experiences when they went to his home on Thursday.

He was quite a fisherman, and did all his fishing in Russell Creek. He was also a great trapper. He said he had caught mink, muskrats, possums, coons and one otter in his trapping days. He also said he caught one "tabby cat," which was probably a wild or bob cat. He used the dead-fall trap, making the triggers at home and placing the traps across the tracks made by the animals. To the younger generation it may be necessary to explain that a dead-fall trap is a rock propped up on one side which falls on the animal when it reaches under it for bait. The otter was caught at the upper end of Wilson Mill Pond. The stories Mr. Richards told of his trapping days were quite interesting and he also gave his recipe for cooking coons.

When asked if he remembered the Civil War, he was quick to answer that he saw hundreds of soldiers coming out of a "big fight." He listened to the cannons and guns and saw the "big parade." There were men afoot, on horseback, and cannons on carts. He was plowing when his father came and said, "Take the horse out, and let's go in, there's going to be a big fight." Some of the soldiers camped in his father's barn lot, and later engaged in a battle, "over on the river," which was probably the battle of Green River. [See note below.]

In speaking of his work as a stone mason, he said he helped build the stone dam at Epperson's Mill, and also built the flues in the Cartwright house in Columbia, which is where T.E. Jeffries now lives.

In his time he attended many "log rollings." When a man had cleared a "new ground," all the neighbors came and rolled the logs and helped build his barn or house. Mr. Richards said that in those days when a man had any thing "past common," to do, the neighbors always came in to help. There was always a jug at the "workings," but Mr. Richards never saw a man drunk.

On Sunday some 200 relatives, friends and neighbors took a basket lunch to his home to celebrate his birthday. A five layer cake with 100 candles decorated the long table which was spread in the yard. The cake was a gift of the grandchildren.