WILLIAM GREENWOOD RICHARDS -- 16thINFANTRYIN THE MILITARY FOR 39 DAYS - William Greenwood Richards and EllenRediker married in the Saint Thomas Anglican Church in Montreal in 1853.By 1860, the family had set itself up in Mooers with their one year olddaughter, Mary, and he was supporting them by working as a painter. Ason would follow in 1861.In April 1861, William, who was born in England, was recruited byCaptain William Wallace Wood of Company K of the 16th Infantry. OnApril 26th, the companies who were recruited in Clinton County got onthe night boat for Whitehall and took the train from there to Albanywhere they were mustered in on May 15th.Little did William know that he only had 20 days left to live. He diedof disease on June 15th, 1861. June was not a good month for the16th. Several men were discharged for disability from Camp Morganbefore they even got to the field and several deserted. Five men,including William, died of disease while they were still in camp.William's body was brought back to Mooers Forks, and he was buried inthe Union Cemetery at 25 years old. Ellen immediately started receivingher Widows Pension and also one for her children.Ellen married again in 1863. She and Alonzo Alford had several childrenbefore they moved to\Freeborn, MN, where she died in 1878. One of their daughters lived until1976 and died in Wisconsin.
