Jane S. Richards

{{Infobox Latter Day Saint biography

| name = Jane S. Richards

| image = Jane S. Richards2.jpg

| image_size = 150px

| alt = Photo of Jane S. Richards

| caption =

| birth_name = Jane Snyder

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1823|01|31}}

| birth_place = Pamelia, New York, United States

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1912|11|17|1823|01|31}}

| death_place = Ogden, Utah, United States

| death_cause =

| resting_place = Ogden City Cemetery

| resting_place_coordinates = {{Coord|41.233|-111.962|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Ogden City Cemetery}}

| signature = Signature of Jane Snyder Richards (1823–1912).png

| spouse = Franklin D. Richards

| children = 6, including:
Franklin S. Richards

| parents = Isaac Snyder
Lovisa Comstock

| position_or_quorum1 = First Counselor in the general
presidency of the Relief Society

| called_by1 = Zina D. H. Young

| ordination_reason1 =

| predecessor1 = Zina D. H. Young

| successor1 = Annie Taylor Hyde

| start_date1 = {{start date|1888|10|11}}

| end_date1 = {{end date|1901|11|10}}{{cite book | editor1-last = Ludlow | editor1-first = Daniel H | editor1-link = Daniel H. Ludlow | title = Encyclopedia of Mormonism | location = New York | publisher = Macmillan Publishing | year = 1992 | isbn = 0-02-879602-0 | oclc = 24502140 | chapter = Appendix 1: Biographical Register of General Church Officers | chapter-url = http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/EoM/id/5941 | pages = 1644–5 | title-link = Encyclopedia of Mormonism }}

| end_reason1 =

| reorganization1 =

| portals = LDS

}}

Jane Snyder Richards (January 31, 1823 – November 17, 1912) was a counselor to Zina D. H. Young in the general presidency of the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1888 to 1901.

Early life and family

Jane Snyder was born to Isaac Richards Snyder and his wife Lovisa Comstock in Parmelia, Jefferson County, New York.{{cite book|title=Utah State Archives Indexes|publisher=Utah State Archives|accessdate=May 6, 2019|url=https://archives.utah.gov/research/indexes}}

By her early teens her family had moved to Addington County, Upper Canada. While there her parents and siblings joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Canadian Mormons p. 37 They were taught about the Church by John E. Page. Jane did not join until January 1840. Passing through a severe illness that had left her paralyzed and speechless, Jane only regained her speech after the prayers of her brother at the age of 17.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-herald-republican-prominen/142785567/ |title=Prominent Woman in Ninetieth Year Taken By Death |newspaper=The Salt Lake Herald |place=Ogden, Utah |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-herald-republican-prominen/142785647/ 6] |date=18 Nov 1912 |language=en |access-date=2024-03-05 |via=Newspapers.com}} Her baptism was performed by her brother Robert Snyder after cutting the ice at LaPorte, Indiana. The townspeople opposed her baptism because Richards awoke gravely ill the day before. She came up out of the water healed from her ailment rather than more sick from exposure.{{cite book|last1=Arrington|first1=Leonard|last2=Madsen|first2=Susan|title=Sun-Bonnet Sisters: True Stories of Mormon Women and Frontier Life|date=1984|publisher=Bookcraft|location=Salt Lake City, Utah|isbn=0884945200|pages=[https://archive.org/details/sunbonnetsisters00arri/page/33 33–39]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/sunbonnetsisters00arri/page/33}}{{rp|34}}{{Cite magazine | last1 = Quinn | first1 = D. Michael | author-link1 = D. Michael Quinn |date=January 1980 | title = They Served: The Richards Legacy in the Church | journal = Ensign | location = Salt Lake City, Utah | publisher = The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | accessdate = April 20, 2012 | url = https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1980/01/they-served-the-richards-legacy-in-the-church?lang=eng}}

On December 18, 1842, she married Franklin D. Richards. They had six children, including Franklin S. Richards. The Richards came to Utah Territory in 1848 after much persecution and sickness in Nauvoo.{{rp|36}}

Church service

Richards was a member of the original Relief Society that was established in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois. She served on the General Board (called the Central Board until 1892) of the Relief Society from 1888 to 1910. She was a counselor to general president Zina D. H. Young from 1888 to 1901.{{rp|38}} Richards was the Relief Society delegate to the National Council of Women in 1891.

Richards also served as president of a local Relief Society in Weber County, Utah. When this Relief Society was formed, it was the first Relief Society to be created between the general organization and the most local ward-level organizations.History of the Relief Society, 1842-1966. (Salt Lake City: Relief Society General Board, 1966) p. 59.

Richards's daughter, Josephine Richards West, served as a counselor in the general presidency of the Primary.Andrew Jenson. Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 4, p. 303.

Richards died at West's home in Ogden, Utah on November 17, 1912.

In memory

To honor the memory of Jane S. Richards, members of the Weber Stake planted a green ash tree next to the former Relief Society Hall which was built as a result of the efforts of Mrs. Richards. A sketch of her life was written, concealed inside a bottle and placed at the root of the tree by Miss Virginia Richards Burton.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ogden-standard-examiner-bottle-place/142785739/ |title=Bottle Placed at Tree Roots |newspaper=Standard-Examiner |publication-place=Ogden, Utah |page=8 |date=23 Apr 1927 |language=en |access-date=2024-03-05 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Notes

{{cite book

| last = Jenson

| first = Andrew

| author-link = Andrew Jenson

| title = Latter-day Saint biographical encyclopedia: A compilation of biographical sketches of prominent men and women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints | volume = 4

| date = 1936

| publisher = The Andrew Jenson History Company (Printed by The Deseret News Press)

| location = Salt Lake City, Utah | page = [http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/BYUIBooks/id/5770 195]

}}

{{cite book

| last = Gates

| first = Susa Young

| author-link = Susa Young Gates

| title = History of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association of the Church of Jesus Christ of L.D.S., from November 1869 to June 1910: Jane S. Richards

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3oYuAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Jane+S.+Richards%22&pg=PA56

| accessdate = June 4, 2012

| year = 1911

| publisher = General Board of Y.L.M.I.A.

| page = 56

}}