Alton F. Richards papers, 1839-1994

Alton F. Richards was born in Ogden, Utah on June 22, 1904. His father was Ianthus P. Richards, a committed Latter Day Saint who knew Brigham Young personally. His grandfather, Samuel W. Richards, knew Joseph Smith personally. Richards moved to Pine, Idaho, when he was five years old. While in Pine, when Richards was seven, his mother died, which forced him to assume many responsibilities when he was very young. Some of them included cooking, washing dishes, and chopping wood. He attended school in a one room log schoolhouse, and was taught by his sister, Regina. Richards was baptized a member of the LDS church in Black Pine on August 11, 1912, and shortly after his family moved back to Ogden, Utah, where he finished he elementary education at 5 Points School. He obtained his Associate of Arts degree at Weber State College, and Bachelor of Arts at the University of Utah. After earning these degrees, he completed several summer school courses at Weber State College, Utah State University, and the University of Utah. He majored in math, with minors in physics and psychology.

Richards married Phyllis Krogue in the Salt Lake Temple on June 17, 1931. They had five children: Don, Rex, Kim, Rama, and Lerene. He was ordained a member of the quorum of the seventy in 1941, and became a high priest in 1943. He became a counselor in the 1960s and was ordained an LDS bishop on October 29, 1967. He also held several teaching positions within the LDS Church.

Richards was a teacher who taught at several schools in the Western United States. They include the senior high school in Castle Dale, Utah (1927-1928), Madison High School in Rexburg, Idaho (1928-1930), and unnamed schools in Midvale, Utah (1930-1931) and Elba, Idaho (1931-1933), as well as 16 years at Mound Fort Jr. High School, 1 year at Central Jr. High School, 3 years at Ogden High School, and 16 years at Ben Lomond High School, all located in Ogden, Utah. He was also a first aid teacher in World War II, and taught night school at Weber State University from 1954 to 1955. For a number of years, he was a state Democratic Party convention delegate.