Arizona LDS Pioneer - Lived to Age 101 with a great posterity
Biography
Mary Ann "Mamie" Chapman Richey was born 22 April 1872 in Chapman Silver Creek Ranch, Parleys Park, Summit County, Utah, United States to Welcome Chapman (1849-1900) and Mary Adeline Potter (1854-1874) and died 3 July 1973 Show Low, Navajo County, Arizona, United States of unspecified causes. She married James Moroni Richey (1848-1930) 12 September 1888 in St. George Utah Temple, St. George, Washington County, Utah.
Vital Stats
- Daughter of Welcome Chapman Jr (1849-1900) and Mary Adeline Potter (1854-1874)
- 1872-Apr-22 : Birth at Parleys Park, Summit Co, Utah Territory, USA
- 1884-May/Jun : Family relocated to settle St Johns, Arizona Territory, USA
- 1888-Sep-12 : Marriage to James Moroni Richey (1848-1930) (Rone) at Washington, Washington Co, Utah Territory, USA She was age 16, and Rone was age 40.
- 1973-July-03 : Died at Show Low, Navajo Co, Arizona, USA
- 1973-July-07 : Buried at St Johns Cemetary, Apache Co, Arizona, USA
Biography
Mary Ann's life is well described in her book (see references below).
Parley's Park Silver Creek Ranch
Mary Ann with her parents - circa 1873
She was born in the cabin in Parley's Park, Utah, a small town north of Park City, Utah where her father, Welcome Chapman Jr. and Uncle Hyrum operated a cattle ranch on Silver Creek. They moved several times between here, Murray, Utah and Salt Lake City. At times young Mary Ann took lunches to her father and grandfather who worked as stone masons on the Salt Lake Temple.
Her mother died when she was two years old, so her and her younger sister were raised by their grandmother, Susan Amelia Risley (1807-1888) and later by her stepmother. Her father would later remarry twice.
1884 Arizona Pioneer
At age 12 her father took Mary Ann with the family on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to settle St. Johns, Arizona (May/June 1884) and other settlements along the Little Colorado River.
1888 Richville Farm
She was 16 when she married Rone Richey who at age 40, was one year older than her father. They settled on a farm at Richville, just 20 miles south of St Johns. They worked the Richville farm, along with other family members from 1888 to 1922.
The farm in Richville was fairly primitive, not much more than a two-room house. Many years later their two oldest sons, Forest and Hugh, made some additions, but they lived in primitive conditions without any lights or running water.
In 1922, her husband retired from farming and they relocated into St Johns. He died in 1930. Mary Ann was a widow for 43 years.
Marriage and Family
In the summer of 1888, James and his younger brother Joseph Benjamin Richey (1855-1926) traveled together with their sweethearts from their home in Richville, Arizona on the Little Colorado River (where they had been ranching since about 1884) to get married in the St. George Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The marriage date for both couples is 12-Sept-1888.
This wedding trek lasted about two weeks on the wagon trail each way. On the way their the two young brides slept in one wagon and the gentlemen in the other. Joseph handled on all of the cooking and Roni tended the horses and wagons so that the girls would have no chores to fuss over. Aunt Mamie described this trek as the most pleasant journey in her whole life (and she would live to age 101.) Halfway to the temple, they dug a hole and cached away their excess grain and supplies for the return trip and hid it under the remains of a campfire.
All Children were born in St Johns, Apache Co, Arizona Territory, USA
Rone & Mamie Richey family on New Years day 1918 when Forest came home from Camp Kearny on leave.
- Mary Lucinda Richey (1889-1989) - m. James LeRoy Stradling
- James Welcome Richey (1891-1891) - stillborn
- Eleanor Ruth Richey (1892-1893) - died infant
- Moroni Forest Richey (1893-1932) - US Army Veteran of World War I - m. Mary Eliza Mae Nielsen
- Hugh Richey (1896-1979) - m. Nellie Magnolia Nielsen
- John Montgomery Richey (1897-1897) - died - infant
- Emily Elizabeth Richey (1900-1952) - m. Biness Harvey Stradling
- Leigh Montrose Richey (1902-1989) - Twin, m. Rhoda Luella Knudsen - granddaughter of Hyrum Chapman, Rhoda and Leigh are 2nd cousins
- Josephine Richey (1902-1984) - Twin, m. 1) Golden Farr (a cousin of GW Romney, Governor of Michigan), m. 2) John Crandell
- Vivian Richey (1905-2000) - m. Clarence Rencher
- Leslie Jay Richey (1908-1979) - m. Mable James
- Daisy Richey (1915-2001) - m. Ivan Merriman Lewis
Children
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Mary Ann Chapman (1872-1973) | 22 April 1872 Chapman Silver Creek Ranch, Parleys Park, Summit County, Utah, United States | 3 July 1973 Show Low, Navajo County, Arizona, United States | James Moroni Richey (1848-1930) |
| Elizabeth Amelia Chapman (1874-1962) | 28 February 1874 South Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | 6 November 1962 Show Low, Navajo County, Arizona, United States | Charles Douglas (1854-1919) Lee Henderson |
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Welcome Chapman (1877-1877) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Welcome Davis Chapman (1889-1976) | |||
| Sylvia Jane Chapman (1891-1901) | |||
| John Davis Chapman (1893-1988) | |||
| Ray Davis Chapman (1894-1895) | |||
| Ida Ann Chapman (1897-1990) | |||
| Orson Davis Chapman (1900-1900) | |||
Residences
Vital Records
1900 US Census
Take 2-Jun-1900, Apache Co, Arizona
- James M Richey (M-52) - Parents born in Alabama / Ocp: Farmer
- Mary A Richey (F-28) - Parents born in Utah
- Lucinda Richey (F-10)
- JH Forest Richey (M-6)
- Hugh Richey (M-4)
References
- Welcome Chapman Family Ancestry
- Mary Ann Chapman Richey, An Arizona Pioneer, Her History and Her Family - compiled by Alvin C. Rencher, 2009. Collection of family history and her personal diaries.
- Ancestors Page
- Gravesite Photo
References