O. Mark and Gertrude Richards Papers, 1909-1996, n.d.
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Administrative/Biographical History
Oliver Mark Richards was born on 29 March 1888 to Nelson Mark and Ida Burrows Richards Jr. in Cortland, Ohio. Nelson Richards owned and operated the Richards Milling Company in Cortland. O. Mark Richards enrolled at Oberlin, eventually graduating from Oberlin College with his A.B. degree in 1910. During Richards' senior year at Oberlin College, a fire destroyed the Richards milling company; thus, following his graduation, Richards returned to Cortland to help his father rebuild a plant for the milling of flour. A lifelong career at Richards Milling Company followed, and Oliver Mark Richards eventually became its President in 1938.
Richards spent his first thirty-five years in Cortland. In addition to working there, he served his community in many important ways: Mayor of Cortland (1913-15), President of the Cortland School Board, the Warren Rotary Club (1932-33), and the Board of Public Welfare (1939-46). Richards also served as a member of the National Council of the YMCA (1936-46), the World War II Draft Board (1940-47), and the Trumbull County Boy Scout Council. Active church involvement led to directing a Methodist church choir and serving as Sunday school teacher. But, his life of service did not end here. In 1946, Richards moved to Warren, Ohio. Here he served as President of the City Hospital Board (1942-57), of the Warren YMCA Board (1940-57), and of the county Library Board (1952-57). While Richards never returned to Oberlin in any formal capacity after 1910, a document in his Alumni records provides a clue about his goals in life: "Oberlin gives one an impulse for service which stays by."
During his Oberlin days, Richards met Gertrude Emily Hocking (b. 16 September 1886), who graduated from Oberlin's Kindergarten Training School in 1910. On 16 August 1913, the couple married, and this union produced five future Oberlin graduates: Walter H. Richards, OC '37, Richard Richards, OC '38, Nelson F. Richards, OC '40, Barbara G. (Richards) Fishel, OC '41, and J. Ruth (Richards) Cole, OC '45. Several more generations of Oberlin graduates, including Walter Bruce Richards, OC '61, Professor of Physics, and now Associate Dean at Oberlin College, were born to these families. While Gertrude taught Kindergarten in Florence, Wisconsin, and Gary, Indiana before her marriage, she also led a very active leadership life in her community after her nuptials. Gertrude served as the first President and as Treasurer of the Cortland PTA, President and co-founder of the Cortland Junior Literary Club, President of the Youngstown District Women's Society of Christian Service, the Delphian Study Club, the Trumbull County Women's Clubs, the Board of the Rebecca Williams Community House, and the Warren Fortnightly Study Club.
During more than 77 years of marriage, O. Mark and Gertrude Richards traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, South America, and South Africa. In 1957 the couple retired to Clearwater, Florida, but in 1978 relocated to Boulder, Colorado to be closer to family. After long and full lives, O. Mark Richards died at the age of 103 in 1991, and Gertrude passed away at 106 in 1993.
In March 1986, the O. Mark and Gertrude Richards Scholarship was established through contributions from members of the Richards family. The scholarship is awarded to a Junior or Senior at Oberlin College who shows promise of contributing significantly to the well being of society.
Sources Consulted
Alumni Records for O. Mark Richards (RG 28); Admissions Records for O. Mark Richards and Gertrude Emily Hocking, Admissions Office, Oberlin College (RG 25); and Bruce Richards, Associate Dean, Oberlin College.
Author: Julie A. Petersen Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
The papers of O. Mark and Gertrude Hocking Richards (OMR and GHR) constitute family documents preserved over several generations. Files mainly consist of correspondence, diaries (of Gertrude Richards), genealogical records, newspaper clippings, unpublished family reminiscences and poems, publications, and photographs. A genealogical survey, tracing the family back to 1585, stands out as an accomplishment and illustrates how a family traces its history. The collection provides a generational study of the family as a network. The photographs document college life at the turn of the century.
The collection is comprised of eight series: 1. Correspondence; 2. Diaries; 3. Family Recollections (unpublished); 4. Genealogical Records; 5. Newspaper Clippings; 6. Photographs; 7. Publications; 8. Writings; and 9. Diplomas.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence, 1910-1920s, 1956-1983 (19 folders)
Consists of ten folders of letters written by Oliver Mark Richards to Gertrude Hocking Richards and vice versa (1910-1925), one folder of wedding announcements for OMR and GHR including a letter from Edward I. Bosworth confirming his willingness to perform the ceremony (1913), five folders of letters from OMR & GHR to their children (1956-1983), nine letters written by Nelson Mark Richards (father of OMR) to OMR/GHR and grandchildren (1920s), four letters from Mrs. Hocking (Mother of GHR) and Ernest Hocking (brother of GHR) to OMR/GHR (1913?), and 2 letters from Jay Nash and Laurie Sharp (friends) to OMR/GHR (1913?). Arranged chronologically within each folder.
Series 2. Diaries, 1948, 1949, 1951 (3 folders)
The diaries written by Gertrude Richards document trips to South America (1948), Europe (1949), and South Africa (1951). Accompanying each diary are letters written by OMR/GHR to family members in the United States.
Series 3. Family Recollections (unpublished), 1979, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1993, n.d (1 folder)
The family recollections consist of typed script obituaries of O. Mark (by Rev. Robert Toll, 1991), and Gertrude Richards (by Walter H. Richards, 1993). Typed script reminiscences by members of the Richards families document the lives of Julia Pratt Hocking (GHR’s mother), and O. Mark and Gertrude Richards.
Series 4. Genealogical Records, 1996 (1 folder)
The genealogical records contain a complete genealogy of the Oliver Mark Richards and Gertrude Emily Hocking families, tracing lineage back to 1585. The records include a Descendancy Chart, Pedigree Chart, and, The Family Group Record documentation.
Series 5. Newspaper Clippings, 1932, 1949, 1983, 1985-86, 1991 (1 folder)
These newspaper articles report on wedding anniversaries and obituaries of O. Mark and Gertrude Richards, and of the wedding anniversary of O. Mark Richards’ parents (50th Anniversary, 1932). One article features a 1949 letter by O. Mark Richards concerning the conditions in post World War II Europe that he witnessed while on vacation there.
Series 6. Photographs, 1909-11, n.d. (2 folders)
This series consists of a photo album that covers the Oberlin years of O. Mark Richards and Gertrude Hocking (1909-1911). A single color print of the Richards’ home in Clearwater, Florida is also included (1957-1981); and photos (scanned from originals) of O. Mark and Gertrude Hocking Richards, n.d., and their wedding, 1913 [1999/076].
Series 7. Publications, 1988, 1993, n.d. (1 folder)
Contains the memoirs of Oliver Mark Richards (1988) and Gertrude Emily Hocking Richards (1993), and a history of St. Austell Parish Church in England (n.d.).
Series 8. Writings, 1983 (1 folder)
Original handwritten Christmas poems (with typescript copies) written by Gertrude Richards in December 1983 as gifts to her family.
Series 9. Diplomas, 1910 (Oversize)
Includes Oliver Mark Richard's diploma from Oberlin College in 1910 and Gertrude Emily Hocking's diploma from the Oberlin Kindergarten Training School in 1910.
INVENTORY
Series 1. Correspondence
Box 1
OMR to GHR , 1910-1925 (7f)
GHR to OMR, 1911-1913 (3f)
Wedding Announcement, 1913
OMR & GHR to their children, 1956‑1983 (5f)
NMR [OMR’s father] to OMR/GHR and
grandchildren, 1920s (8 letters)
Box 2
Mrs. Hocking and Wm. Ernest Hocking to the
Richards, 1913? (4 letters)
Jay Nash and Laurie Sharp to the Richards,
1913? (2 letters)
Series 2. Diaries (includes related correspondence)
Box 2 (cont.)
GHR, Trip to South America, 1948
GHR, Trip to Europe, 1949
GHR, Trip to South Africa, 1951
Series 3. Family Recollections (unpublished)
Box 2 (cont.)
Folder Contents: (All typed-script and arranged in date order)
OMR remembrances, December, 1979
“Reminiscence” of Julia Pratt Hocking (GHR’s
mother) by her daughter, Grace Hocking
Runyon, July 28, 1981 (typed by Walter
H. Richards, April 8, 1993)
GHR Family tributes at 95 (humorous and
otherwise), [1982]
Reminiscences by G. Richard Morgan,OC ’41, in a
letter to his uncle and aunt (OMR/GHR),
September 8, 1986
Brief biographical sketch of Ernest Runyon, in
Runyon’s letter to his uncle and aunt
(OMR/GHR), September 11, 1986
OMR Obituary, including funeral sermon, by Rev.
Robert Toll, July 16, 1991
“My Grandfather [OMR],” by Melinda Cole Heim,
August, 1991
GHR Obituary, by Walter H. Richards,
April 23, 1993
“My Dear Grandmother [GHR],” by Melinda Cole
Heim, April, 1993
“Mother Hocking”, GHR remembrances of her
mother, n.d.
Series 4. Geneological Records
Box 2 (cont.)
Folder Contents:
Descendants of GHR and OMR, May 1996
Pedigree Chart, May 1996
Family Group Records, 1585 through lives of
OMR/GHR, May 1996
Series 5. Newspaper Clippings
Box 2 (cont.)
Folder Contents:
Camera (Boulder, CO), anniversary of
OMR/GHR, 2/10/85
The Recorder (Lyons,CO), GHR’s 100th
birthday, 10/2/86
Tribune-Chronicle (Warren,OH) April, 50th
Anniversary of OMR’s parents, April 1932
Tribune‑Chronicle (Warren, OH), OMR in
Europe, October, 1949
Tribune‑Chronicle (Warren, OH), Open house for
OMR/GHR, 1957
Tribune-Chronicle (Warren, OH), 70th anniversary
of OMR/GHR, 9/10/83
Tribune-Chronicle (Warren, OH), Obituary of
OMR, 7/13/91
Series 6. Photographs
Box 2 (cont.)
Album of Oberlin days, 1909‑1911, single print of
their Clearwater home (1957‑1981)
O. Mark and Gertrude Hocking Richards (head and
shoulders), and wedding, 1913, n.d. [1999/076]
Series 7. Publications
Box 2 (cont.)
Folder Contents:
Story of St. Austell Parish Church [Cornwall]
[Hocking family church]
“Memoirs of GHR,” 1886‑1993
“Memoirs of OMR,” 1888‑[1991]
Series 8. Writings
Box 2 (cont.)
Christmas poems written by GHR, 1983
Series 9. Diplomas
Box 3 (Oversize)
Oberlin College Diploma of Oliver Mark
Richards, 1910
Oberlin Kindergarten Training School Diploma
of Gertrude Emily Hocking, 1910
* OMR=O. Mark Richards; GHR=Gertrude H. Richards; NMR=Nelson M. Richards II, the father of OMR.