In a blessing pronounced upon the head of Charles Richins, September 18, 1877, by Church Patriarch John Smith, Charles was told that he was of the blood of Ephraim and because he yielded obedience to the gospel with an honest heart he was entitled to the blessings in store for the faithful.2 He was admonished to not let his faith fail “for the eye of the Lord hath been upon thee from thy birth. He hath delivered thee out from thy enemies, and many times preserved thy life.” The patriarch then told Charles that the Lord had brought him out of Babylon to partake of the blessings of eternal life and that his name would live in the memory of the saints and be handed down with his posterity from generation to generation.

Charles was then told to seek humbly to know the will of the Lord and worship Him with the promise that: (1) he would be blessed spiritually and his understanding would be opened, (2) he would feed many with both spiritual and temporal food, (3) many would seek him for counsel and rejoice in his teachings, (4) he would have power over the adversary and would be able to control himself as well as the affairs over which he had jurisdiction in a righteous manner, (5) peace, health, and prosperity would be in his household and (6) he would have much of the world's goods, in house, lands, man servants and maid servants.

This blessing, given when Charles was 48 years old, reveals the greatness of this man and tells some of the significant things that happened in the earlier part of his life, as well as those yet to transpire in the 26 years he lived after the blessing was given. The Lord kept his promise because Charles, as stated in his obituary, “was a faithful Latter-day Saint, universally loved and respected.” Charles received the spiritual blessing promised, for he was highly respected among his brethren. He was a successful missionary in England after his own conversion. He became Presiding Elder of the Sheepscomb Branch. He was Presiding Elder or Bishop of Henefer for twenty-five years. In Mexico he served in the bishopric and then was a Patriarch at the time of his death.

As promised, Charles had much of the world's goods. He owned many acres of land in Henefer, providing employment for relatives and friends. He had a fruit orchard at Pleasant Grove and then a cattle ranch in Colonia Diaz, Mexico. He owned the Big House in Henefer, which was the stopping place for distant relatives, friends and Church leaders.

In 1976 the number of Charles' posterity was estimated to be over two thousand. Thirty years later (2006) it would probably be more than double that number. As a polygamist, he had 30 children, 10 by each of his three wives. Twelve of his children died young and one (John) didn't marry, which left seventeen to build his posterity.

This history is written in hopes that the name of Charles and his faithful wives: Louisa, Esther, and Agnes, will live in the memory of their posterity from generation to generation.

Appreciation is expressed to all who assisted in preparing this history. Special thanks to Naoma Bond Ball, Maxine R. Wright, Erma S. Richins, LaPreal R. Martindale, Agnes R. Bice, Henry and Beatrice Smith, and Earl Stephens, who contributed pictures or made available histories that they had written or had in their possessions. Much of this material was gleaned from memories of people involved and may not be factual in every detail, but is correct to the best of our knowledge.