Orson Oriel Richins grew up in Henefer, Summit County, Utah, which had been re-settled by his father, Charles Richins. He married Rachel Hennefer on May 25, 1881 and then married Caroline Fawcett six months later. After his second marriage, he was indicted for polygamy and was forced to hide out from federal marshals. He eventually moved his families to Arizona, New Mexico and finally Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico, where they spent the next 20 years. The Mexican revolution disrupted their lives again and the Richins were forced to move back to the U.S. Orson homesteaded some land just north of the Mexican border (20 miles south of Hachita, New Mexico) before moving on to Virden, New Mexico where he lived out his life.