Matthias Richards

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Matthias Richards (February 26, 1758-August 4, 1830) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Matthias Richards (brother of John Richards) was born near Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He completed preparatory studies under private tutoring and served during the Revolutionary War as a private in Col. Daniel Udree’s second battalion, Berks County Militia, from August 5, 1777, until January 5, 1778. He was a major of the Fourth Battalion, Philadelphia County Militia, in 1780. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1788 and held this office for forty years. He served as judge of Berks County Courts in Pennsylvania from 1791 to 1797, and inspector of customs in 1801 and 1802.

Richards was elected as a Republican to the Tenth and Eleventh Congresses. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1810. He was appointed collector of revenue for the ninth district of Pennsylvania in 1813, and clerk of the orphans’ court for Berks County in 1823. He was appointed associate judge of Berks County Courts by Governor Shulze. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Reading, Pennsylvania, until his death in that city on August 4, 1830. Interment in the Charles Evans Cemetery.

[edit] Sources

• Matthias Richards at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Preceded by Isaac Anderson and John Whitehill

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district 1807-1811 1807-1809 alongside: John Hiester and Robert Jenkins 1809-1811 alongside: Daniel Hiester and Robert Jenkins

Succeeded by Roger Davis John M. Hyneman and Joseph Lefever