CHRISTOPHER GUY RICHARDS, who throughout his entire life has followed agricultural pursuits, and is now successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising in Greene county, owning three hundred and forty acres of land in his present home farm, was born in Jersey county, Illinois, March 24, 1856. His father, Guy C. Richards, was born in Broome county, New York, November 2, 1819, and was a son of Daniel and Ruth (Tickner) Richards. He was married in 1843 to Miss Hannah Pope, the wedding being celebrated in Greene county, Illinois. His occupation was that of farming and at his marriage he began his domestic life upon a farm in this county but subsequently removed to Jersey County, where he lived on a farm two miles south of Kane, making his home there until his death, which occurred on the 29th of April, 1894.

Christopher Guy Richards gained his education in what was known as the old Kane school near his father's home in Jersey county, and there he continued his studies until he had mastered the elementary branches of learning. He afterward benefitted by a year's study in Shurtleff College, at Upper Alton, Illinois. He was reared to the occupation of farming, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist and throughout his entire life he has carried on work along this line. He is an industrious, energetic man, never faltering in the performance of any duty, and that he has prospered in his undertakings is indicated by the fact that he is today the owner of a valuable tract of land of three hundred and forty acres, to which he removed when he left Jersey county and took up his abode in Greene county. Here he is engaged in the raising of various kinds of stock and this is an important branch of his business, bringing him an excellent income. He also has his fields well tilled and annually harvests good crops.

On the 20th of December, 1881, Mr. Richards was united in marriage to Miss Hattie L. Greene, a daughter of Singleton F. and Eliza J. Greene, who are represented on another page of this work. This marriage has been blessed with two sons: Guy Singleton and Walter Louis. In his political views Mr. Richards has always been a Republican, but never an office seeker, preferring to devote his time to his family and to his farming pursuits, and in the management of his business affairs he has met with well merited success.