52 Cousins~Richard Malachi Rivers

Richard Malachi Rivers, born 15 February 1966, was the youngest of 12 children borne to Frederick W. Rivers and Cynthia Matilda Knight.  

His parents, Frederick and Cynthia, with their first 5 children had migrated from Chesterfield County, SC about 1855 and settled in Jefferson County, Alabama

There on 16 January 1889, Richard Malachi Rivers married Sarah Lou Wilson, born 28 April 1874.

Richard and Sarah also had a large family of 10 children; 5 sons and 5 daughters.  

Richard Malachi Rivers, before his death, sat down with a reporter for the Newspaper “The Albamian” and told this story of his life. 

Life of Richard Malachi Rivers in His Own Words

I was born in Jefferson County near Warrior, Alabama, February 15, 1866. My father and mother came from South Carolina in 1852.

My father taken up 820 acres of land near Birmingham, old Hawkins field where the fairground is now and swapped it for land (near) Robins Cross Road in 1856 and exchanged it for land near Warrior in 1858 and exchanged that land for land near Houston in 1872.

I grew up a rural boy on a farm one-mile south of Houston to the age of 18 as I was the younger of 12 children, 8 boys and 4 girls.

My father willed me the estate, 320 acres of land and some personal property.

When I got 19 at this age I promptly gave it all back to my father and mother and went away for about six months.

My sisters written me to come home which I did, and stayed with my parents. I bought an improvement for $80.00 and Homesteaded 160 acres of land, which cost me less than $100, and proceeded to hire a small yoke of {oxen) steers for $5 and make a crop.

The parents got me to teach a literary school at Pleasant Hill two months for $12.50 per month and board. Before this school was out they ask me to teach three next public school which I agreed to do, and I taught school at that place for six years.

In 1892 I moved to Houston, bought M. C. Curtis stock of goods, taken over Post Office at Houston and served 12 years as Postmaster. During that time I taught school at Houston four years and made the race for Legislative on the Republican ticket and was elected.

I served in 1898, during that and after time I served two terms as a member of the educated Board of Winston County. In 1904 I resigned as Postmaster and went back to farming and mail contracting.

In 1926 I made another race for the Legislature and was elected and served from that date till 1930.

My father was born May 14, 1817. Died January 7, 1890.

My mother was born October 3, 1824. Died September 27, 1902.

I have 10 children, 5 boys and 5 girls, and this date 37 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

R. M. Rivers, born February 15, 1866. Died March 30, 1944.

Lou Rivers, wife of R. M. Rivers, born April 28, 1874. Died September 10, 1950.

Obituary:

Last Rites Held For Richard M. Rivers

Richard M. Rivers, 79, of Houston died at his residence March 30, at 8 a. m. after an illness of one week. Funeral services were held at Pleasant Hill church with Rev. Charles Williams officiating. Interment was in the adjoining Cemetery with Nichols directing. Surviving is the widow, Mrs. Sarah L. Rivers, Houston; five sons, Tom and Jack of Birmingham; Porter of Sylacauga; Fred of Miami, Fla.; Malcolm, of Texas; five daughters, Mrs. Curtis of Birmingham; Mrs. Glenn, Jasper; Mrs. Jones, Hanceville; Mrs. Dodd, Nauvoo; and Mrs. Smith of Ardell, Ala.

[The Advertiser-Journal,  Haleyville, Alabama, Thursday, April 06, 1944, Page 1, Column 7]

Biography:

RIVERS, RICHARD MALACHI, Merchant, was born February 15, 1866 at Warrior, Jefferson County, son of Frederick W. and Synthia [Knight] Rivers, the former who lived at Warrior until 1872, when he moved to Winston. He attended the country schools until he was twenty-one years of age, then spent a short time at Houston seminary. He taught in the country schools, together with merchandising, 1888-1890; was elected justice of the peace in 1888, and held that position through three terms, serving until 1900; and represented Winston County in the State legislature in 1901. He is a Republican and a Methodist. Married: January 16, 1889, at Houston, to Sarah Louisa Wilson. Residence: Double Springs.

SOURCE: Data on this family taken from details provided to Leon Madison Rivers. Family names, birth dates and Marriage dates. Richard Malachi RIVERS, md 16 Jan. 1889 to Sarah Louise WILSON, Children are M. L.; Bertha P.; Porter; Agnes; Alice; Parnell; Fred; Tom and Jim RIVERS. Extracted from the files of Leon Madison Rivers <Leon M. Rivers Genealogical Collection, reviewed 14 June 2005>.

Richard Malachi Rivers is my 1st Cousin 4X Removed.

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1.Article on R. M. Rivers shared by Betty Lee Johnson.