Doctor Thomas Richey (1853 - 1934)

Born 13 Jan 1853 in Honea Path, Anderson, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Calpurnia A (Brown) Richey — married 29 Sep 1872 in DeKalb, Alabama, United States

Husband of Mary Jane (Lackey) Richey — married 10 Jul 1879 in DeKalb, Alabama, United States

Descendants

Died 31 Oct 1934 at age 81 in Grove Oak, DeKalb, Alabama, United States

Biography

"Doc" - Doctor was his first name - was born in 1853. He passed away in 1934 at the age of 81 and is interred at Black Oak Cemetery, Grove Oak, DeKalb County, Alabama.^[1]

Early Life

In 1870, Doc was 17 years old and living with his family in DeKalb County, Alabama. His father was a farmer and Doc was a farm hand.

Name: Doctor T Richey

Age in 1870: 17

Birth Date: abt 1853

Birthplace: South Carolina

Home in 1870: Township 8 Range 7, De Kalb, Alabama

Race: White

Post Office: Lebanon

Occupation: Farm Laborer

Attended School: Yes

Cannot Read: Yes

Cannot Write: Yes

Inferred Father: Benj Richey

Inferred Mother: Mary J Richey

Household Members - Name, Age

Benj Richey 52

Mary J Richey 42

Doctor T Richey 17

Adilia A Richey 15

Enic V Richey 12

Robert E Richey 7

John W Richey 5

Mary L Richey 3

Amanda J Richey 1

baby Richey 3 mo. ^[2]

Marriage / Children

On September 28, 1872, Doc married Calpurnia A Brown in DeKalb County, Alabama.^[3] Calpurnia passed away less than six years later (June 1878) at the age of 23.

Doc then married Mary Jane Lackey on July 10, 1879 in DeKalb County.^[4]

Notes on Doctor Thomas Richey by Frank Richey

Doctor Thomas Richey was not a medical doctor, but received his unique name as a result of a family tradition of naming the male children after people that they admired. It is surmised that he was named after the medical doctor that delivered him in South Carolina. He was known by the name "D.T." or "Doc" Richey throughout his adult life. He remained on the family farm located near Groveoak, Alabama all of his life, but had to supplement his income by working in the construction business, where he specialized in building bridges. He also worked for a number of years as a Coca Cola delivery truck driver in the nearby town of Birmingham, Alabama. His first wife died shortly after giving birth to their second child, after only five years of marriage. He later married Mary Jane Lackey and had four additional children who lived to adulthood. They also suffered a large number of miscarriages (10) or children who died at an early age, all of which are buried in the Blackoak church cemetery.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/197345855/doctor-thompson-richey: accessed 12 November 2022), memorial page for Doctor Thompson Richey (13 Jan 1853–31 Oct 1934), Find a Grave Memorial ID 197345855, citing Black Oak Cemetery, Grove Oak, DeKalb County, Alabama, USA; Maintained by Don Richey (contributor 48639408) .
2. ↑ "1870 United States Federal Census, Population Schedules." US Census Bureau, 1870. Archived at National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Washington, D.C. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Online database with images published by Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Lehi, UT, USA: 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. FHL microfilm: 2339747. Retrieved 12 Nov 2022 from (paid site):
3. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DQ-ZJBP : 22 July 2021), Dock Thomas Richey and Calpurnia A Brown, 28 Sep 1872; citing DeKalb, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,367,274.
4. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DQ-ZJYB : 22 July 2021), D T Riche Or Richey and Mary Jane Lackey, 10 Jul 1879; citing DeKalb, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,367,274.
5. ↑ Personal knowledge of Frank Richey.