Louis and Florence Richard

Hidden Lake Ranch 1922 – 1941 

Louis M. Richard filed for a 320 acre homestead on west side of Lake Hodges (Hidden Lake Ranch), on land opened up by the U.S. Department of Interior for homestead claims.  It is not known why Richard had been drawn to what was land declared to be used only for dry farming and for small amounts of irrigated land. As a career geologist, it was surprising that he would file for a homestead that specifically restricted mining.  

The Colorado Springs, Weekly Gazette announced the marriage of Florence Kennedy to Louis Marquette Richard(s) on July 28, 1906 in a Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs.  Richard was born November 1, 1882 in Missouri and at an age to begin a career. Although the young couple had planned to live in Colorado Springs, Louis accepted a position the same year as "Professor of Mining Engineering at the North Georgia Agricultural College at Dahlonega."  A year later he became head of the Department. 

The teaching position did not last long.  In the 1910 U.S. Census, taken on April 21st, Louis gave his employment as a mining engineer for a mica mining company in Georgia.  While living in Georgia, Florence gave birth to their only child, "Louis M. Richard, Jr." most often called "Marquette” on October 3, 1907.

Over the next decade, Louis received credits for mineral exploration in several states, and publications relative to his findings. In several accounts he was referred to as a consultant from Colorado Springs. By 1917, he and his family settled in the Los Angeles area where Louis was employed as a consulting mining geologist.  

Although Richard filed a homestead claim in 1922 for farm land above the western side of Lake Hodges, he and Florence maintained an address each year in the area of Santa Monica until 1928, then other locations in Los Angeles after that. In 1928, a mining news bulletin announced that: 

Louis M. Richard, ceramic geologist, formerly geologist for the Laclede Christy Clay Products Company of St. Louis, Missouri, and recently chief of the research division on raw materials for Gladding McBean and Company of the Pacific Coast, has been engaged in a survey of the clay resources near Gallup, New Mexico, for A. A.Vancleave of the Mitchell Clay Products Company of St. Louis, Missouri.

With various corporate mergers of clay product manufacturing, Richard remained deeply involved as a geologist in the clay finding profession.   Louis continued his work as a geologist throughout the next three decades. During World War II, he opens a business in Owensville, Missouri and was engaged in mining for clay.  His son Marquette is his business partner with his father. In 1945, Louis was appointed to a U.S. government position to officially travel to Mexico to investigate various clay deposits.  At the time he was considered the "dean of clay geologists" among his professional colleagues.

A new investment, New Mexico 

In the early 1930's Louis was a partner in the founding of La Luz Clay Products Company, and employed as a superintendent of the operation. Richards' oversight of work included the manufacturing of clay products for building material and tile. The company closed down a short three years later despite the production of beautiful tile and pottery work.  The owners and partners made other plans for their investment.

Several newspaper accounts and phone directories indicate that Louis remained active at his Del Dios ranch after the closure of the La Luz plant.  In 1941, then divorced, he and Florence sell the ranch to Clara Huntington. To date, records have not shown how the Richard's and Huntington had connected.  He remarried in New Mexico in November, 1940, however he filed for divorce when living in Owensville, Missouri claiming his wife had abandoned him.  

In the 1940's Louis opens the Louis M. Clay Production Company with son L.M. Jr. in Owensville. He is credited for helping the War effort in the mid-1940's by discovering clay with explosive elements.  In 1945, he is placed on a National commission for the United states in working with Mexico and is given national acclaim as Clay geologist expert. In 1944, Richard is married for the third time in Arkansas.  No other research has been undertaken on Richard after 1945 except that he is listed in a Los Angeles phone directory in 1962 in residence with his son, L.M. Jr. He lived into old age and passed away in Los Angeles, April 22, 1971 at 89.

Florence (Flossie) Isabelle Kennedy Richard

Florence was born in Iowa in 1887, however grew up in Colorado.  Florence Isabelle Kennedy, Belle, and daughter, Florence, Flossie appears in the 1900 U.S. Census where Flossie's father, Donald Kennedy is employed as  Vice President of the Colorado Gas and Electric Company. He is widowed in 1918 and remains so until his passing in 1954. His relationship with daughter is not documented.  However, in 1928, Kennedy signed a Warranty Deed for the developed Richard homestead property, the house, ranch equipment and all real property. The purpose of this transaction is not known.  This document gave a clear idea of how much Louis had invested and developed their working ranch.

As Florence followed her husband's career through his many employment moves and geologic exploration, her life undoubtedly was filled with many uncertainties.  In spite of the hardship of having moved to various cities, Florence had an active social life noteworthy of newspaper society pages. When Florence made an overnight trip to Chula Vista in 1939 to visit Alfreda Rook, a friend from Coronado, the Richards' ranch was referred to as "Rancho de Lago," a way in which a reader assumed that Florence and their ranch was well known.

While the Richards owned Hidden Lake ranch for nearly twenty years, Louis' profession kept him on the road and often away from home. Moving from the mid-west and living in various cities must have put stress on their marriage Florence is listed in the 1940 census twice -  once in Los Angeles living with Louis, Jr., and then in Del Dios. Marriage status is "divorced." In 1945, Florence appears in the Coronado society page when both she and son, Louis travelled from Los Angeles to attend a large dinner party. Florence kept her married name and is listed in several phone directories living near Marquette.  She passed away in Los Angeles on July 15, 1968.

Louis Marquette, Jr. -- "Marquette" Richard

Louis Marquette Richard, Jr., born October 3, 1907 in Dahlonega, Georgia where his father taught mining engineering at the State College.  After Louis and Florence's marriage in 1906, the US Census of 1910 was consulted to find Florence living St. Louis, Missouri with her "uncle-in-law", and son, "Marquette," age 2. However, several weeks later, on April 21st, she is listed as living in Georgia with "L. M." Richard," and four year old, "Lewis." The search for two brothers ended in the conclusion that documents and records with either name referred to Louis M. Sr., and Florence's only child, and that the 1910 census had recorded in error, or census enumerator was misunderstood.

Although his father built a "substantial house" in 1922 above Lake Hodges, and added rooms later, Marquette primarily lived Los Angeles while attending Santa Monica High School where Louis, Sr. and Florence maintained a second address.  A very popular young man, Marquette was sophomore class president, and by his senior year, in 1926, he was elected Student Body President. He attended College of William and Mary, then Dartmouth from 1929 until 1932, but did not graduate. When Louis, Jr. returned to the San Diego area, he maintained a visible social life in Coronado, Rancho Santa Fe, and La Jolla.  The San Diego and Coronado newspapers list him in attendance of prominent society events.

In the mid-1930's, one summer he advertised as the operator of a summer camp for boys at Ranch. He was at the helm of the creation of the Del Mar Turf Club with former professional football star, William Quigley and national popular singing star, Bing Crosby. Early in 1937, Marquette was briefly employed in public relations at the Del Mar Turf Club.  The club had only been incorporated the year before.   

Late summer, 1937, Marquette married nineteen year old artist, Armida Gaxiola in a civil ceremony Nogales, Sonora Mexico. Marquette is listed as a miner.  It is not clear what became of the marriage. In the 1940 census he is listed as living in Los Angeles and is employed as an advertising manager. His mother Florence lives in the same household. In a 1940 alumni survey taken by Dartmouth College, Marquette is listed as owner of "Marquette Advertising" located in Hollywood.  

A few years later, while working with his father, Marquette/Louis M., Jr. is called to active duty to serve in the Naval Reserves, fall of 1943. He continues to serve in the Naval Reserve and at some point returns to live in California.  During his stay in Owensville perhaps Florence maintained his apartment on Rossmore Avenue in Hollywood. Recorded in the San Diego Union society page in 1966, visiting from Los Angeles, Marquette attends a party given by the widow of a former Dartmouth friend, Lt. Commander Loring Siegener, USNR.  At various times in his adult life one of his parents had lived with him. The alumni file at Dartmouth recorded his passing with various notes submitted by alumni friends. He passed away in Los Angeles, April 4, 1979 after suffering poor health for seven years.  He "never married" and had no children. His friends remembered him fondly as a great story teller and loyal to his fellow alumni.