Franklin S. Richards
| Franklin S. Richards | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Council of Fifty of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | |
| April 10, 1880 – September 4, 1934 | |
| Called by | John Taylor |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Franklin Snyder Richards June 20, 1849 Salt Lake City, Provisional State of Deseret, United States |
| Died | September 4, 1934 (aged 85) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Resting place |
Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37″N 111°51′29″W / 40.777°N 111.858°W |
Franklin Snyder Richards (June 20, 1849 – September 4, 1934) was the general counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He was closely connected with the defense against charges of polygamy of many leading LDS Church figures.
Richards was born in Salt Lake City in 1849. He was the son of Franklin D. Richards, one of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Jane Snyder. From 1866 to 1868, Richards was a school teacher in Salt Lake City. In 1868, he married Emily S. Tanner.
In 1869, Richards moved to Ogden, Utah. He became the clerk of the probate court there and undertook the study of law. Richards passed the bar in 1874. In 1877, he went to Great Britain as a missionary for the LDS Church. He was then retained by the LDS Church in 1879 to represent its interests in the settling of Brigham Young's estate. Richards remained the general counsel for the LDS Church until his death in 1934.
In 1889, Richards sought to convince U.S. President Benjamin Harrison and James G. Blaine to appoint officers in Utah Territory who were non-vindictive towards the Mormons. Richards formed a law firm with Rufus K. Williams, who had been chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, in 1879. They served as the primary legal counsel that sought to prevent the removal of suffrage from the women of Utah Territory in 1880.
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