J. De Forest Richards

In 1894, Richards enrolled at the University of Michigan. While at Michigan, he played college football. He was a halfback for the 1894 Michigan Wolverines football team and a quarterback for the 1895, 1896 and 1897 teams.^[2][3][4][5]

He completed his education at Michigan in 1898 and returned to Wyoming where he became an assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Douglas in Douglas, Wyoming. In 1898, his father was elected Governor of Wyoming and served in that office until his death in April 1903. Richards was elected vice president of the First National Bank of Douglas. In January 1901. He also served as the treasurer of the Richards-Coombs Co., which operated a sheep ranch south of Douglas, and treasurer of the Chambers Live Stock Co., which operated a ranch on the Cheyenne River in Weston County, Wyoming.^[1]

In 1909, Richards moved from Douglas, Wyoming, to Omaha, Nebraska, where he continued to work in the banking business. In 1918, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he became involved in the manufacture of gas engines.^[6]

In 1925, Richards joined the National Boulevard Bank in Chicago. He became president of the bank in 1931 and was "credited with increasing its resources and services."^[6]

In September 1949, Richards died in Chicago after a short illness . He was survived by his wife, Gertrude Richards, and was buried at the Rosehill Cemetery.^[6]