Each month, Rich Family Member, Robert Greene, shares insight into a Rich Family Notable
A Rich History in Antarctica
Charles Clayton Rich II, a Harvard graduate and teaching fellow, pursued his doctoral studies at Victoria University in New Zealand before earning his PhD from Harvard in 1958. During this time, he participated in a scientific expedition to Antarctica, where his team experienced favorable weather and explored the Darwin Glacier region. They named several features in the area, including Mount Rich on the Brown Hills, marking one of the first explorations of that region.
Resource: Kinfolk March 1970, pages 4-6.
A Rich Sunday Painter
Beverlee Ahlin was a wonderful watercolor painter and a licensed pilot who discovered her passion for painting after turning forty. She often called herself a “Sunday painter,” enjoying her creative time on weekends. Beverlee studied at Boston University and George Washington University, and she loved traveling to find inspiration for her art. Interestingly, she was also a descendant of the Richard Rich lineage! She was excited about the possibility of being recognized in the Danish Modern movement because of her unique paintings
Resource: Kinfolk Spring 1982, pages 3-4
The Rich Courier
We have a cousin named Paul H. Rich Jr., a B-17 bomber pilot of “The Courier.” He was shot down and killed on November 22, 1944, during a mission over Erfurt, Germany. Paul served in the 398th Bomber Group, which documented their experiences in a book and contributed to the movie “Memphis Belle.”
Resource: Kinfolk Fall/Winter 1990, pg. 5-6
A Rich Solicitor General of the King’s Court
Richard Rich studied law at the Middle Temple and became the Autumnal Reader appointed by King Henry VIII. He gained wealth and honors, eventually becoming Attorney General of Wales and then Solicitor General of the King’s Court. Rich also visited the imprisoned Thomas More in the Tower of London, trying to convince him of the king’s spiritual leadership.
Resource: Kinfolk Summer 1991, pg. 8-10
A Rich to Remember
On July 8, 1889, a historic bare-knuckle fight, considered one of the greatest of all time, took place. Promoted by Charles Wesley Rich, a wealthy Mississippi landowner, the match featured Jake Kilrain versus John L. Sullivan, the “Boston Strong Boy.” Starting at 9:55 AM in sweltering 106-degree heat, the fight lasted 75 rounds, with Sullivan winning. Over 3,000 spectators attended the event, which marked the end of bare-knuckle fighting as gloves became mandatory due to the brutality of the sport.
Resource: Kinfolk Spring 1990, page 13.