Town 3 north, range 15 east, was at first included in larger Elkhorn township.
It was set off on January 12, 1841 as the town of Richmond.
Among the first comers of the town were Thomas and T. Perry JAMES and Robert SHERMAN from
Richmond, Washington county, Rhode Island.
There was an incipient village, with post office, at the southwest
corner of Whitewater, where a town line meets a county line road.
It was named Utter's Corner and its church is on the Richmond side of the
two highways. There is a church, a well-kept cemetery, store, and
a post office named Richmond at a meeting of the roads in section 17.
Other early surnames include: HAWES, CHILDS, JAMES, STEWART, COMPTON,
HAMILTON, WILCOX, TEETSHORN, CAMPBELL, HUMPHREY, KEECH, NEWBURY, PRENTICE,
WHITING, ABLEMAN, ALMY ARNOLD, ARVEDSON, and BALFOUR.
Of special note to this township:
The Nova Scotian settlers in the northwester quarter of the county.
They were all of New England origin and all born in or near Cornwallis.
Their family names were: BIGELOW, ELLS, LOOMER, NEWCOMB, RAND and WEAVER.
A Methodist society was formed at Utter's Corner in 1852. Another society
was formed at Richmond centre about 1854.
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Copyright August 1999, Walworth County Genealogical Society,
Inc.
