William Rich was born in Quebec on January 27, 1844. He came with his parents to a farm in Minnesota. As soon as he was eighteen he enlisted in the Union Army for the Civil War. Because of the trouble with the Indians in Minnesota and North Dakota, he was kept in the area.
In the early 1890's he and his wife, the former Elsie Hayden, came to the Dakota Territory to farm. They settled near Melville.
Later they moved to Carrington.
The couple had two children: Guy and Minerva (Mrs. Jack Buchanan).
Mr. Rich died in May of 1925. He is buried at Jamestown.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 37B