MEMORIES OF ANNA SHERMAN RICHARDS
BY ANNA COOPER HARRIS
I think I can safely say that I have known Anna Sherman Richards almost all my life.
Anna lived with my Grandma Sarah Cooper Barclay on Front Street. Grandma Sarah was the mother of my father’s sisters, Adeline Cooper King, Anna E. Cooper Phillips, Magdalene Cooper Dennis, and brother Henry Cooper. Living in the house also was my cousin James T. Phillips. JT and Anna were like brother and sister.
Two streets away from Grandma Sarah’s Front Street house on Broad Street lived Joseph G. Richards with his mother, Aunt Tilly Richards, my mother’s brother, John Azariah Howard’s widow.
These two homes were some of the “must visit homes” when I was growing up. According to the then Liberian tradition, every Sunday, and holidays, the young ones were taken to the elders’ homes to say “howdo”, to get to know their elders and for the elders to get to know the younger generation. So, we all grew up as one big family.
Anna was a history buff, whenever we met, she loved telling me the history of the Barclays, Marshalls, Padmores, and Shermans clans, and she never failed to tell me about the consanguinity between my Marshall children and her children. One of her prized possessions was a portrait of grandpa Barclay which she proudly displayed in every home she lived in.
Anna had a fervor for helping her friends with the construction, design, and planning of their homes. She loved visiting and sharing her architectural designs and ideas which were very helpful and practical. Her passion for the planning of their Tubman Boulevard home is a testament to her skills, which she took much pride in showing off the beautiful and talented results to her visitors and friends and delighted in offering them some form of food to eat.
Anna and my late sister Mary Jeannette were the best of friends. Anna who was so in love with Joe Richards, a big talkative showoff, and she a quiet, soft spoken reserved lady revealed to her best friend that she and Joe had gotten married and showed the most beautiful photographs of the bride and groom. The image was of that of sheer bliss, love, and happiness. And for 64 years Joe and Anna held fast to God’s admonition, “Those whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
I feel very fortunate and blessed to have shared this kind, reserved and gentle-heart lady with her lovely family and friends. I know she is happy and smiling to be with her darling Joe once again. So, my friend, I’ll say bye for now...
Rest in heavenly peace.