RICHARDS, Maria Tolman, author, born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, 8 October, 1821. Her maiden name was Tolman. After graduation at the Female seminary in Townsend, Massachusetts, she married, in 1842, the Reverend Samuel Richards, who held pastorates in Edgartown, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island For seven years they conducted in the latter city a school for girls, which was closed, owing to the impaired health of Mr. Richards. His death occurred in 1883. Mrs. Richards has been identified with various departments of philanthropic and missionary work, having served as president of the Rhode Island branch of the Woman's Baptist home mission society and of the Rhode Island branch of the Woman's national Indian aid association, and as a trustee of Hartshorn's memorial college, Richmond, Virginia She has given courses of lectures on English and biblical literature in several cities, and is the author of '" Life in Judea, or Glimpses of the First Christian Age " (Philadelphia, 1854), and " Life in Israel" (New York, 1857).