Henry Melchior Muhlenberg Richards moved to Reading, Pennsylvania, with his parents as a small child and graduated from its high school in 1864.

His father was a prominent local minister and his grandfather Matthias Richards was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and a judge, who had served as an officer during the American Revolutionary War.

[13][14][15] In 1910, Richards received the honorary degree of Literary Doctor from Muhlenberg College in recognition of his published works and historic subjects.

Richards was appointed the Director of Pennsylvania's Council of National Defense and authorized to join the Four Minute Men during World War 1[16][17][15] and later city treasurer of Lebanon, in which he served from 1918 to 1920.

After graduating from the United States Naval Academy, he received his diploma with honors from the hands of Ulysses S. Grant and was attached to the USS Juniata (1862).

During the Spanish–American War Richards served as director of naval service for the Lebanon County branch of the Pennsylvania Council of National Defense and Committee of Public Safety.