He was the oldest of ten children born to Stephen Longstroth Richards and Emma Louise Stayner.

[2] Richards began his law school career at the University of Michigan, later transferring to Chicago.

As an apostle, Richards became a member of the superintendency of the Deseret Sunday School Union under David O. McKay in 1918.

In April 1919, McKay was appointed Church Commissioner of Education and chose Richards as his first counselor.

The Christus statue that is at the visitors center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City was purchased by Richards as a gift to McKay.