Monica, See "History of La Fayette County, Wisconsin", 1881, p. 509, for the story on the ambush. The ambush was related to the Civil War. I can send you a copy of the page if you do not have access to this book. Also see my family tree at http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=bsmithiowa for some details on the RICHARDS family in question. Did the newspaper article have any other information on the RICHARDS family? Bill Smith Solon, Iowa BSmithIowa@aol.com In a message dated 8/16/2001 7:02:56 AM Central Daylight Time, WILAFAYE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > Dear List, > > While reading the Benton Advocate, I came across the following paragraph: > > "Mrs. (Mary) Richards was a former Benton citizen and at the close of the > war > was postmistrss of Benton for four years. During war times her husband, > Mark > Richards, while acting as a U.S. Marshal, was shot from ambush in this > vicinity and died a year later from the effects of the shot." > > Does anyone have any more info on this ambush? Was it related to the war > or > was it garden-variety senseless violence? So much for the idea of calm, > placid Wisconsin. > > Monica > modani@aol.com >