Farmhouses of Richfield is a series of geocaches intended to highlight several old farmhouses still standing in Richfield. These farmhouses were all built between 1852 and 1918 by settlers who migrated to MN because land was affordable and fertile. Please take time to look at these impressive houses that have stood for over a century.
Asa Keith was an early Richfield settler. He built his home in 1854. He was a member of the Lower House in the last Territorial Legislature in the winter of 1856-57. At the first Richfield Town Meeting on May 11, 1858, he was town moderator. He also became the first overseer of roads for Richfield and helped set up road districts. In 1876, he sold his land to H. K. Wilcox, and moved to Wisconsin and finally to Clinton, Iowa.
Hiram Kendrick Wilcox was born in New York on December 14, 1828. He was brought up on a farm and as a young man engaged in farm work during the summer and taught school in the winter. In 1850, he married Sarah Vandenburgh of New York. He served with the Seventh Regiment of New York State Volunteers in the Civil War. Soon after the battle of Antietam in 1862, however, he was forced to return home because of his wounds. Although his doctors gave up all hope of his recovery, a change of surroundings and diet, together with home care, restored him to health. He went into partnership and built one of the largest buildings in the village of Grenwich, New York. He remained there until April 1875, when he moved with his family to Minnesota.
Mr. Wilcox bought the 120-acre farm of Asa Keith. He was a Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk of Richfield. He was also an honored member and deacon of the Baptist Church, and for nearly 15 years was a member of the church choir. Mr. Wilcox lived in this house until the time of his death in 1891. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.
The Wilcox children remained in Richfield. The oldest son lived on the homestead and carried on a butter dairy, and had three daughters. The younger son, Herbert M., had four sons and one daughter. He taught in the schools of Hennepin County, and in 1892 he became Assistant County Superintendent of Schools. The daughter of Hiram Wilcox was also a teacher, and resided with her mother on the homestead for many years.
Ralph Millner later purchased this land and attempted to plant potatoes and farm. This endeavor was not successful, however, he had the land plotted and sold it for lots and moved east. In the 1940s this area was known as Millner's Addition