Honda Accordâ'econobox', drive-in-public car
Toyota CamryâAccord's replacement
ShadowâMidnight blue vintage BMW 503 cabriolet, Yale graduation present
The Crows Nestâ
Francine's restaurant, hosted Christine's hot sauce exhibition
Le Chat Noirâ
Francine's bondage club
ElizabethâCity in New Jersey, where Julian the corset maker is located
Civitano'sâRestaurant in "Little Italy", site of "meet and greet" between Sheila and Manhattan's dance and theater people
The Other Shoeâ
Sean's yacht (when Sean met Sheila, he tied her up and left her standing on just one of her high heeled shoes)
Important Media/misc
Sean HannityâRadio/TV show host
NH State Senator Morgan RobertsonâPolitician/half-way house
Marc BrunnerâSylvania
Ann CoulterâWriter, guest on Hannity Show
Siemens
Georg KarlâVice President of American Operation
Robert SwensonâDirector of International Relations -- USA Branch
Amish
Mother LappâResidence cook and unofficial head of all things Amish
Miriam LappâNiece/indoor staff
Sarah BeilerâNiece/indoor staff
A Short History of the Richards Family and their Estate
The Richards estate was founded circa 1677 by Thomas Aquinas O'Brien and son-in-law William Richards. Thomas O'Brien was a staunch Catholic who disliked the influence of the Dutch Reformed church in New York City and environs. Hearing that there were land grants available in New Jersey, he took his son-in-law William into the northern part of New Jersey in search of a homestead. He found one by a small lake in what is now Morris county and spent the bulk of the following year securing clear title.
During the next few years, the two built a temporary house, cleared the level area of the homestead, built a boathouse and dug the foundation for the main house. Thomas oversaw setting of the house's cornerstone, but suffered a fatal stroke during the following winter. Due to the death and various business reasons, the main house remained unbuilt for over fifty years. By that time, the property was a prosperous farm, and Richards Trading Company was a significant name in local business.
About 1740, Marian Sparks-Richards expressed a desire for a country house to raise children. Since the family owned a suitable piece of land, her husband, Henry Richards, undertook construction of a manor house, using Thomas O'Brien's original foundation. Construction was complete in 1742. Marion and Henry took up residence, along with their extended household. Henry retained the town house and continued the Richard's merchantile tradition in Randolph and other nearby communities. He changed the name from Richards Trading Company to Richards and Sons on the birth of his first son (and fifth child) William Thomas Richards III.
Both the family and company prospered in the coming years. Henry Richards had business and social contact with notables such as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and John Witherspoon, who signed the Declaration of Independence for New Jersey. Witherspoon was instrumental in gaining William an officer's commission in the Continental Army under Charles Lee. Recently discovered correspondence shows that this relationship with became close. In addition to his duties as an officer, William was active behind the lines. Richards and Sons and the Richards estate were significant conduits of supplies for the Army's winter quarters at Morristown. Colonel Richards was killed in an ambush in 1779.
After the war, family matters shifted. Henry continued to run the business until he died at his desk at age 84. At the estate, things had developed separately. William left behind two sons and three daughters. In 1794 work began to expand the house, including a new floor to house the servants. Work was completed in 1795. Additional work was done in 1849, celebrated by a lavish ball heralding many similar balls to introduce the family's young ladies to society. The Richards' ballroom was a hub of local society up to the coming of the Model T car.
The 20th century was unkind to the estate. With automobile transport available, live in servants fell out of style. The number of family in residence dwindled. Though the house had been electrified in 1922, nothing else was modernized. By 1955 there was only onecouple in residence, and they were jet setters. In 1963 they commissioned a new wing to raise their children. On its completion, the family essentially abandoned the rest of the house. Both sons moved away on completion of their college education. In 1972, Gregory Sparks took his wife Emilia's family name so that there would be another generation of Richards on the estate.
That marriage proved rocky. Though it produced three children, the couple often quarreled and separated after ten years. Their middle child, Sean, took up the family name with pride. As a child, he expressed interest in the family business, still called Richards and Son. By his early twenties, it was apparent that no other family members wanted the responsibility of running the business, which had grown into a polyglotâimport/export, food service, estate sales/auctioneering, consulting, rentals, personnel services, etc. Sean became the de facto President while still serving a four year Army enlistment. On graduation from Brown's business school with an MBA, he became the President and Chairman of the board.
Sean reorganized the various sub-firms into formal divisions and created Richards Enterprises as an umbrella holding company. The divisions were Import/Export, Events Management, Consulting, Marketing and Promotions, Staffing, Property Management, and Holdings. Within ten years, billings had doubled, profits had tripled and Sean was featured in a Forbes cover story. At approximately that time Sean met and married Sheila Schwartz who would head a new divisionâDigital Arts. The two also formed [K]&[T] Properties, a real estate firm specializing in depressed property reclamations. Their oldest child Cindy was the star of the 20xx Olympics, winning a record five Gymnastics Gold MedalsâTeam, Individual All-around, Vault, Floor Exercise, Beam.
