• Richards initially traveled to the Valley with his wife in 1848, when he served as a captain of a hundred. This initial trip is confirmed by his wife's obituary. He crossed the plains at least two more times as missionary returning from Europe, once in 1856 and again in 1868. 

Willard Richards Company (1848)

• Age at Departure: 27
• Head of Household

George D. Grant Company (1856)

• Age at Departure: 35
• Returning Missionary

Company Unknown (1868)

• Age at Departure: 46
• Returning Missionary

Sources

• "Arrivals," Deseret News [Weekly], 8 October 1856, 245.
• Brown, John, Reminiscences and journals, 1843-1896, volume 1, 109-13.
• Camp of Israel schedules and reports, 1845-1849.
• Campbell, Robert L., [Journal extracts, 30 June-19 Oct. 1848], in Historian's Office, Journal 1844-1997.
• Curtis, Joseph, Reminiscences and diary, 1839 Oct-1881 Mar., 72-75.
• Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 7. 
• J[aques], J[ohn], "Some Reminiscences," Salt Lake Daily Herald, 8 December 1878, 1.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1 September 1856, 1-2.
• Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 28 October 1856, 1-2.
• "Journey from Florence to G. S. L. City," Deseret News [Weekly], 22 October 1856, 258.
• Missionary Department Missionary Registers, 1860-1959, Volume 1.
• "Mrs. Richards is Dead," Salt Lake Herald, 18 Nov. 1912, 1.
• Perpetual Emigrating Fun, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A, p. 9.
• Perpetual Emigrating Fund, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A, p. 109.
• Perpetual Emigrating Fund, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A, p. 13.
• Perpetual Emigrating Fund, Financial Accounts 1849-1886, Ledger A, p. 18.
• Pioneer emigration list 1847-1848, 179, in Docket book 1844 Feb.-1845 May.
• Richards, Franklin Dewey, Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards, in University of California (Berkeley) Bancroft Library, Utah and the Mormons Collection, reel 2, item 3, 33-38.
• Richards, Jane Snyder, Autobiographical sketch 1881 Mar. 30-31, reel 15, fd. 4.
• Richards, Phinehas, Diary, in Richards Family, Collection, reel 16, box 13, fd. 10.
• Rollins, James H., Sketches from camp journal of Pres. Amasa Lyman's Company [24 July 1848 report], in George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834-1882, box 4, fd. 11.
• Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database.