• Richards initially traveled to the Valley with his wife in 1848, when he served as a captain of a hundred.   In 1852 he was a member of the John Taylor Independent Company of returning missionaries who arrived in Salt Lake City on 20 August.  He also 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

John Taylor Independent Company (1852)

• Age at Departure: 30

Sources

• "Arrivals," Deseret News [Weekly], 8 October 1856, 245.
• 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.
• Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 7. 
• Historians Office Journals, 1844-1863.
• J[aques], J[ohn], "Some Reminiscences," Salt Lake Daily Herald, 8 December 1878, 1.
• Jane S. Richards autobiographical sketch, 1881.
• John Brown reminiscences and journals, 1843-1896, Volume 1, 1843 May-1860 April, 109-13.
• Joseph Curtis reminiscences and diary, 1839 October-1881 March, 72-75.
• 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 , 22 October 1856, 258.
• Missionary Department Missionary Registers, 1860-1959, Volume 1.
• "Mrs. Richards is Dead," Salt Lake Herald, 18 Nov. 1912, 1.
• Narrative of Franklin Dewey Richards. San Francisco, 1880 in Utah and the Mormons collection, undated, 33-38.
• 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.
• Phinehas Richards, Diary, 1837 April-1871 March, Phinehas Richards papers, 1837-1874 in Richards family collection, 1837-1961.
• Pioneer emigration list 1847-1848, 179, in Docket book 1844 Feb.-1845 May.
• 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.