Old Tithing Offices

The original tithing office was located in the Richmond Fort on the south-west side near Thomas Tidwell, the first Bishop of Richmond. It served its purpose until 1864 when Richmond was laid out into blocks and the Pioneers were able to move out of the fort and into the city lots. The tithing office was then moved to Main St., near today's CVCT building. It remained until March 30, 1891 when Bishop Marriner Wood Merrill gave it to his son Alma Merrill and his young family.

The office and yard were moved to the northwest block of Main Street and 400 South. Rachel R. Knapp recalls when William L. Skidmore was Bishop of the Richmond Ward and in charge of the lot.

"When William L. Skidmore was made bishop, the Richmond Ward consisted of all the area, which is now Richmond and also that of what is now Cove, all the way to the Idaho border. A block west of William's home and across the street where the old Willard Merrill and C. Z. Harris homes used to be, was the tithing lot. 

"There was a large barn, a grainery and a tithing office. Tithing was collected or paid in produce as there was very little cash. People would bring in anything from a half dozen eggs to load of hay or grain, a beef or a cow, or even a few it sucks a potatoes or a squash. All these things had to be recorded, receipts given and then the produce cared for. There was a big seller under the barn where the vegetables, eggs, butter and such things were kept. A grain grinder powered by two horses traveling around in a circle, ground the grain for the cattle. A man by the name of John Anderson was hired full time to care for the stock. The bulk of the work and all the responsibilities rested upon the bishop. Once each week, he would load the butter, eggs, vegetables, etc., into a wagon and take them to Logan to the tithing office there."1

This tithing yard was in operation until about 1905, when it was sold to Charles Z. Harris.

Richmond Fort. Tithing office located on the south-west fort, near the Tidwell family.

1. Bair, Amos W. (1976). History of Richmond, Utah. The Richmond Bicentennial Committee. pg 243-248