Richard Realf was born at Framfield on the 14th June 1832 and in 1852 he published his first book of poems entitled "Guesses at the Beautiful" before emigrating to the United States where he became very involved in the anti-slavery movement in Kansas. He started a newspaper and so came into contact with John Brown who was subsequently hanged for treason for his attack on Federal forces at Harper's Ferry on 16th October 1859. Julia Ward Howe composed the famous song in Brown's memory - "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, …" After Brown's execution, Realf was arrested but subsequently released and when the War of Secession broke out he joined the Federal army, served with the 88th Illinois Regiment and became commandant of a regiment of negroes. After the war he established a school for freed slaves and resumed his old life as journalist and lecturer. Domestic troubles drove him to suicide at Oakland California on 28th October 1878.
| Generation No. 1 | |||
| 1. Richard Realf was the son of Richard Relf, police constable and Martha Realf [Highlands]. He was born 14th Jun 1832 at Framfield, Sussex; died 28th Oct 1878 at Windsor Hotel, Oakland, California, USA; buried Nov 1878 at Lone Mountain Cemetery, San Francisco, California, USA | |||
| He married (1) Sophia Emily Graves on 10th Jun 1865 at Furnisville, Porter County, Indiana, USA. She was born 25th Nov 1829 at St. Georges, Knox, Nr Bangor, Maine, USA; died Oct 1882 at Merrivale, Indiana, USA | |||
| He married (2) Catherine Cassidy on 26th Oct 1867 at Rochester, New Jersey, USA. She was born c 1835. They had the following children: | |||
| 2 | i | Richard who was born 24th Apr 1875 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; died 26th Aug 1950 New Jersey, USA | |
| ii | Mabel who was born 1878 at New York, USA | ||
| iii | Minnie who was born 1878 at New York, USA; died 25th Aug 1971 New Jersey, USA; buried 27th Aug 1971 New Jersey, USA | ||
| iv | Alice who was born 1878 at New York, USA | ||
| Generation No. 2 | |||
| 2. Richard Realf was the son of Richard Realf and Eliza Ann Whapham. He was born 24th Apr 1875 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; died 26th Aug 1950 at Summit, New Jersey, USA | |||
| He married Leah Ella Hahn on 26th Sep 1896 at Summit, New Jersey, USA. She was born 1876 at Germany; died 26th Jan 1956 at Summit, New Jersey, USA. They had the following children: | |||
| i | William who was born 1897; died 1959 | ||
| ii | Richard who was born 24th Apr 1903 at Summit, New Jersey, USA; died 23rd Jul 1995 New Jersey, USA | ||
| iii | Elsie who was born 16th Apr 1907 at Summit, New Jersey, USA | ||
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