Richmond Family Highlights
The Richmonds of Tahiti

By Kathy Oborn

My Richmond family starts with my birth father, Leo Charles Feirai Richmond. Leo was born 22 October 1914 in Papeete, Tahiti. His mother was Henereeta Sarah Tereahiahi Poroi, sometimes called Sophie, but most often known as Sarah. Sarah was born 3 March 1894 in Papeete, Tahiti. She was the youngest of eight children born to Adolphe Marouo Theophile Poroi, born 22 May 1844 in Papeete, Tahiti, and Teioatua Orimai Henry, born 3 September 1852 in Haapiti, Moorea, So. Pacific. Sarah’s father, Adolphe was a man of position in Tahiti. He served in government positions and was also a judge. Rumor has it that Sarah fell in love with a man from the "wrong side of the ocean" and her parents were furious with her. His name was Charles Maiuu Richmond born 30 July 1895. Charles was from the island of Kaukura, which is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, about an hour and a half by plane from Tahiti. Charles was one of 14 children born to George R. Richmond, born 14 June 1848 in Springfield, MA, and Maoe Maire, a Tahitian woman born in 1856 on the island of Kaukura.

Little is known about Sarah and Charles and their love affair. What we do know is that in 1919, Sarah went to San Francisco aboard the Moana and never returned to Tahiti. Leo, who was five years old at the time, stayed in Tahiti and was raised by his aunt and uncle, Delphine and John Chave. It is highly possible that Sarah’s parents died in 1918 due to a flu epidemic in the islands that wiped out 20% of the population. Sarah married in 1920 to a man named Jules Redeuilh, and she died in San Francisco on 19 November 1974.

Charles ended up in northern California as well. Rumor has it that he followed Sarah to San Francisco. What we do know is that he died penniless on 13 July 1966 in Stockton, CA. and he was never married.

In his teenage years Leo made his way from Tahiti to California. In 1934 Leo graduated from Mission High School in San Francisco, CA. Around the 1950’s, Leo would move to the San Fernando Valley, which is located in southern California. Leo found employment in the movie industry and in 1962 he was hired to work as a cast member as well as the "islander" coordinator for "Mutiny on the Bounty" starring Marlon Brando. Leo had the benefit of being able to speak French, Tahitian, and English and knew the islands personally. He was represented by the Glen Shaw Agency and made many movies appearing as an "ethnic looking" character. Leo was also involved in the Polynesian Society and served as chairman of the board.

In 1953, Leo married a Hawaiian woman named Alice Pelayo. They had one son named Branscombe Richmond, born 8 August 1955 who is also an actor and played the role of "Bobbysixkiller" in the television series, Renegade. Leo would pass away on 21 April 1979 in Los Angeles, California.

Leo’s grandfather, George R. Richmond was the start of the Tahitian connection for this branch of Richmonds. George was born in Springfield, MA, 14 June 1848. His father and mother were William Bainbridge Richmond, born 4 August 1823 in Springfield, MA, and Mary Wilson Clark, born 25 August 1824 in Pittsfield, MA. George had two sisters, Emma, born 26 September 1846 in Springfield, MA, and Harriet Richmond, born 20 October 1850, in West Springfield, MA. William worked at the Springfield armory, along with his father Ezra Richmond, his brother Edwin Richmond, and his uncle Zimri Richmond.

No one is really sure how and why George ended up in Tahiti. An article in the Norfolk Daily News, November 2, 1914, explains that George’s parents, William and Mary suffered a terrible breakup and William left Massachusetts, went to Norfolk, Nebraska and died there in 1914 as the "Hermit of Norfolk". The article also says that William gave his daughters to his brothers that lived in New York, and his son, George, probably joined the army and then the navy ending up in Tahiti. Well, whatever really happened to William, Mary, George and his two sisters in not clear. The last census that shows the family together is the 1850 census of West Springfield, MA. The Springfield Directories of 1859-1860, 1870-1871, 1880-1881 shows William B. Richmond living and working in Springfield, MA. The Norfolk Daily News article indicates that William was a hermit in Norfolk, Nebraska for at least 30 years. While I have found the article to be interesting and informational, it is not totally factual.

Maybe George did join the army or the navy, at this point I have not found out the truth. What we do know is that George finds his way to Kaukura, a small atoll in the South Pacific, marries a native girl named Maoe Maire and has 14 children. George’s first child is born in 1872, and his last child is born in 1899. George and Maoe gave their 14 children American first names and Tahitian middle names. My grandfather, Charles Maiuu Richmond is number 12 of the 14.

Kaukura, (Lat:15.72 degrees S/Lat:146.83 degrees W) is an oval shaped island that is 50km by 14km and is divided into two groups of 65 islets. The main village of Raitahiti nestled under the coconut tress on the northern part of the atoll has its own small airport. There are 379 inhabitants that rely on farming black pearls, fishing, or harvesting coconuts for their livelihood. The public school system on Kaukura ceases at the age of 12 years old. Almost all of the children, age 12 and above, go to a larger island, like Tahiti or Moorea for further schooling. That means there are no teenagers on the island!!!! The main religious influence on Kaukura is the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints, now known as the Community of Christ. Everyone speaks Tahitian, and almost 60 % of the island inhabitants are Richmonds.

It is also interesting to note that a Richmond from Vermont made his way to Tahiti. According to the Richmond family book by Joshua Bailey Richmond, "Joseph D. Richmond, (Walker, Amaziah, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, John, John) was born in Taftsville, VT, October 2, 1818. He went April 2, 1839, on a whaling voyage and left the ship at Tahiti, Society Islands, and made that island his home. He married the daughter of a native chief". There is a relationship between Joseph D. Richmond and my George R. Richmond, it just isn’t that immediate. According to the Richmond family book, my decendency line starting from John of Taunton, MA is John, John, Edward and John, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Zebulon, Ezra, William, George, Charles, Leo, me.

My name is Kathy Oborn. I was born in July of 1954 and given the name Heidi Sue Koehler. My birth parents were Leo Charles Feirai Richmond and Sue Koehler. Leo and Sue had a wonderful summer romance that ended with Sue becoming pregnant with me and Leo marrying Alice Pelayo. Several weeks after I was born, I was adopted by Nan and Bill Oborn. In 1986, after many years of playing detective, I found my birth families. I have made three trips to the South Pacific, including Tahiti, Moorea, and Kaukura. My Tahitian family has welcomed my family and me with open arms; even my mother Nan came with us one year.

Words cannot describe how I feel about my genealogical journey. It has been fun, exciting, frustrating, tiring, and challenging. I enjoy the research and as a novice genealogist, I feel compelled to have documentation to back everything up. Very seldom do I make an assumption about a possible link. Finding the names of my family members never seems to be enough for me. I enjoy learning about their life, what is happening in history at that time, and what my ancestors were experiencing. I can actually envision the creation of a mini-series about the Richmond’s of Massachusetts and their journey to the South Pacific. If anyone has a connection with my Richmond branch, please contact me, as I would love to share information. I am specifically looking for George’s sisters, Harriet and Emma, and I am also researching if there was a direct connection between George R. Richmond and Joseph D. Richmond. If you have any information pertaining to my family please email me at obornkm@piercecollege.edu .