That recollection belongs to Spring Grove Fire Chief Rich Tobiasz, who worked with Owen and his wife Margaret on a book that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the village's existence. According to a report from the Northwest Herald, Owen Richardson died recently, merely a month after his wife.
In compiling the book, Tobiasz spoke with the Richardsons for more than two hours and listen to how farming used to be done. He also learned of how the couple started growing Christmas trees in order to make a little extra money.
"It was a brilliant move," Tobiasz told the paper. "They made the land work for them."
Lifestyles in McHenry County, which is where Spring Grove is located, have certainly changed since Owen's ancestor Robert moved there in the middle of the 19th century. Since then, the suburbs have exploded in growth.
As a result, farmland in the county has quickly been converted from fields to shopping malls, with some changes coming in as little time as a year.
