Richard Flach was born in the Prussian province of Saxony, now a part of Germany, about 1833. He emigrated to Buffalo about fourteen years later, eventually becoming a prominent merchant and Democratic politician. He was elected an Erie County Supervisor in 1860, Fourth Ward Alderman of Buffalo from 1862 to 1866, and a member of the New York State Assembly in 1868. During the Civil War he as a Lieutenant in the 65th New York Infantry, serving at Gettysburg; later, he became Colonel of that regiment from 1865 to 1879. He was a president of the Saengerbund of Buffalo, and active in other German-American organizations.
Copyright 2010 Stanton M. Broderick