Richard Flach as born on 23 September 1832 in Eibenstock, Saxony, then a province of Prussia and now a part of Germany, in 1832. He emigrated to Buffalo with his parents in 1849. Trained as a baker, he began his working career in Buffalo in that occupation. Eventually he become a prominent grocer and Democratic politician, operating a grocery store at the corner of Clinton and Ellicott streets. He was elected as an Erie County Supervisor in 1860, as an alderman of Buffalo from 1862 to 1866, and as a member of the New York State Assembly in 1868.
Richard Flach was one of the small group of leading Buffalo citizens who initially invited Frederick Law Olmsted to Buffalo to design a first-class park for the city. In 1869, he was appointed by Mayor William Rogers as one of the original members of the Buffalo Board of Park Commissioners. He served on the Board until a new state law reorganized and expanded the body in 1872.
Flach participated in the New York State militia. He served as a Lieutenant in the 65th Regiment, N. Y. S. Militia as regimental quartermaster. He was so serving when both Buffalo militia regiments were called in late June 1863 to 30 days of service and ordered to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as a blocking force should the Confederate forces converging on Gettysburg evade or overcome the Union forces there. While at Harrisburg, both regiments were shifted to New York City to assist in quelling the four days of anti-draft rioting which broke out there. Both the 65th and 74th Regiments were returned to Buffalo in late July. Later, Flach progressed in rank within the regiment, becoming Major, then Lieutenant Colonel, and finally Colonel of the regiment from 1865 to 1879 when Col. Flach retired from military service, and was entitled to the honorific of Colonel in recognition of his service.
Col. Flach was a president of the Saengerbund of Buffalo, and he was active in other German-American organizations, including the Erie Fire Insurance Company, a mutual insurance company, and Modestia Lodge No. 340, the second German-American Masonic Lodge in Erie County.
He married Caroline Mencke in 1853; the couple had three children, two of which died in infancy. Subsequent to her death in 1879, he married a widow, Louise Dorst Ripoint of Buffalo.
Col. Flach died after a brief illness at Buffalo on October 18, 1884, at the age of 51. His wife and one daughter survived him. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
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