Richard Milford Blatchford was born on April 23, 1798, in Stratford, Connecticut, to Rev. Samuel and Alicia (Windeatt) Blatchford. The Blatchford’s had a total of seventeen children, and Richard was their ninth. 

Richard attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, and graduated in 1818. After college, Richard worked as a teacher in Jamaica, Long Island, while also pursuing the study of law. Richard was admitted to the bar in 1820 and began practicing in New York City. In 1826, Richard was the financial agent and counsel for the bank of England, and later the bank of the United States. Richard's law firm that he started in New York City later merged with William Henry Seward’s Auburn firm in 1854. The new partners of Blatchford, Seward & Griswold were Samuel Blatchford (Richard’s son), Clarence A. Seward (William’s nephew), and Burr W. Griswold. Richard and William Seward were intimate friends and both members of the New York Whig Party. In 1855, Richard served one term in the New York State Assembly. During the Civil War, Richard was appointed a commissioner of the Union Defense Committee in charge of expending government funds to raise troops. In 1862, Richard held the position of U.S. Minister to the State of the Church in Rome for one year. From 1859 until 1870, Richard served as the commissioner of Central Park in New York City.      

Richard Blatchford was married three times to Julia Ann Mumford in 1819 (died in 1857), Angelica Hamilton in 1860 (died in 1868), and Katherine Hone. Richard and Julia’s son, Samuel, served as an associate justice on the Supreme Court.  

Richard died on September 3, 1875, in Newport, Rhode Island.