FAMILIES: Richardson Family, Mason Co., KY *********************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. Submitted by: Tamie (TamieTann@aol.com) Date: 9 Oct 1999 ************************************************************************************ THIS IS A COPY OF A LETTER MY GG UNCLE WALKER G. RICHARDSON WROTE TO HIS NIECE, LILLIAN (RICHARDSON) LAKE/LASTY IN THE MIDDLE 1900'S (WE THINK IN THE 60'S/70'S). THERE IS A WHOLE SERIES OF LETTERS. ONE IS DATED DEC. 24, 1962. MY MOTHER PASSED THESE ON TO ME WHEN I BEGAN THIS HOBBY, TURNED OBSSESSION A YEAR AGO. THIS IS THE FIRST FAMILY OF RICHARDSONS THAT I HAVE RECORD OF LEADING ON TO WILLIAM H. RICHARDSON WHOM I HAVE ALSO PLACED A BIOGRAPHY: "My Grandfather RICHARDSON (initials unknown) probably imigrated from Virginia to Kentucky where he settled near Maysville in Mason County on a 640 acre tract of land. He was a slave owner, holding at one time nearly 500 slaves. There were four boys in the family and at least two girls. When the civil war broke out the house was divided against itself, two of the brothers going to the North and the other two lined up with the South. Also one of the girls married a northern man and the other one a southerner. The foregoing information was gathered by listening to what my father told some of the other members of the family. Also some of the neighbors from time to time. Of the four brothers of the family the oldest was John and my parent was the youngest [William H. RICHARDSON]. I never heard my father mention the names of the other two so I can assume that they were the two who went North and were possibly requested never to return again. (I am only guessing at this as my parent never told us anything about them, being very reticent on the subject). After the war ended John went to Texas where he settled neat [near] Lindale in Smith County where he probably died. I never found out whether he had any children or not. The oldest girl Dulcinia married a man named SNELLING a high official in the army. I have been told that Fort Snelling near St. Paul Minn. was named for him but cannot vouch for this. she had at least one child, a girl, who in the course of time married aman by the mane [name] of Wilson. They settled near Bolchow (pronounced Ball-co) in Nodaway county MO. The other girl ( I think her name was Isabel) married a man named PROCTER one of the Procter & Gamble soap Co. of Cincinnati. My father never heard from her after she got married. I have a hazy recollection of hearing my mother mention at one time third sister of the family and if that was true then my father had three brothers and three sisters. During the latter days of her life my aunt Dulcinia lived with her daughter and son- in-law on their farm near Bolchow. On at least two different occasions and possibly three, she came down to visit us when we were living in Carter County the first time while we were at a small saw-mill and the next time after we went to our farm on Mill Creek. So much for my grandfathers family. I will now proceed to give a biographical sketch of my father and his family. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw high when thou shalt say, I no longer have any pleasure in them. Ecclesisastes 12:1" "Honor thy father and mother that thy days may be long in the land the Lord thy God giveth thee. (Exodus 20:12). William H. RICHARDSON was born Auguest 4th, 1847 in Mason County, Kentuchy joined the Soiuthern army at the age of 16 as a drummer boy being too young to join as a soldier, and at the close of the war was duly mustered out on an honorable discharge. Going to northern Missouri, in due time he married Lydia REID of St. Joseph, settled on a farm near the eastern part of Buchanan County and started farming and stockingraising. There were seven children as a result of this marriage, four girls and three boys. The youngest girl Jenny died shortly after birth, the next youngest Irene died as the result of an accident before she was five. This left them two girls and three boys Alan the oldest of the family Irby and myself (Walker G.), Irby being years older than I. Irby died shortly before he would have been twenty years old. Leota Ruth my youngest sister at that time was married twice in later years, the first time in St. Louis to a man named JH HAYDEN who died three years later. Her second marriage took place in Livingston, Montana to a man named Charles A. Cedar. There was no children by either marriage. Lorena my oldest sister married when I was 12 years old, to Daniel DAVIS a carpenter in the camp where we lived at that time. There was one child a boy as a result of this marriage. Less than two years later she goat a divorce from her husband and kept the child. Several years later she married again to SE TROTTER. There were two children one a girl and one a boy. The girl died in infancy I was told. CA Richardson my oldest brother was married during the early part of the present century to Julia GRIGSBY of St. Louis. Of this marriage there were four children that I know of, Alice, Chester and Lilian. The other child was born dead of premature birth and as near as I can remember now was the second one in the family. Names: The 1st two are my parents-Date of B.-Date of Demise Wiliiam H. RICHARDSON; August 4, 1847; September 5, 1899 Lydia REID RICHARDSON; January 19, 1846; September 20, 1903 CA RICHARDSON; December 9, 1865; September 17, 1917 Lorenea RICHARDSON TROTTER; March 22, 1870; Feb. 3, 1924 Lotte HAYDEN CEDAR; December 10, 1871; May 4, 1936 Irene RICHARDSON; November 10, 1876; November 11, 1876 Irby RICHARDSON; May 10, 1876; March 13, 1897 WG RICHARDSON [Walker]; June 6, 1878; ? Jennie RICHARDSON; April 23, 1883; April 24, 1883 My original chart show my fathers birthday as August 3, 1833 But this must be a mistake as he was only 16 when he joined the Southern Army. I first copied the record from our family Bible which I had for a few days at Rygate Mont. in 1916 but I evidently made a mistake either at the time or when I typed out some copies a few years ago. It does not make a difference the family and this likewise applies to the...." WALKER LEFT OFF AT THIS POINT AND WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY. EVERYONE WE CAN ASK HAVE PASSED ON. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE HIS "DATE OF DEMISE" AS HE CALLED IT IN THIS FAMILY BIOGRAPHY. ALSO, THE CAPS IN THE BIORGRAPHY ARE MINE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE READER TO FIND SURNAMES. Please note that Irby and Irene are born within months of each other according to this letter. I don't know if maybe Irene was premature or if Walker made a mistake in copying the dates down.