Bio of Richardson, Joseph (b.1832) Wabasha Co., MN
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Richardson, Joseph, farmer, Elgin, is a brother of the last subject (John
Q. Richardson), and was born in Topham, July 1, 1832. His early life was
the same as that of his elder brother, and he has always been a farmer. He
became possessed of a piece of land in Vermont, but sold out in order to
try his fortune in the great northwest. In 1856 he came to this town and
pre-empted land on sections twenty-two and twenty-three. Returning to
Vermont, he remained there two years and settled here permanently with his
family in September, 1858. On the 24th of March, this year, he married
Miss Ursula E., daughter of Stephen and Susan Miles. Mrs. Richardson was
born in Stowe and her parents in Bickford, Vermont. On his arrival here,
after paying all debts, Mr. Richardson had just six dollars left. Himself
and his brave young bride set up housekeeping in the pioneer log cabin of
the township, built by the Bryants, and elsewhere spoken of in this book.
Here they remained three years, before moving on to their own domain. For
seven years Mr. Richardson conducted farming operations in common with his
brother, to whom he sold an undivided half of his land and thus gained a
capital to work on. No books were kept, and at the end of seven years they
divided land, (then embracing 280 acres), stock and tools in half a day's
time, without words or disagreement of any kind. Our subject is now the
possessor of 485 acres of land in this township, sixty in Olmsted county
and twenty in Winona. He is a shrewd and successful farmer and combines
grain-culture with stock raising. His stock includes thirty horses, a like
number of cattle and eighty sheep. Among his horses are an Imported Norman
stallion that cost $2,000 and a fine grade American horse. While on the
way from Rochester with a grist in the winter of 1858-9, Mr. Richardson
had a very narrow escape from wolves. He was driving a span of colts
attached to a low pung, on which were placed the sacks containing meal and
flour for the family. For over two miles the ferocious brutes surrounded
the sleigh and made sundry snaps at Mr. R., who sat on the sacks. As he
had neither sled stake nor whip to protect himself with, and dare not let
the horses out to their utmost speed lest he be thrown off, his feeling
can be realized only by those who have passed through a similar
experience. On nearing the cabin of a settler, the pursuers slunk away and
their prey escaped. When Mr. R. reached home his friends wondered what
made him so white, and it was some time before they could draw from him an
account of its cause. Our subject is a member of the Elgin Masonic lodge,
and a lifelong Democrat. He has served six years as constable and two
years as supervisor of the town. The first-born child of this family,
Thomas S., ruptured a blood-vessel by striking a hay-rack in trying to
mount it, when about fourteen years old, and died from the effects within
twenty-four hours. Susan S., the eldest living, is now the wife of D. W.
Searles, and resides in the adjoining town of Farmington. The rest,
christened in order of age as follows, are at home: Lenora M., Clara C.,
William H., Frank J. and Walter E.
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Sorry this biography has not been transcribed yet.

If the biography you want is not yet done, please e-mail me at 
BarbaraTimm@aol.com