WI BIO - Richland Co - RICHARDSON, William

History of Richland County, Wisconsin. Miner, J. H., ed. Chicago: Western 
Historical, 1906, pp 617-619

William RICHARDSON, a pioneer of the town of Henrietta [Richland County, 
Wisconsin] as well as a representative of one of the pioneer families of 
Ohio, was born 26 October 1829 in Geauga county, Ohio, a son of Zacheus and 
Sallie (FRANCISCO) RICHARDSON.

Zacheus RICHARDSON was born 10 October 1800 in Vermont, son of Daniel Webster 
and Elizabeth (WEBSTER) RICHARDSON, who early removed to Ohio, settling in 
the midst of the dense forest of Geauga County, where they encountered the 
varied experiences typical of the pioneer era and where they passed the 
remainder of their lives, having reclaimed a farm from the wilderness.

They [Daniel Webster and Elizabeth (WEBSTER) RICHARDSON] became the parents 
of nine children, all of whom are now deceased: Samuel, John, Daniel, 
Zacheus, Samuel [the second of that name], Watson, Ruth, Nancy, and Dolly. 
Zacheus RICHARDSON was reared to manhood on the farm in Geauga County, Ohio, 
and he continued to be identified with agriculture pursuits throughout his 
active business career. In 1844 he removed to McHenry County, Illinois, 
where he developed a good farm of 120 acres and where his [Zacheus 
RICHARDSON's] death occurred in 1865. He was a Democrat.

The widow of Zacheus RICHARDSON, Sallie (FRANCISCO) RICHARDSON, who was born 
11 November 1808 in Chenango County, New York, passed the closing days of her 
life with her sons, in the State of Nebraska, where she [Sallie (FRANCISCO) 
RICHARDSON] died in 1873. She was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church.

They [Zacheus and Sallie (FRANCISCO) RICHARDSON] became the parents of seven 
sons and two daughters: (1) Caroline [Mrs. Caroline STEPHENSON], who is now 
living in Sharon [Walworth County] Wisconsin, is the widow of Henry 
STEPHENSON, who was killed in the battle of Chickamauga in the Civil War 
[which was fought on 19 & 20 September 1863] having been a member of an Ohio 
regiment. (2) William, the subject of this review, was the second in order 
of birth. (3) Francis, who was a carpenter and contractor, died in Council 
Bluffs [Pottawattamie County], Iowa. (4) Daniel is a carpenter by trade and 
is now one of the representative farmers of the town of Rockbridge, Richland 
County [Wisconsin]. (5) John is a successful farmer in Richland Township 
[Richland County, Wisconsin]. (6) George, born 04 July 1840 in Geauga 
County, Ohio, who is now living at Lafarge [Vernon County, Wisconsin], was a 
valiant soldier in the Civil War; he enlisted 12 May 1862 in a command raised 
by "Buckskin Joe" 120 miles west of Denver, Colorado, the gallant 
frontiersman mentioned becoming colonel of the regiment. Mr. RICHARDSON 
became a member of Company G, Second Regiment, Colorado Volunteer Infantry, 
with which he served three years; afterward he re-enlisted, becoming a member 
of Company E, Second Colorado Cavalry; he served principally in the West and 
Southwest, having first proceeded with his command to New Mexico, and later 
having been at St. Louis, Fort Scott, Kansas, and Fort Smith, Arkansas, 
hunting for bushwhackers. He finally returned with his command to Colorado, 
and on 12 May 1865 at Fort Riley he received his honorable discharge. He 
took part in a number of battles and skirmishes and was a gallant soldier. 
He had gone to Utah in 1859, and in the following year located in Colorado, 
where he was engaged in mining operations until his enlistment. After the 
close of the war he located in Lawrence [Douglas County], Kansas, and one 
year later returned to the East. In 1873 he [George RICHARDSON] came to 
Richland County, Wisconsin, and purchased forty acres of land in the town of 
Henrietta, reclaiming the same, and continuing to reside on the homestead for 
a quarter of a century. In April 1865 he [George RICHARDSON] married Melissa 
FREEMAN [a maiden name?], who was born in Missouri. She [Melissa RICHARDSON] 
died 08 April 1894, having become the mother of three sons and three 
daughters. (7) David, the seventh of the children [of Zacheus and Sallie 
(FRANCISCO) RICHARDSON], is a carpenter by trade and is now a successful 
contractor and builder at Oakland [Alameda County], California. (8) Andrew 
J., who served in the Civil War as a member of an Illinois regiment, is now 
in the soldiers' home at Santa Monica [Los Angeles County], California. (9) 
Elizabeth married Daniel BUTTS and she [Elizabeth (RICHARDSON) BUTTS'] died 
in 1864.

William RICHARDSON had but little opportunity for attending school, having 
been reared on the pioneer farm of his father in Geauga county, Ohio, and 
having thereafter removed with the family to McHenry County, Illinois, where 
he remained at the parental home until he had attained the age of twenty-four 
years.

In 1854 in McHenry County, Illinois, he [William RICHARDSON] was united in 
marriage to Miss Charlotte INGALLS, who was born in the State of New York, a 
daughter of Orrin INGALLS, who was a pioneer of McHenry County, whence he 
later went to Utah to look for a new location, being there attacked with 
cholera, to which he [Orrin INGALLS] succumbed, his wife surviving him by 
several years.

In October 1854, Mr. [William] RICHARDSON came to Richland County [Wisconsin] 
and secured a tract of 120 acres of heavily timbered land, where he now 
resides, in Section 21, in the northeast corner of Henrietta. [Henrietta is 
on the section line, in both Sections 20 and 21 of Henrietta Township]. In 
1858 he took up his abode on this homestead, being one of the early settlers 
in this section of Richland County. He became inured to the strenuous labor 
involved in reclaiming a farm from the primeval forest and endured the 
hardships and privations common to the pioneer days. However, the fine 
appearance of his homestead today shows conclusively that his labors have not 
been in vain, and he is now able to enjoy the rich fruitage of former toil. 
While he has not held [public] office he has been true to the duties of 
citizenship, and is a staunch supporter of the principles and policies of the 
Republican party. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows.

Mr. and Mrs. RICHARDSON [William and Charlotte (INGALLS) RICHARDSON] became 
the parents of seven children. (1) Robert Emmett, who has charge of the 
homestead of his father, married [Miss?] Amenta JUDSON and they have three 
children: Rena, Ray, and Harvey. (2) Heber died at the age of eighteen 
years [17 September 1877?] (3) Hattie is the wife of Jerome DRISTOLL, of 
Sauk County [Wisconsin]. (4) Bertha is the wife of Paxton JUDSON [related 
to Robert Emmett RICHARDSON's wife, Amenta JUDSON?], of the town of Henrietta 
[Richland County, Wisconsin], and they have two children: Jennie and Heber. 
(5) George, who is a successful farmer in Henrietta [Richland County], 
married [Miss?] Della KING and they have three children: Charles, Ella, and 
Glenn. [A George RICHARDSON died 07 July 1942 in Richland County, 
Wisconsin.] (6) Ella, the sixth child [of William and Charlotte (INGALLS) 
RICHARDSON], was the wife of Ezra STOCKWELL, and [Ella (RICHARDSON) 
STOCKWELL] died in 1894, and is survived by one daughter, Charlotte. (7) 
William Warren, who resides at Union, McHenry County, Illinois, married 
[Miss?] Jessie KING, and they have three children: Myrtle, Marie, and Norval.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly