Who then were the children of Jonathan and Mary Richardson? It was probably a large family. If they got married around 1776, they probably had children over a long period. Here is our best guess:

1. William Richardson was between 16 and 21 in 1805. Quite possibly he is the same William who appears in the Jefferson County Census of 1850. Then he was 63 years old, born in Maryland, and a street inspector. His wife, Mary, was 53, also from Maryland. Children listed were George 21, Catharine 17, Matilda 14, and Virginia 10.

2. David Richardson witnessed the above land purchase in 1814.

3. Rebecca Richardson was born in 1783. She married Jacob Mason. They signed their bond on August 19, 1807, but did not return it. (Bond 521) The 1850 census indicates they were living in Owen County: (p.229)

Jacob Mason 74 N.J., Rebecca " PA, Jackson “ 21 KY, Levi “ 18 KY

The suggestion that Rebecca was born in Pennsylvania may mean that the family had moved there for a while. Another explanation is that Cecil County, Maryland, was a border county, and disputed for a while between Pennsylvania and Maryland.

4. Malinda Richardson married Levi Davis on March 24, 1809, in Harrison County. Marriage by Charles Webb, M.G. (Bond 613)

5. Lavina Richardson married Aaron Holland on April 3, 1813, in Harrison County. Mary Richardson signed permission. (Bond 854) In February 1860 “Levina Holland” died in Metcalfe County, according to the Vital Records. It notes she was born in Maryland, 70 years old, and died of “old age.” This suggests she was born about 1790.

6. Nancy Ann Richardson, age 58, died of “intermittent fever” in Franklin County on September 16, 1855. The vital records show that her husband, Shepherd, was a miller, that she was born in Montgomery County, and that her parents were Mary and Jonathan Richardson. She married Thomas W. Shepherd March 20, 1834, in Harrison County. Elijah Mason was bondsman.

7. Mary Richerson married Thomas J. Weathers on November 13, 1819. (Bond 1385, no signers)

8. Daniel Richardson was an infant when the father died. He married Margaret Cullison on October 31, 1835. John Richeson gave oath of her age above 21.

9. John Richardson was born in 1801, was connected to Mary as indicated on the above tax records. More below.

John Richardson, Jr., son of Jonathan and Mary, was born in 1801. In 1821 he was sued by Sally and Nancy Stewart, neighbors. They claimed that he had knowingly cut some trees off their property, and sold them. (Bundle 3600)

John married Juliann Eckler on June 9, 1828. She was the daughter of Samuel A. Eckler, of Swiss descent, who came to Harrison County by way of Maryland. Samuel died in 1816. On June 2, 1832, Julia received the $50.36 which was her share of her father’s estate. “July Ritcheson” and “John Ritcheson” signed their “X”.

John and Julia had eight known children. There is strong evidence of marital problems, however, beginning on December 6, 1836, when Juliann bought 4 acres of land from Robert Clifford, and Nancy, his wife, for $60. The deed, found in Deed Book 15, pages 420-421, notes that this is land that Julian Ritcherson and her children “now live on.” Possibly because of the marital tension, John went to the courthouse and deeded his land and personal property to his children in 1838:

Know all men by these presents that I John Richardson of Harrison County Kentucky hath this day given to my children Nancy Ann Richardson, Mary J. Richardson, James E. Richardson, John N. Richardson and Samuel E. Richardson in their own right to have and to hold forever as their own property not to be under my control or jurisdiction to sell trade off or in any manner dispose of during my lifetime any part of said property to wit one brown mare, one white cow and calf, ten head of hogs, four feather beds, two bureaus, one cupboard and furniture, two tables, one little table, one clock, one set of chairs, and one set of blacksmith’s tools, all my kitchen furniture. To have and to hold forever. Also one rifle gun and also my lifetime right in the land I now live on as said land is divided to them at my death said property is to remain in the hands of my wife Julia Richardson but not to be sold or made way with by her and further now said property is to be the property of my children and not mine and do hereby relinquish all title or claim that I have to said property to said children forever and give it out of my hands for their benefit and their support. In testimony whereof I the said John Richardson hath hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of April 1838.
In the presence of John (X) Richardson

Covington Coleman (D.B. 16, p. 280-281)

Late in 1849 Julia went to the Circuit Court and petitioned for a divorce. Her lawyer made this statement on her behalf:
To the Honorable the Judge of the Harrison Circuit Court in Chancery sitting sheweth unto your honor your Orator Julia Ann Richardson that heretofore she intermarried with a certain John Richardson; that recently said John Richardson has abandoned her and been guilty of acts of adultery with another woman; that he has also behaved habitually towards your oratrix in so cruel and inhuman a manner as to destroy her bluece and happiness. Wherefore your oratrix prays that said John Richardson may be made a defendant hereto; that he may answer the allegations hereof; that by a Decree of this Court your oratrix may be divorced and restored to all the rights of a married woman. Finally that your oratrix may have such other & further relief in the premises as to Equity belongs. May it please your honor to grant to your Oratrix the Commonwealth’s (decree of divorce).
blue W. Trimble

Depositions were then gathered and presented to the court as follows:
The deposition of Leander Harrison taken at the law office of Jno Trimble in Cynthiana Ky on the 9th of March 1850 to be read as evidence in a suit in chancery depending in tblueHarrison Circuit Court wherein Julia Richardson is complaintant and John Richardson is defendant. This deponent being of lawful age and first duly sworn doth depose and say that about the 1st day of Februry 1850 Jno Richardson hired this deponent to move him & a miss Varner down as far as Moons store in Pendleton. They went off together & when this deponent last saw them they were still living together. Miss Varner is a right down good looking girl. She had two children before Richardson took up with her & was known in the neighborhood as a woman of a very bad character. And further this deponent saith not.
Leander Harrison

The deposition of William Hutcherson was taken at the house of Mrs. Julia Richardson in Harrison County on the 3rd day of March 1850 to be read as evidence for the complaintant in a suit in chancery depending in the Harrison Circuit Court wherein Julia Richardson is complaintant and John Richardson is defendant. This deponent being of lawful age and first duly sworn doth depose and say that he was recently in Boone County Ky where he saw the defendant John Richardson, that said Richardson subscribed & acknowledged the acceptance of the service of the notice hereto annexexed; that he was living with a woman by the name of Varner as this deponent has been told and the understanding of this deponent was that Richardson was passing her for his wife & living with her as such. Richardson & the woman both said they had just moved to a room & were living together & she directed her child to call Richardson father. And further this deponent saith not.
Wm. (X) Hutcherson

Also the deposition of Thomas Walden who being first duly sworn doth depose and say that a short time before Jno Richardson went off with Miss Varner he was at the house of this deponent when he borrowed one dollar from this deponent as he said to buy a dress for her. He said he intended to take her off with him & in a day or so afterwards I heard they had gone. And further saith not.
Thomas Walden

Also the deposition of Nancy A. Richardson who being duly sworn doth depose and say she is a daughter of the defendant Jno Richardson and will be of full age in a few months, Mary J. is another daughter & of the same age. James E. is a son & is about 18 years old. There are five other children all younger & the youngest is quite small. This deponent says her father frequently has been guilty of such brutal conduct & violent conduct towards his family as to ruin their peace and happiness by threatening to take the lives of his wife & children. He frequently would charge my mother with criminal conduct and threaten to kill her & many time has driven us from home & kept a dirk for the purpose he said of killing my mother. My little brother afterwards stole the dirk from him. And further saith not.
Nancy Ann Richeson

Following the depositions, John responded as follows:
The answer of John Richardson to a bill in chancery exhibited in the Harrison Circuit Court against him by Julia Ann Richablueon. This defendant for answer to said bill says he admits he abandoned the said Julia Ann & does not intend again to live with her and as to the other allegations of said bill he neither admits or denys them. And having answered prays to be hence dismissed with his costs.

Julia A. Richardson vs. John Richardson. This cause coming on to be heard upon bill answer anblueepositions and the court being sufficiently advised of and concerning the premises. It is decreed and ordered that the said Julia A. Richardson be and she is hereby divorced from said John Richardson and that she be restored to all the rights of an unmarried woman; and that said defendant John Richardson be perpetually enjoined & restrained from taking any of the property in complaintants bill mentioned from her possession and that the same be vested in her for the use of her and her infant children.

The 1850 census, as seen above, shows Julia and her eight children living separate from John. The 1860 census, page 461, gives this data: Julia Richardson 48, Nancy 30, Newton 25, Susan 21, Samuel 23, Sarah 18, William 16.

We have no further records on John Richardson. Julia, who was born in 1812, dblue on March 13, 1875. Her estate settlement is recorded in Will Book J., page 619. Thomas Hinkson was the administrator of the meager estate, some $46.00 and some household goods were left to Mrs. Adams “for services rendered to her mobluer during her sickness....” Other heirs were Nancy Clifford, Mary Thompson, Susy Hinkson, the heirs of Samuel Richison deceased, John N. Richison, and James Richison. The property was appraised on December 7, 1875, and entered in the record on March 27, 1876.

Here, then, are the children of John and Julia Richardson, with birth dates from an old family Bible:
1. Nancy Ann Richardson was born April 9, 1829. She was a twin. She married Alex D. Clifford on November 2, 1860.
2. Mary J. Richardson was born on April 9, 1829, also a twin. She married A.J. Thompson on October 8, 1860. Two known children are Martha and Samuel R. Thompson.
3. James E. Richardson was born on September 2, 1831. He married Susan Menefee on October 31, 1855. More later.
4. John Newton Richardson was born on January 31, 1834. He married Annie Maria Sayers on October 8, 1861; and they had four children: Alliwillie Frances “Fannie”, James Preston, Samuel Newton, and Marietta. Fannie married John Sipples on September 2, 1880. Samuel married Ollie Hutchinson. Marietta married Lewis T. Day on October 8, 1891. The 1880 Harrison County Census lists this family, and notes that John’s father came from Maryland and the mother was from Kentucky. John died on July 10, 1909 and is buried in Breckenridge. The census noted that Annie had “consumption,” and she died soon later, on August 12, 1880.
5. Samuel E. Richardson was born on July 9, 1836. He married Zerelda Humphrey on November 7, 1860; and they had two known children, Jennie and Samuel. Samuel Sr. died on May 18, 1863.
6. Rebeckel Susan Richardson was born on August 4, 1838. She married Thomas Hinkson on August 16, 1860. Their children were John, William, Sterling, Wyatt, Bennie, and Oteria. They are mentioned in Perrin’s history.
7. William Hiram Richardson was born on December 19, 1840. He never married and died on March 12, 1863.
8. Sarah F. Richardson was born on August 26, 1843. She married Francis M. Adams on May 6, 1866.

James E. Richardson, son of John and Juliann Eckler Richardson, was born on September 2, 1831. He married Susan Menefee, daughter of Joseph and Lucinda Edwards Menefee, on October 30, 1855. They were members of the Methodist Church. They farmed, and had nine known children. As early as Janaury 22, 1853, James bought 74 acres from the Bledsoe heirs, and thereafter several land transactions are recorded in the deed books. The 1860 census, page 588, gives this brief data:
James Richardson 27, farm hand
Susan Richardson, 22
Cordelia Richardson,  3
Lucinda Richardson, 1

The 1870 census, page 16, shows the family living in the Berry District of Harrison County:
James Richerson, 37
Susan Richardson, 30
Cordelia Richardson, 14
Ann E. Richardson, 10
William Richardson, 6
Newton A. Richardson, 4
Mary F. Richardson, 2

The 1880 census gives this information:
James Richardson, 49
Susan  Richardson,
Audaline Richardson, 18 (Ann Eliza?)
William Richardson, 16
Arthur Richardson, 14
Mary F. Richardson, 12
(Joanna ?) Richardson, 10
Lewis Richardson
Callie Richardson, 3
Susan Richardson, 10 mo.

The 1900 census notes the following:
James Richardson, born Sept. 1831, 68 years old
Susan Richardson, born Jan. 1839, 44 years old
Lewis A. Richardson, born May 1868, 32 years old
Susan Richardson,  Dec. 1874

Susan died on June 25, 1908, and on July 27 of that year her estate was settled. James was administrator and William M. Ritcherson signed the surety bond. James died a few months later, on January 16, 1909. His will reads as follows:

Cynthiana, Kentucky, June 19, 1908. It is my will and desire after my death to dispose of my property by will as follows: 1st all my debts be paid. 2nd all my property both personal and real estate be sold at public sale to the highest bidder, except about 6 acres of land, more or less, adjoining the lands of Lewis Richardson and Robt. Switzer and bounded as follows. Commencing at 3 sassafrases in the Switzer line to the center of the ridge then south down center of ridge to Jas. Richardson’s first fence thence west out said fence to Lewis Richardson line and thence north west on the line of Lewis Richardson and James Richardson to the beginning. I will this boundary of land to Lewis Richardson his heirs and assigns forever. The balance of my estate after public sale be disposed of as follows: I give to my daughter Susie Richardson $500 to have and to use as she likes. To my daughter Anna Liza Hedge I give $50. To my daughter Cordelia Pratt I give $50. To my grandson Jimmie Faulkner I give $50.00. After these special bequests are paid I will the balance of my estate to my following named children, each to share alike: Wm. Richardson, Arthor Richardson, Fannie Eaton, Joe Ann Faulkner, Lewis Richardson, Callie Richardson and Susie Richardson. I hereby appoint my oldest son Wm. Richardson my Executor to give bond according to law.

Witness:
John A. Renaker
James Richardson
James M. Terry

The above will was proved in court on February 6, 1909.

Here, then, are the known children of James E. and Susan Menefee Richardson:
1. Cordelia Richardson was born in 1857. She married John W. Eckler on June 6, 1876. She later married a Pratt.
2. Lucinda Richardson was mentioned only in the 1860 census, age 1. Apparently she died.
3. Ann Eliza Richardson was born in 1862. She married a Hedger and settled in Urbana, Illinois.
4. James William Richardson was born in 1864. He married Frances Clifford on December 13, 1888. He married Haley Clifford on October 29, 1891, and they lived in Harrison County.
5. Newton Arthur Richardson was born in 1866.
6. Mary Frances Richardson was born in 1868. She married J.H. Eaton, and settled in Hartwell, Ohio.
7. Joanna D. Richardson was born on December 9, 1872. She married Russell Newman Faulconer on December 24, 1890. She died on May 9, 1921. They are grandparents of this writer.
8. Lewis Richardson was born about 1874. He married Hattie May Terry on November 12, 1903. He married Ida Rankin on February 23, 1933.
9. Callie Richardson was born about 1877. He lived in Michigan.
10. Susan Richardson was born on October 29,1881. She married Silas B. Hamilton on May 6, 1909. She died on May 13, 1933, in Cynthiana. He died on March 18, 1961, age 89.

Source:
Information previously posted by: Jo Thiessen

This is to thank Mrs. Louis S. Sipple of New Richmond, Ohio; and John B. Conrad of Lexington, Kentucky, for their contribution of material on the Richardsons of Harrison County, Kentucky.

Compiled by James G. Faulconer, 5200 Oakbrooke Drive, Kettering, OH 45440. February 17, 2000

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