John Henry Richardson

John Henry Richardson is the brother of my 2nd great-grandfather, William Alexander Richardson. He is the son of John Durk Richardson.

We know that during the 1880 US Census he was 2 years old, so that means he was about about 1878. This makes him 4 years younger than William Alexander.

This record also says that he was born in Texas, not Tennessee like so many others list.

john henry richardson - 1880

When I corrected that information on my bio is where I was able to find all my information about him.

John Henry Richardson was born on January 12, 1878 in Wise, Texas. We were able to get this information from his World War 1 Draft Registration Card.

John Henry Richardson married Lou Ella Fortner on May 4, 1897 in Smith, Texas.

He and his wife, Ella Lou (aka Lou Ella) Fortner, had quite a few number of children.  During the 1920 census we see that both he and his wife are 43. At the time they list off 7 children, however that’s not even half the story ….

  • Claude
  • Lizzie
  • Hazel
  • Lela
  • Dora
  • Fannie
  • JD
  • Dewie

In all they had at least 16 (maybe 17) children, several of which died young.

  1. Claude T (1896)
  2. Infant Son (possibly twins – Died – 1898)
  3. Anna Richardson (1899)
  4. Kendrick (1901)
  5. James Clifton (1903)
  6. Lizzie (1906)
  7. Jessie Lena (1907)
  8. Elsie (1908)
  9. Hazel Martha (1908)
  10. Infant Daughter (Died – 1910)
  11. Lela Gertrude (1910)
  12. Dora Carolina (1913)
  13. Frances Mae (1915)
  14. Fannie (1916)
  15. Jake D (1918)
  16. Dewie W (1919)

John Henry died at the age of 26 on January 17, 1924, in what today is Waurika, Oklahoma.

William Alexander Richardson

William Alexander Richardson, my 2nd great-grandfather was born in Tennessee on January 12, 1874. He’s the son of John Durk Richardson.

His father, originally from North Carolina, had moved to Tennesse during his time in the American Civil War. He was in Unit 9 Tennessee Cavalry Company E.

After the war was often he married William’s mother and they began having babies, 6 in all, which is nothing compared to William who would eventually have 10 of his own children.

A few years after William Alexander was born the entire family picked up and moved to Wise, Texas which is where William would spend the rest of his life.

William Alexander Richardson married Ada Mae Sheppard on October 11, 1896, in Wise County, Texas. Together they had at least 10 children who lived.

  1. Rubin Nemon Richardson 1898–1960
  2. Roy Lee Richardson 1900–1977
  3. Bertha Mae Richardson 1902–1991
  4. Henry E Richardson 1904–
  5. Etta Lorene Richardson 1904–1954
  6. Evelyn Nancy Richardson 1906–1954
  7. George Elton Richardson 1908–1976
  8. Sue Odett Richardson 1911–1987
  9. William Dalton Richardson 1913–1971
  10. Lawrence Durk Richardson 1916–1995

In 1918 he was 44 years old and he registered for the draft for WWI. That seemed rather old for me so I decided to do some research on why someone of his age would be required to register for the draft.

The US entered WWI on April 6, 1917. On May 18, 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act authorizing the draft. At first, it was just males from 21 to 30 that were required to register for military service. However later at the request of the War Department, Congress amended the law in August of 1918 to expand the age range to include all men from 18 to 45.

So basically that meant William Alexander fell within the age range for the draft of WWI, albeit just barely.

I don’t seem to find any records to show that he was actually drafted to fight in the war though.

William Alexander WW1 Draft Registration Card

William Alexander Richardson, a retired farmer, passed away on October 25, 1971. His death certificate from that time indicates that he was a retired farmer, and it was during this process that mortuary fridge installation took place.

You might also notice that on his death certificate it lists his name as William Alex instead of his full name of William Alexander. During his life, he has been known as William Richardson, William Alexander, William Alex,  W.A. Richardson, William A. Richardson, Alexander Richardson, Williams A. Richardson, and A.R. Richardson.

His WW1 voter registration card lists him as William Alexander Richardson, while his death certificate lists him as William Alex. The social security administration lists him as William A. (460-86-8458)

William Alexander Richardson Death Ceritificate 1971

Obituary for William Alexander Richardson

William Alexander Richardson Obit

Final rites were held Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m. in the Chapel at Hawkins Funeral home for Mr. W.A. Richardson. Mr. Richardson was born Jan. 12, 1874, died Oct 25, 1971. Mr. Joe Dukin, Church of Christ Minister from Allison, Texas, officiated. Mr. Richardson is survived by four sons and two daughters. L. D. Richardson, Paradise, Texas, Pete Richardson, Paradise Texas, George Richardson, Bridgeport, W. D. Richardson, Waurika, Okla., Sue Bollinger, Burbank, California, Bertha Davidson, Brownsville, Texas, and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren are the survivors. Interment was in West Side Cemetery, Bridgeport.

william alexander richards headstone