Thomas Richardson

1818 - 1908  (90 years)

• Name	Thomas Richardson
  Born	28 Sep 1818	Bourbon County, Kentucky
  Gender	Male
  Died	24 Nov 1908	Stanislaus County, California
  Buried	Plot BK 4
  Notes	THOMAS RICHARDSON, one of the prominent citizens of Stanislaus county, and an old-time resident as well, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, his parents being Robert and Catherine (Bullen) Richardson. The mother was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and there the father, a native of Virginia, went when a young man, and he was married there. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, being in Matson's command, Harrison' s army, and spiked some of the British guns at the battle of the Thames. When our subject, Thomas Richardson, was but three months old the family removed to Pike County, Missouri, and eight years later to Pike County, Illinois, locating at Martinsburg about six miles from Pittsfield, where he grew to young manhood. He next went to Iowa, and was engaged for four years at the Government farm on the Des Moines river, where the Black Hawk Indian agency was. Including himself there were only three or four white people there, and all the rest were the savage Black Hawk Indians. He became well acquainted with the chiefs of that tribe, including the sons of the noted leader Black Hawk, one of the most celebrated of savage chieftains. From there he returned to Pike county, Illinois, and was married in 1845. In 1850 he he crossed the plains to California with an ox-team. Proceeding to the gold-diggings on the American River, he mined there about two weeks. In December, 1851, he went back East by water, returning to California in 1852, coming across the plains and being accompanied by his family. He was captain of the company both times. He located on the Stanislaus River, where he now lives, and where he has 700 acres of land, secured partly by the preemption and the homestead rights and partly by purchase. Here he has done much in the way of improvement, the buildings being very creditable, among them being a handsome and commodious residence erected in 1867. His land is of the best in California, and is devoted principally to farming, except about eighty acres which he leases to a man who is improving it with orchard trees, vines, etc. The whole place presents a handsome appearance to the eye of one accustomed to the blending of the beautiful and useful in nature. Besides his home ranch he has another ranch of 96 acres, a mile and one-half southeast of Oakdale, which he himself farms. Mr. Richardson was married in Illinois, January 9, 1845, to Miss Lucinda Waggoner, a native of Tennessee. They have two children, viz: John J., a namesake of General Hardin; and Ephriam. Mr. Richardson is a member of the Oakdale Lodge, #275, F. & A.M., of which he is a Steward, and also of the Modesto Chapter, #49, R.A.M. Politically, he is a Democrat, taking an active interest as a citizen in political and public affairs, and has attended the party conventions as a delegate. He served one term as Justice of the Peace of Oakdale. Mr. Richardson is a man of highest integrity, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. [Memorial and Biographical History of Merced, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa Counties, (California) The Lewis Publishing Co. Chicago, Ill. 1892, page 226.] THOMAS RICHARDSON Each community is judged by the character of its representative citizens, and its social, intellectual, and business standing is determined thereby. The sterling worth, commercial ability and enterprise of the leading men are mirrored forth in the public life of the town, and therefore the history of the people of prominence is the history of the community. No account of Oakdale would be complete without the life record of Thomas Richardson, a man whose public spirit is manifested in his many efforts to improve the conditions and promote the upbuilding of the town. He came to the state in 1850 and now resides on a large farm in Stanislaus county, three miles west of Oakdale. Mr. Richardson was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, on the 28th of September, 1818, and is of English, Scotch, and Irish descent, his ancestors being among the early settlers of Virginia and participating in the events which find mention in the annals of the Old Dominion. One of the representatives of the name also served in the war of the Revolution. Robert Richardson, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia, removed to Kentucky and at the time of the war of 1812 entered his country's service under command of General William H. Harrison. He married Miss Catherine Bullen, who was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, a daughter of John Bullen, one of the heroes of the war for independence. They removed to Pike County, Missouri, and a number of their children were born there. In 1827 they took up their abode in Pike county, Illinois, becoming pioneer settlers of that locality, where they secured government land, the father developing thereon a good farm upon which he made his home until the time of his death in 1845. While in Missouri he held the office of tax collector. Both he and his wife were Baptists in religious faith and were upright, reliable and respected farming people. Mrs. Richardson passed away in the fifty-sixth year of her age. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom all reached mature years, but only two of the number are now living, the sister of our subject being Fammey, the wife of William Waggoner, a resident of Pike county, Illinois, Thomas Richardson, of this review, was eight years of age when with his parents he went to the Prairie State, and in the primitive log school-house of the neighborhood he pursued his studies through a short period each winter. At the time of early spring planting he took his place in the fields to assist in the cultivation of the farm and was employed with plowing, cultivating, and harvesting until after the crops were garnered in the autumn. His life was passed in the quiet routine of the farm until 1850, when the country became stirred by news of the gold discovery in California and he determined to make his way to the Eldorado of the West. Accordingly, he joined a company of ninety men that secured an outfit in Pike County and started in a train of twenty-nine wagons on the long and arduous journey across the plains. They were well supplied with provisions, and, as two physicians were of the party, were protected against prolonged illness. The journey was made by way of South Bear River, Green River, and Humboldt, and they were on the journey about six months, at the end of which period they arrived in Hangtown, now Placerville, September 18, 1850. Although many emigrant trains suffered greatly from cholera, only three of their party had died of this disease. Mr. Richardson began his career as a placer miner with pan and rocker on the American River below Coloma. He met with a fair measure of success, taking out considerable gold, and followed mining until 1851, when he returned to his home by the water route in order to bring his family to California, and with them he journeyed across the plains, in 1852. On the 9th of January, 1845, he married Miss Lucinda Jane Waggoner, a native of Tennessee, and they had two children John and Mary Jane before their removal to the Pacific Coast. Their daughter has since departed this life. The son is still living and cultivates a farm near his father. The year 1852 proved a very disastrous one to many emigrants, the cholera being very prevalent among those who journeyed across the plains, but the train with which the Richardsons traveled lost only one of their party, a woman. However, they saw many newly made graves along the route. Mr. Richardson had the honor of being the commander of the companies with which he traveled on both of these journeys across the plains. When with his wife and little family, our subject arrived in California, he settled on one hundred and sixty acres of government land that are included within the boundaries of his present ranch. This region was then an unsettled country and there were many Indians in the locality, but he never had any trouble with them. He had brought with him from Illinois forty head of cattle and horses and here he engaged in stock-raising. Notwithstanding that he met with many reverses in business, he diligently prosecuted his labors until he became the owner of nine thousand acres of land and was numbered among the wealthiest men of Stanislaus County. This grand old pioneer is now living retired from active business in a large and commodious frame residence that stands on the extensive ranch which his enterprise and industry have secured to him. He leases his land and the rental therefrom supplies him with all the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life. After their arrival in California Mr. and Mrs. Richardson became the parents of a son, Ephraim, who is now residing in Oakdale. There are also eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His wife, who long shared with him the sorrows and joys of life, traveling by his side as a faithful companion and helpmeet on life's journey for fifty-two years, was called to her final rest on the 19th of January, 1897, at the age of seventy-two years, four months and fifteen days. She was very devoted to her family, counting no sacrifice or labor too great that would promote the happiness or enhance the welfare of her husband or children. In return she received their deepest love and respect, and she also enjoys the warm regard of a large circle of friends. For many years Mr. Richardson has been a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity and is now a representative of Oakdale Lodge, No. 275, F. & A. M. He also belongs to Modesto Lodge, No. 49, R. A. M. His political support has long been given to the Democracy and at one time he served as a justice of the peace, but has never sought or desired office. Throughout a long and active business career he has been known as a man of unquestioned integrity, his word being as good as his bond. His has been an active and useful career, in which determined purpose has enabled him to conquer all obstacles and advance steadily upon the path to success until he has reached the goal of prosperity. At the same time he has taken an active part in the work of developing the rich lands of California, and of reclaiming the waste stretches for the purposes of civilization. Such men therefore wrought for the prosperity and upbuilding of the communities which they represented. [Representative Citizens of Northern California, Standard Genealogical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1901, Page 611] THOMAS RICHARDSON Whenever the real history of California is written, the student must have recourse to such lives as that of the late Thomas Richardson, the distinguished pioneer of Oakdale, who died in November, 1908, at the ripe old age of ninety years. He was born in Bourbon County, Ky., on September 28, 1818, the son of Robert Richardson who had married Miss Catherine Bullen. That lady was also born in Bourbon County, and there she met and married young Mr. Richardson, who hailed from Virginia. He became a soldier in the War of 1812, where he fought with Matson's command, a part of Harrison's army, and spiked some of the British guns at the battle of the Thames. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Richardson took their baby son Thomas and moved to Pike County, Mo., and eight years later they went on to Pike County, Ill., where they pitched their tent at Martinsburg, not far from Pittsfield, and there remained while Thomas grew to maturity. When he was ready to push out into the world, Mr, Richardson went to Iowa, and for four years he worked on the Government farm along the Des Moines River, at the Black Hawk agency. There were then only three or four white people on the farm, and all the rest were savage Black Hawk Indians, and he got to know rather intimately the most noted chieftains, among whom was the leader, Black Hawk, in his day infamous for his cruelty. Leaving the farm, Mr. Richardson returned to Pike County, Ill., and in 1845 was married there. Five years later he set out for California across the great plains, traveling with an ox-team; and having reached the American River, he mined for a couple of weeks. In December, 1851, he set out for the East by the route of the water-ways, and the next year came back to California, once again crossing the prairies and bringing along his family. On this occasion, as well as on his previous trip, Mr. Richardson was captain of his company. He located on the Stanislaus River, and by 1862 he had 700 acres of land, which he improved in a very creditable manner. In 1867 he erected his residence; and being a sensible man, and one fond of domestic life, he made the house commodious as well as ornate. He laid out most of the ranch for general farming, reserving about eighty acres for an orchard to be leased to someone else. He also went in for a vineyard, and in that way he easily made of the ranch a veritable "show place." Besides this, he bought lands in the Lone Star section, where at one time he owned 7,000 acres. Unfortunately he had sold this land to Tulloch and took his note in payment. Tulloch failed and did not pay the note. About the same time Mr. Richardson had gone security for an $11,000 note for Coleman, the Stockton merchant. Mr. Coleman failed and Mr. Richardson had to pay the note; and so, with two losses, he lost the 7,000 acres of land. Mr. Richardson also owned 160 acres about one and one-half miles southeast of Oakdale, which he farmed. A man of wide experience and the strictest integrity, enjoying the esteem and confidence of all who knew him, Mr. Richardson, as a Democrat, was accorded the honor of a delegate to that party's conventions, and was called upon to serve a term as justice of the peace at Oakdale. The marriage of Mr. Richardson, already referred to, occurred in Illinois on January 9, 1845, when he took for his bride Miss Lucinda Jane Waggoner, a native daughter of Tennessee. Two children were born of this union; the elder was John J., the younger, Ephriam. Mr. Richardson belonged to Oakdale Lodge No. 275, F. & A. M., in which he was steward, and to the Modesto Chapter No. 49, R. A. M. Besides rearing their own children, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson brought up the late Thomas Snedigar, who was orphaned in Illinois. He accompanied them to California, and with the blessing of their parentage, became a wealthy landowner and leader. [History of Stanislaus County, California With Biographical Sketches, By George H. Tinkham Press of Historic Record Company Los Angeles, California 1921, Page 302]
  Person ID	I1778	Root Tree
  Last Modified	17 Sep 2010

  
  

  Father	Robert Richardson,   b. 1794,   d. 1 Jun 1837, Martinsburg, Pike County, Illinois  (Age 43 years)
  Mother	Catherine Bullen,   b. 1793, Bourbon County, Kentucky ,   d. 17 Feb 1849, Martinsburg, Pike County, Illinois  (Age 56 years)
  Family ID	F916	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Lucinda Jane Waggoner,   b. 04 Sep 1824, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee ,   d. 19 Jan 1897, Stanislaus County, California  (Age 72 years)
  Married	14 Jan 1845	Pike County, Illinois
  Children	1. Mary Jane Richardson,   b. 1848, Illinois   2. John J Hardin Richardson,   b. 15 Jan 1849, Pike County, Illinois ,   d. 08 Feb 1920, Oakdale, Stanislaus County, California  (Age 71 years) + 3. Ephraim Richardson,   b. 18 Feb 1854, Langworth, Stanislaus County, California ,   d. 28 Aug 1939  (Age 85 years)
  Last Modified	17 Sep 2010
  Family ID	F609	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Census Records » Slide Show		1850 Census Pike County, Illinois Thomas Richardson
  		1860 Census La Grange, Oakdale, Stanislaus County, California Thomas Richardson
  		1870 Census Langworth, Washington, Stanislaus County, California Thomas Richardson
  		1880 Census Stanislaus County, California Thomas Richardson
  		1900 Census Oakdale, Stanislaus County, California Thomas Richardson