Readers Comments and Queries


I hope you have found this ramble through Richardson history informative and interesting and would invite any comments or queries you may have.

Please email me if you have your own Richardson family history to relate, if you have genealogical inquiries that can be pursued here, or if there are any particular Richardson stories that you would like to pass on. We will post them all here.

Colin Shelley

nottshell@btinternet.com


Comments and Queries


3 July, 2009.  Richardsons from Cheshire  

My mother's maiden name was Richardson and we have managed to trace her father Leslie Richardson born 1899, grandfather William 1861 and great grandfather Samuel 1833, all born in Aston Birmingham.  We then go back to the Cheshire connection where we find Richard Richardson, born in 1810 in Aston by Budworth, his father John, born in 1770 in Cheshire, and his father was William Richardson - but I cannot find anything on him.  

Looking at the Northwich site, we know that Richard's wife Ann was a grocer in Witton Street and that between 1839 and 1841 Richard was licensee of the Britannia pub.  He died in Birmingham in 1850 at the age of 40.  From what we can see, most of the Richardsons lived in Mill Lane or Witton Street and we know that John's brother William left a substantial will when he died in 1848.  We would love to find out more about the Richardsons at that time and also to establish where John's father William was born and what he did. 

I have seen a lot on the site about the Richardsons in other parts of the country, but wondered where I might find more information about the Cheshire connection. 

Don't know if you have any suggestions. 
Regards 
Gill Thomas (


28 June, 2009.  Richardson DNA  

I was researching online and found the Richardson name website.  I have enjoyed learning more about Richardsons in the U.K., U.S. and elsewhere. 

I recently participated in the Richardson Y-DNA Project. The project’s participants have diverse genetic origins.  For example, many Richardsons are of ancient Briton or Celtic (Irish, Scottish, Welsh) origin. Other Richardsons are of North Germanic (Angle/Anglian, Frisian, Jute and Saxon) origin.  Then there are Richardsons like myself of Scandinavian origin. Those Richardson’s of Scandinavian origin are descended from Danish and Norwegian Vikings that settled in Britain, Ireland and Normandy during the Viking Age.  

H. David Richardson (hdrichardson@earthlink.net) 


19 April, 2009.  John Richardson in Swansea 

Have you come across the family of John Richardson who came from the South Shields area but moved to Swansea and made a fortune in the copper ore importation business?  He had several children, including John Crow Richardson. 

John Richardson (1790-1858) m. Elizabeth Clarke (1791-1864)
- John Crow Richardson (1810-1884) m. Elizabeth Walters in 1837 and Eliza Ross in 1848
   - John Crow Richardson (1842-1903) m. Theresa Eden P-Serecold (1847-1918)
- Joseph Richardson (1811-1854)
- Sarah Richardson (b. 1813)
- James Coxon Richardson (1817-1874) m. Elizabeth Nichol in 1847 and Georgina Nelson in 1854
- Elizabeth Clarke Richardson (b. 1819)
- Jeremiah Clarke Richardson (1822-1906) m. Margaret Walters in 1848 and Sophia Popkin in 1860
- Henry Francis Richardson (b. 1825)
- Mary Isabel Richardson (b. 1829)

John was a major shipowner and I wondered if there might be some connection with John Wigham Richardson. 

Regards,
John W. Hawkins (johnwh@rakshasa.demon.co.uk)


17 February, 2009.  Richardsons in Lancashire (Tockholes) 

The Richardson Family were notable in Tockholes from the mid 17th century.  Lower Hill is the original Old Hall where the Richardsons lived although there are several others including Crowtrees.  The Silk Hall was built by Ralph, second son of Adam Richardson, in 1764.  The family was involved in the Nonconformist movement and is thought to have originated from Cheshire according to “Two Centuries and a Half of Nonconformity in Tockholes” by Rev. B. Nightingale. 

They married into the Walmsley family (first mentioned in Tockholes in 1335) when the Walmsley line died out with two heiresses.  This was when Walmsley Richardson married Lydia Walmsley in 1752.  Walmsley Richardson and his father, Adam, sold Lower Hill House and lands by Auction in 1770 because of Walmsley's debts (The Manchester Mercury, July 24th 1770).  

The grandson of Walmsley Richardson, also called Walmsley, sold Higher Hill to Thomas Sefton around 1830 and moved to 75 Park Road, Preston where he became a shopkeeper.  Thomas Sefton is shown living at Higher Hill in the censuses of 1841 and 1851. 


24 November, 2008.  Richardsons in Sunderland 

I stumbled across your website by accident as I was looking for Nicholsons and a Richardson married one.  My wife is the granddaughter of William Richardson of Sunderland.  He left school at 14 and worked as anoffice boy in James Laing's shipyard.  He spent the rest of his workinglife there and became company secretary.  He was churchwarden at St Gabriel's church.  He and his wife had three sons, Hugh (later a Church of England canon); Harold who was killed in France while serving with the 2nd D.L.I.; Philip who served in the Royal Air Force; Ethel, my wife's mother and Julia. Julia never married but looked after almshouses in Sunderland. She received Maundy money from the hand of the Queen.   

Canon Peter C Nicholson O.B.E. (

1 July 2008.  Richardsons From Bermuda   

My grandfather's name was Hilton C. Richardson, his father's name was Daniel B. Richardson and his brother's name was Austin Richardson.   It has been said that the Richardson's originated from St. Vincent, West Indies. 

Austin Richardson was a minister here in Bermuda in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the 1800's (1887?) and Daniel Richardson was an assistant Pastor of the AME Church here as well.  My grandfather was a farmer, school teacher and principal at St. David's Elementary School, Bermuda, the assistant Pastor and he also designed the St. Luke A.M.E. Church, St. David's Bermuda after a cathedral in Paris out of matchsticks. 

Hilton (Hillie) married Inez Minors when she was 16 years of age.  Inez was a direct descendant of Jacob Minors - the first Indian slave to Bermuda.  This couple had seven children.  Only two are alive today, Helene and Bernice. 

On 20th July, 2008, we will be having a family celebration at St. Luke A.M.E. Church and would appreciate any information you may have on the West Indian side of the family. 

Blessings.
Cindy O'Brien (nee Paynter)  (Lucinda.O'Brien@conyersdillandpearman.com) 


12 May, 2008.  Richardsons and O’Neals in Cass County, Texas 


I was just reading the website on the Richardsons.  My grandmother was Mary Richardson, born 4-23-1900 in Atlanta, Texas in Cass county to John Richardson and Everline Oliver.  John Richardson was the son of Miles Richardson and Fanny Carey.on the 1867 voter registration of Davis [Cass] county, Texas.  Miles said he came to Texas from Georgia in 1856.on the 1870 census of Davis county.  On page 64 is Miles and his family and next door to him are his parents Charles and Sookie Richardson and next door is their other son Julius and his family. 

I am trying to find out where they all came from before coming to Cass county, Texas?  John Richardson was a sharecropper for Hardy O'Neal.  Hardy O’Neal was the son of Henry F. O’Neal who was the son of Francis O’Neal.  Francis O’Neal married Ketturah Richardson 12-28-1826 in Wilkinson county, Mississippi. 

What relationship if any did Ketturah Richardson have to do with my family of Richardsons? 

Muhammad Abdullah (dawah_ma_90221@yahoo.com)


11 November, 2007.  Samuel Richardson the Quaker

I have reviewed your Richardson Name Website with great interest and thank you for making this information availabe.

I was born a Richardson of a line from Samuel Richardson, a Quaker who came to the colonies via Jamaica and probably came around 1687.   I am wondering if this would be the Samuel you mention in your website.  One of my relatives has done a wonderful job of researching the Richardson line back to this Samuel but we have not been able to find much out about Samuel and his family (meaning his parents) in England.  We know he was born in England, became a Quaker, and probably moved from England due to the persecution of Quakers.  He left in 1675-1676 to go to Jamaica first.  We know he died on 10 July 1719 and his wife’s name was Elinor (variously spelled as Ellinor also) but no last name.

If anyone knows more information about this particular Richardson, I would be most appreciative of the information. Thanks very much.

Lorinda Richardson Glovier, aka Lori (loririchardson1@earthlink.net)



25 September, 2007.  Newcastle Quaker Richardsons

Thought I'd drop you a line to say I'd enjoyed looking at your Richardson website.  I'm a descendant of the Newcastle Quaker Richardsons.  My great grandmother was the Elizabeth (Richardson) Spence included in your miscellany.

I presume you know of the close family relationships between the Quaker Richardsons. My great grandmother, for example, was sister to John Wigham Richardson.  Lewis Fry and Sir Ralph Richardson were their first cousins (once removed respectively).

Are you yourself related to the Quaker Richardsons in any way?

Best wishes
Ben Beck (benjaminbeck@ukonline.co.uk)