Excerpts from the
obituary of William E. Richardson:
William Richardson was
born in West Chester County, New York on April 2, 1842; he died at Alpha, Iowa,
March 12, 1913, age 70 years 11 months and 10 days. Services were held at Alpha Methodist Church with burial at
Rose Hill in Fredericksburg.
He resided where he was
born until age 13, when he moved with his parents to Fulton, Rock County,
Wisconsin.
9 May 1864 enlisted in
Company C, 40th Wisconsin Infantry. Discharged
16 September 1864. Reenlisted 10
February 1865 in Company D, 49th Wisconsin Infantry.
Served until 1 November 1865, at which time he received his final and
honorable discharge.
He married 31 January
1867 to Ellen Paul. Lived in
Wisconsin until 1873, at which time they came to Iowa, Mr. Richardson having
previously purchased the farm 3 1/2 miles west of Alpha, until 1910, at which
time they moved to Alpha.
Firmly believing that
the righteous are not forsaken, he met the vicissitures of life bravely.
In the early days he tilled his farm through the summer months, and
taught school during winter, tramping the almost trackless prairies through the
most rigorous storms, all this that those he loved might be sheltered and fed.
By frugality and industry he began to accumulate and to see the dark
clouds of adversity vanish, toiling, rejoicing, seeing his children grow up in respectability;
dealing with his fellow men in such a manner that he could meet them face
to face he felt his life a success.
Nine years ago he was
stricken with paralysis from which he never recovered.
There were born to them
nine children, all living except Ellen Louise who died in infancy.
They are: Paul, residing in
Alpha; Carl, living four miles west of Alpha; Mrs. Georgia Glenn, of Chicago;
Mrs. Margaret Winter, Alpha; Wm. T., residing on the old homestead; Mrs. Mary
Austin, of Spokane, Washington; Mrs. Amanda Wells, Waverly, and George A., at
home. There are one brother and two
sisters: J.W. Richardson of
Edgerton, Wis., Mrs. Emma Dickinson and Mrs. Mary Clark, both of Los Angeles,
Cal., and twenty grandchildren. These
with the faithful wife are left to mourn the loss of a kind husband, father and
brother.
