Richardson - Pictures and Documents

The following will serve as introduction to the Civil War letters of Mark Richardson, below.

I have no blood relationship to the Richardsons as far as I know. My great, great grandfather, Nathaniel Rideout (b. April 4, 1785 in Comberland, Maine) married first Katherine Richardson on April 18, 1813. They had three children. However, I am descended from Nathaniel's second wife, Ruth Lufkin, via their eighth child, Deborah Blanchard (Rideout) Greene who was born March 17, 1837. This line is detailed at my Rideout page.

My great, great, great grandfather, Nathaniel Rideout (b. Feb 14, 1762) and his wife, Deborah Blanchard, had three children of which Nathaniel was the first. The third child, Jane (b. September 24, 1793), married first Joseph Richardson and later his brother, Bradbury Richardson.

According to a quote shared by Patricia Legg of Victoria, Australia, Bradbury and Jane had eight children. Pat wrote, "This piece is from a News Item - Greenwood July 1909 (there seems to be a little missing or they were serialising the RICHARDSONs at that time). 'The sixth son, Bradbury Richardson, Jr., married Huldah, the other twin daughter of Samson Read, and was living in Minnesota when his brother was killed. He and his family fled from their home and saved their lives by so doing. They came and lived in Milton a year or two, then returned to their adopted state where he died after becoming totally blind. When here their family consisted of a pair of twin girls, some three years old. The seventh son, Marquis Lafayette, better known as Mark Richardson, will be further noticed when there is more time and space. Jane Richardson, the eighth and last of the family, as before mentioned grew up to become a pretty little miss, with light complexion, blue eyes and brown, curly hair. She went out west with some of her brothers and report says she married Capt. Axel Hil Read, who lost his right arm in the Civil War and is now one of the leading business men of Minnesota.'"

Patricia also sent the following which I believe pertains to the above Mark L. Richardson's son and the latter's three children:

Mark RICHARDSON (b. 27 Nov. 1879) - Milton Plantation, Me. (Suicide 14 Sept. 1932, W. Paris) m. 6 Apr 1909 Myrtle RAINE(?) d. 7 Jul 1971 at Norway 3 children:
A. Doris M. marr. William A. SLATTERY (W. Paris)
B. Kathleen Morton 19 Nov. 1910 m. Ed. PHILLIPS
C. Barbara Scott (2 mar. 1912 S. Paris d? 11 May 1987) m. Dale SWIFT (d.Oct 1974) No children.

1932 Town Report Paris listed under deaths: "Sep 14 - Mark B. Richardson (52 yrs. 9 mo. 18 days) Birthplace: Milton Plantation. Suicide by firearms - fracture of skull."

Kathleen "Morton" (actually, she kept the name Richardson) was a contemporary of my mother, Ruth Kathryn (Greene) Malcolm. They grew up together in South Paris, Maine. According to a letter written by my mother in 1975, "I guess the Richardson name got into our family away back. I know my father always said he was related to Mark Richardson (who did those old war envelopes). So, it was not a very close relationship, but it's there. Mark's daughter is Kathleen Richardson Phillips who still lives in South Paris. She was brought up by Harry and Ida (Richardson) Morton. Ivy was Mark's sister. She married one of the rich Mortons (factory where Dad worked). Kathleen had two other sisters but they lived with the parents. Kathleen was frail and Mortons took her to care for since they had no children."

Whatever the exact relationship, my great grandmother, Deborah Blanchard (Rideout) Greene was a cousin to "Marquis De Lafayette Richardson" (I have no idea of the origins of this elaboreate name unless it was his father's as well, and he was named in honor of General Lafayette who served the American cause in the Revolution.. Suffice it to say that he shortened it to Mark L. Richardson.) The Rideouts were from Pownal and New Gloucester, Maine, and I imagine the Richardsons were from the same area.

Your reward for reading through all of the above is to view a series of three letters written to my great grandmother while Mark served in the 23rd Maine Infantry in the Civil War. The letters cover the period from November 9, 1862 until January 10, 1863.

• Letter dated November 9, 1862
• Letter dated December 14, 1862
• Letter dated January 10, 1863
• "Teepee" drawing enclosed with one of the letters.