richardsont
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
TONY F. RICHARDSON, who lives
four miles west from Wilson creek, is one of the best known stock men in
the state of Washington. He has operated over the whole range of
country from the Cascades to the Missouri river and has been connected
with some of the largest deals and drives in this wonderful stock country.
To give a detailed account of his life would be to write a volume, therefore,
we can only append the more salient points, which will be found very interesting.
Tony F. Richardson was born in Laurens
county, South Carolina, on September 22, 1855. His father, David
A. Richardson, was a native of South Carolina and graduated from the Medical
College of Kentucky at Lexington and was a surgeon in the confederate army.
His mother, Edna L. (Fuller) Richardson, was also a native of South Carolina.
Turner Richardson, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a state
senator several years and was also colonel of a regiment in the Seminole
war. David Anderson, the great-grandfather of Tony F., was auditor
of Laurens county for years. Dr. A. C. Fuller, a maternal uncle of
our subject, was a colonel in the confederate army, and this gentleman's
brother, Dr. F. G. Fuller, was a surgeon in the southern army. Mr.
Richardson's family and connections were among the largest slave holders
prior to the war. A great uncle, Captain George Anderson, was the
father of three daughters and fourteen sons. All of the latter served
in the Civil war and the youngest was only sixteen when he was in the army.
Our subject was well equipped with a fine education in his youthful days
then studied for two years in the Wofford college, after which he completed
a thorough commercial course in Baltimore. At the end of his studies
he took up general merchandising, which, however, was not congenial to
his tastes. A year later, he tried farming but that did not suit
him, then he went to Tennessee and joined his cousin in the stock business
for four years. The tempting rumors of the west stirred the adventurous
spirit of young Richardson so much that he determined to see for himself
and so started to Texas. In a very short time he was with the foremost
of the ranchers and was soon in business with Sprolus Carothers, one of
the large stock growers of Texas. He was well known to the leading
stock men there and operated through that state, then assisted to drive
two thousand nine hundred head of cattle to Wyoming over the old Chisholm
trail. Swan Brothers bought the stock and Mr. Richardson entered
their employ for a time, riding through Utah and Wyoming, then he came
to Oregon and finally to Washington. He worked in a butcher establishment
for Mr. Gillice at Pomeroy, for a time, but not liking the work, he engaged
himself to the corps of United States surveyors, who were sectionizing
Lincoln county. They were in charge by Truax & Briggs, and Mr.
C. C. May of Davenport, was one of the party. Our subject quit this
business as soon as he arrived at the Columbia river near where Barry now
is located and at once entered upon his career of stockman for himself.
He was engaged with Mr. Estes in handling cattle, and also drove for Austin
& Hardy to Montana. In 1883, he purchased a bunch of Indian ponies
and began horse breeding. He improved the stock and ranged with his
horses to various sections of the Big Bend country, making his home much
of the time with Wild Goose Bill and Philip McEntee. In 1884, Mr.
Richardson took a claim, which is the nucleus of his present large estate.
In 1882, he had assisted Platt Corbaley and Al Pierpoint to locate their
claims near Waterville, theirs being the first locations west of the Coulee.
In 1896-7, Mr. Richardson sold his horses, about three thousand head, at
three dollars apiece, then he gave his attention largely to handling cattle.
He has now a very large herd of fine thoroughbreds. He also owns
a great many sheep. Mr. Richardson's place is an ideal stock farm.
It is located at the head of Brook Lake and is a very beautiful place.
A large portion of the estate is under irrigation and last year he cut
over six hundred tons of alfalfa.
Mr. Richardson has one brother and four sisters,
Butler P., Mrs. Annie P. Brown, Mrs. Mamie Huff, Mrs. Lulu Profit, and
Mrs. L. Stokes, deceased.
In Douglas county, on December 31, 1885, Mr.
Richardson married Miss Lucy Smith, a daughter of one of the old settlers.
They were the first couple to be married in Douglas county. To them
four children have been born, Annie C., David A., Laura L., and Ruby A.
BACK