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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.

     BENJAMIN  RICHARDSON, a retired farmer of Wilbur is one of the heavy real estate owners of Lincoln county and an influential and respected citizen.  He was born near Walla Walla, Washington, on October 9, 1868.  The father, James H. Richardson, was born in Illinois and crossed the plains in 1860, selecting a preemption near the present city of Waitsburg.  Later, he secured other land by purchase until he had one thousand acres.  He conducted that estate for nearly twenty years then built a flour mill in Huntsville and operated it for thirteen years.  Then he traded the mill for a large tract of land near Ritzville which he farmed for a short time then sold in 1892.  He is now loaning money in Lind, Washington.  The mother of our subject is Tabitha (Hicks) Richardson.  She is a native of Illinois and came to Washington in an early day.  Our subject was educated in the district schools of Walla Walla county, then completed his training in the Washington seminary at Huntsville.  After that he rented his father's farm and conducted it for a number of years.  In 1891 he came to Lincoln county, Washington, and bought railroad land four miles south from Wilbur.  To this he has added until he owns an estate of twelve hundred and eighty acres.  When he purchased the land it was all unbroken prairie, but he has improved it until it is now in a high state of cultivation and one of the choicest estates in the county, and is a model Washington farm.  In addition to this, Mr. Richardson has a commodious and palatial residence in Wilbur which is his home at the present time.
     In 1889, Mr. Richardson married Nellie Fudge, a native of Waitsburg.  Her parents are David and Melissa (Hammer) Fudge.  The father was born in Virginia and the mother in Missouri.  They were among the early settlers in eastern Washington and are wealthy agriculturists now.  To Mr. and Mrs. Richardson four children have been born, Itha F., Ross E., Beatrice M., and Harold C.  Mr. Richardson has the following brothers and sisters, James H., Charles E., Noah, Byron, Martha, wife of David Bridgman, Mary L., wife of Edward Laing, Sarah L., wife of Charles Harsh, Minnie, wife of Dennis McKay, Anna, wife of Joseph Moulton, and Mida, wife of Edward McCaffey.
 

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