John D. Richardson

John D. Richardson was born September 14, 1847, in Dorchester County, Maryland. He came to St. Joseph in 1870 and secured a job as accountant for Donnell & Saxton who were then active in railroad contracting for the line which later became the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railway.

He then joined John S. Brittain in the wholesale dry goods business and in 1882 the firm became Brittain, Richardson & Company and the building on the southwest corner of Fourth & Jule Streets was built. He withdrew from that firm in 1890 and organized the Richardson, Roberts, Byrne Dry Goods Company, which included Joseph S. Roberts and T. B. Byrne. This Company became the Richardson-Roberts Dry Goods Company and finally the Richardson Dry Goods Company. This business grew to be one of the largest jobbing houses in the Missouri Valley and occupied its own seven-story building on the northwest corner of Third and Jule Streets. In addition to owning a majority interest in the dry goods company, Mr. Richardson had stock holdings in the Burnes National Bank, of which he served as president, and in the Pioneer Sand Company.

Mr. Richardson was married in 1897 to Miss Alie Donovan, daughter of John Donovan, Sr., and sister of John Donovan, Jr. They owned the house at 624 North Fifth Street and an eighty-acre, heavily wooded country place east of St. Joseph (now Stonecrest) which they named "Clifton Forest”, after the birthplace of Mrs. Richardson in Maryland. It was one of the show places of St. Joseph.

Mr. Richardson was a member of the St. Joseph Park Board for 1909, for several terms prior to 1916, and in 1918 his friends placed his name in nomination for mayor, but he did no campaigning, and was not elected. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson had no children and were very charitable. He was a vestryman of Christ Episcopal Church for many years, and a trustee of Noyes Hospital. Mrs. Richardson died in March 1923.

On Thursday, January 3, 1924, a surprise dinner was given by the employees of the Richardson Dry Goods Company for their officers. Mr. Richardson was greatly pleased and made a brieftalk. On Saturday evening he fell on the stairs of his home on North Fifth Street and died at Noyes Hospital on Sunday, January 6th. He was survived by Mrs. Jessie I. Roberts, sister of Mrs. Richardson. The press stated: 'Scores of persons in St. Joseph remember Mr. and Mrs. Richardson for their kindliness and aid, much of it done so quietly it was not known to the public.’