My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH C. RICHARDSON, born November 7, 1816, in Nelson County, Ky., is the sixth of eight children born to John and Nancy (Castleman) Richardson, who were natives respectively, of West Virginia and Kentucky, their births occurring in 1788. The father removed with his parents to Mercer County, Ky., at an early day, was there married, and afterward removed to Nelson County, where he farmed and preached the Baptist religion. In 1817 he built a flat-boat, and in company with a few neighboring families and their household goods, floated down the Ohio River to where Grandview now is, where they disembarked. Mr. Richardson settled near where the village of Lincoln now is situated, but shortly thereafter removed to near the present site of Newtonville, where he died in 1822. His widow survived him until 1868, when she died in Clay Township. Joseph C. has made Spencer County his home mostly through life. He was raised a farmer, secured but a limited schooling in youth, but has acquired a good education in later years. In 1834 he engaged as clerk in merchandising at Gentryville, afterward becoming a partner, but in 1854 selling and becoming a partner in merchandising at Rockport. For a short time during the late war he was sutler with the Fifty-third Indiana Regiment, but ill health compelled his return, and he then worked at insurance until 1868. In that year he was defeated by J. W. Laird for Circuit Court clerk by 68 votes, but in 1872 was elected over his former adversary for the same office by 216 votes. In 1876 he was again defeated for the same position, but in 1880 was again elected, thus serving eight years. Mr. Richardson is one of the county’s oldest and best known citizens; is a Republican, and his wife belongs to the Baptist Church. He was married April 8, 1847, to Nancy A. Burkhart, of his native county, and four daughters and one son have been born to them, only two daughters now living named Abbie and Alice.