The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-01-20
HE UviluN kIAG.

HE CvilUN klAG.
MAN wHo CULTIVATED sEsESTEES
THOUSAND ACRES OF LAND.
Tho Remarkable Career OF Colonel Rich
ard.on--He Rises from, Poor Boy to be
the Richest Planter in the World.
The death OF Colonel Edmund Rich
srdson, the cotton king Of the world,
which occurred at Jackson, Miss, on
Monday nigat. was not unlike that of
William H. Vanderbilt in its sudden
ness and general character. He left
Jackson the Sunday before onavlsis to
VicS<burs, and his son, W. B. Rich
ardson, " ho was with him there all day
Monday, says he had never seen his
farther in better apparent health or IN
finer spirits. o. his return trip to
Jackson his fellow travellers comment
ed on his extreme jocularity. He az
rived at Jackson at 8 little before 10
O'Clock Mondxy night and went 10
supper in the Edmunds House restau-
raut. He intended taking the 1:50
nj rht train for New Orleans. After
supper he crossed the street to see
to some persons who were making
clothing for the conyicts which he en-
ployed. A few moments later his
cries for help wero heard. He knock
ed at the door of Nelson Potter, col
ored man who lived next to the Euro
peau House. Acolored woman opened
the door and Colonel Richardson
teebly staggered in and sank iu chair
before the fire. The frightened woman
ran into the street for help, but before
it came he had fallen to the floor dead.
The breaking of blood vessel in the
brain-spoplexy-is ascribed as the
Cause.
Several years ago the mother of Col.
Richardson. then ninety years old,
was on her way from North Carolina
to Jackson 10 spend the holidays with
her son, and died on the cars just be-
fore reaching her destination.
Col. Richardson was reported to be
the richest man III the South. He was
certainly the richest man in this Sec
ton of the South. Many years ago he
was large planter in Mississippi, but
lost nearly all his property by the war.
He afterwards established the firm of
Richardson s. May, in New Orleans,
which became the largest cotton
house in the world. It is said to have
handled 10000 bales of cotton year,
and its aggregate dealings were put at
over SlO,000,000 per aunum. Col.
Richardson's personal fortune is est!-
mated at between IS, 900 and S6:-
100000.
Col. Richardson was the most cxten-
sive planter of cotton in the world.
He hsG seventeen thousand acres under
cultivation, and his average harvest
was twelve or thirteen thousand bales.
He had, besides, large area planted
in corn, oats and iniilct. In all, he
had 10000 acres ofland under cultiva-
ton. To the practical planter, fami-
lar with the difficulties OF cotton plant
ing, these figures speak volumes. No
one else can appreciate the executive
ability requisite to conduct success
fully snch immense planting opera
tons.
Col. Richardson was born in Cas-
we'll county, North Carolina, six miles
from Danville, Va, then only viii
lage, on June 2S, 1918. His father,
James Richardson, was 8 country
merchant and planter, and died in 1926.
leaving widow and seven children.
When about ten years of age young
Richardson was sen, to what was
cslied an cold field school, When
the boy was fourteen years old his
mother ob,ained for him situation in
Danyilic at $50 a year and board.
That mother must have been woman
Of great force and character; so anxious
Eas she that her boy should be able to
save his salary that she had his clothes
spun and woven at home. She fur
nished him with money for candy aud
other boyish necessaries of existence
and for an occasional visit 10 some
passing circus. "And how much," he
once asked, "do YOU suppose I saved
out of that salary? Why, just $50"
After having remained i'll Danyille
four years he removed to Clinton,
Misc, when he obtained position at
S75 month. f, q Years time he
again returnedaeio, Virginia and OBJ
tanned position in Brandon, and in
the following fall went into business
OF. his own account. He soon solo
out, however, and moved to jackson,
Miss, where he worked as clerk
until 1910. In that year the executor
of his molher's estate settled with him,
turning over to him $500 i'll money
and 8 few negroes. He then estab-
lished himself as merchant and con-
tinued in business at jackson until
1S4S. Bv that time he had made about
S0,O00, which in those days was
thought to be fine start in life. In
May of that year he married Miss
Patton, of Huntsville, Ala, a sister of
Ex-Governor Rooert Patton of that
State, and engaged in planting. In
1850 he sgaids went into business at
JACKSON with hiss brother and John
W. Robinson as partners, and opened
branch stores ut Brandon, canton,
Norton and Newton. In 1852 he
entered the cotton commission busi-
ness in New Orleans, retaining his
plantation and country store interests
until 1860, when he sold them.