St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-07-13
0ROTON.

SUMMER nome ON MONDAY, July Il, at III
o'clock in the morning. He had been
East about month and though in fail
ing health was able TO be out on the
piazza about week before his death.
The following sketch Of his life is con-
d.nsed from the Davenport Democrat:
David Nelson Richardson lived over &c
years. He was born in Orange. Orange
county, Vermont, March 10, 1882. He
was the son of Oh. .stopher and Achsah
Richardson, New Englanders, who knew
well those sterling vir ucs, honesty, in.
dustry and economy. The Richardson
family is of English lineage, and traces
descent in an unbroken chain to William
Richardson, who came over in 1885 and
settled in Massachusetts. On the moth
er's side he was descended from the L.
land stock, also English, crossed by the
Powers blood, producing men of note OF
both names. The antecedeuts were men
oil the sea, soldiers. Observation-Disclosures,
brave, sell-reliant-and these qualities
can be traced in the character oil the de-
ceased.
To live in eastern central Vermont,
under the shadows of the Green noun
tains, in the '40s, was to make rugged
character, to test self-reliance. From his
birth 10 his 18th year such were his sur
roundings, but they had their compensa-
tons. He learned to love nature, and
the lesson was always remembered.
Many times and fondly he wrote of those
scenes OF his youth, of the people and
their customs. The opportunities for
education from without were scant
They consisted OF three months common
schooling each year. This was supple.
mented by a resort to books, such as
could be had, and the early thirst for the
thoughts OF Others was never quenched.
The Vermont farm did not have a strong
fascination for the future author and
traveller. but he made the best and most
oft. He taught school at Is and the
next year he found his way with slender
purse to Malone, N. Y, where be entered
Franklin Academy. Here for two years
he "scrimped'-that is the word he used
in referring to it-and studied. He
looked with some favor then to the law
as profession and read with that in
view, beside preparing to enter Middle
bury College, an object not attained. He
returned to Vermont and taught school
at Groton, but when he came to mans
estate he longed to see the west.
The fever" strong at that time gained
complete control and he started tor st.
Louis, reaching that city in March, 1854.
1t was at Sparta, Randolph county, Hi
nois, that he found the beginning of his
life's occupation. He went to that little
town from force of circumstances and for
three months taught school there, this
being both his staff and crutch during his
early western years. There was a print
ing office at Sparta and to this he was
naturally attracted. 1t was the practi-
cal college which did more for him than
any literary institution could have done.
The secrets Of that country printing
office he made his own and he never gave
them up. In the fall Of 1854 he came up
the Mississippi river TO Rock Island and
crossed the country to Peoria. An Incl.
dent occurred there which was afterward
reverted to with more pleasure than the
occasion warranted at the time. He
was arrested for murder through his
personal resemblance 70 the real criminal
but he was able to clearly prove an alb
and to establish his identity. The print
ing Office was his recourse and the step
ping stone to his career. iy7.
| From the summer of 1855 until thu
summer of 1868 Mr.. Richardson was
laying the foundation for The Democrat
prosperity. The edito .al and city col
umns Of those days show that he was
! perhaps uuconsciously, not only building
up piece of private PROF ,ity, but, that
be wesin reality also marking the lines
Of the future city Of Davenport. Every
change pointed toward impro vement
and every effort to advance the loca
interests, material, educational, and
moral. For 40 years on the 18th o.
October next, he originated, shaped and
stimulated plans for the upbuilding o.
Davenport. Day by day he wrote OF
inspired articles to encourage others who
were benefited as much as he. .t
The younger brother, ]. ]. Richardson
came 10 Davenport from the Old home
April 6, 1859. He learned the printers
trade in the Office Of this paper. After
four years Of apprenticeship, on the It'll
of May, 1868, the firm Of Richardson
Bros. was formed. The elder continued
to attend to the editorial dulles; thu
younger assumed the outside business
responsibilities. For more than thirty
five years they carried the load together
and at the start it was burdensomt
one. No hing dauntcd either of the
bro.he and no confidence OF the one
was ever withheld rom the other. In
the business affairs OF this state it may
be gravely questioned If a relationship SC
intimate has ever existed for so long 6
term under such circumstances. 1t wa.
more than iraternal; it was more thar
brotherly. From the day the partner
ship was begun until death severed il
there was that implicit trust and com
mon possession that is rare indeed
Each possessed individual endowments
but the one so supplemented the other as
to make the firm stronger than it could
otherwise have been. The Richardson
Bros. in time came to be known to hun
dreds who could not distinguish between
them. And yet acquaintance showed q
marked difference in identity. The one who
has gone left this recorded: "The one had
gained some practical knowledge of the
al preventative previous to his proprie.
torship the other achieved his in The
Democrat office. From the first half OIL
1863 to the present time their lab
have been united, constant, almost un'
RENTING. For whatever success they
have achieved in their undertaking they
have thankful hearts; and as to the good
they have done, they can only wish it
might have been greater"
Few, if any, citizens of Iowa have
penetrated into so many corners of the
United States, and Travelled so widely