pgs.
237-238
DELAWARE AND BUCHANAN COUNTIES.
AARON RICHARDSON was born in Keene, Cheshire county, New New
Hampshire, May 9, 1825, and is a son of Barzilla and Lydia (Foster) Richardson. His father was a native of Swanzey, the same state, was a, farmer, a man of moderate
circumstances, yet quite prominent
in local affairs. He was an invalid
almost a life-time, and died in 1851, aged fifty-seven years. He was a son of Amos and Phebe Richardson, both New Englanders, of English descent, who
died in New Hampshire. Lydia
Foster was Born in Swanzey, N. H., and died in 1884, aged
eighty-four. She was a daughter of
Joel Foster, of Scotch descent, also a native of New England.
The parents of our subject both died
in Keene, N. H., the parents of ten children, viz.—Amos, now living in
Manchester; Phebe and Martha, deceased; Joel F.,a retired railroad official of the Big Four railroad, living
at Shelbyville, Ind.; Aaron, whose name
stands at the head of this sketch ; Eri, a
capitalist at Sioux City, Iowa; David, a railroad contractor at Indianapolis;
Sarah, deceased ; Barzilla, Jr., a real estate dealer
at Keene, N. H.; Lydia A., the widow of George Cole, of Westmorland, N. H., and
now living in Keene, N. H.
Aaron
Richardson, the subject proper of this sketch, was raised on a farm in his native
place and there received his education.
In 1844 he went to work on the Western railroad as an overseer,
and two years later went to the Worcester & Providence railroad, which was in course of
construction, and worked one summer laying ties. He next went to Cheshire railroad as fireman, served with that
company five months in
that position, then was
given an engine and served in the capacity of engineer seven
years on that road, running between Pittsburgh and Bellows Falls.
He then went to the Western Vermont railroad and acted as engineer from
Rutland to Bennington one year; then was offered the position of master mechanic, but did not
accept it. He then went on the Rochester & Niagara Falls road as engineer and ran a year,
and then went
to Chicago and went on the Rock Island railroad as engineer and was in the
employ of that company for about six months.
He then gave up railroading and came to Iowa, and bought a farm in the vicinity
where he now lives. After giving his
attention to agriculture for two years he moved to Hopkinton, this county, and
went into the mercantile business, in which he remained five years, and then
went to railroading again as engineer on the Racine & Mississippi
railroad. One year later he went to
Dubuque and was employed on the Iowa Central railroad for three months, when he
gave up railroading and went back to Hopkinton and engaged in the stock
business in connection with farming for about five years, and then entered into
mercantile business there and was thus engaged three years, and during that
time he was largely instrumental in getting what is now the Millwaukee & St. Paul railroad through Hopkinton. He
was a member of the county board of supervisors two years from South Fork township. In 1880 he moved on his farm where he now lives,
and now owns two hundred and fifty acres in sections 24 and 25, Hazel Green township, and fifteen acres in Hopkinton, and also owns a
store building there.
It will be
seen that our subject worked for his father until twenty-one years of age, and
then started out in life on his own account and has made all he has through his
own industry and enterprise. He has done all the improving on his farm and put
up all the buildings. He also established a creamery on his farm about 1879,
but had the misfortune of being burned out, but with indomitable courage and
unconquerable determination to repair his losses and restore his business to
even a better condition than before, he at once rebuilt, and is now milking forty-five
cows, besides doing a small stock business.
Mr.
Richardson is a Master Mason, and in politics is a republican. He is liberal in
his aid to educational enterprises. His religion is Liberal and Free Thought.
In 1852 Mr.
Richardson married Miss Maria Belding, of Swanzey, N.
H., a daughter of Elijah C. and Elvira Belding, and this happy union has been
crowned by the birth of six children, viz.—Napoleon B., who is managing the
creamery at home. This gentleman married Flora McBride and has one child—Winniford. The second child born to our subject and wife, is Frederick E., an insurance and loan agent at Manchester. He married Miss Emma J. Cotton and
has had born to him two children, viz.—Milville and Willow. The third child born to our subject
is William A., a farmer in Dakota, who married Miss Eva O. Gris,
and has one child—Leon. Mr. Richardson's remaining three
children, are—Nellie, Emma and Charles O., all single and at home with their
parents.
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