Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 7th ed., 1887, Kenton Co. HON. ROBERT RICHARDSON, ex-superintendent public instruction, of Kentucky, was born May 18, 1826, and is the fifth of a family of six children born to Samuel Q. and Mary H. (Harrison) Richardson. Hon. Samuel Q. Richardson, a noted attorney of Lexington, Ky., was born in the valley of Virginia, in January, 1790, and was brought when a child to Fayette County, Ky., by his parents. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Lexington in 1812, becoming, in the course of his professional career, one of the most able attorneys of the Kentucky bar. He practiced in the courts of Lexington, Cincinnati, Louisville and Frankfort, but in the latter part of his life confined his practice almost exclusively to the court of appeals. In 1824 he removed to Louisville, but died in Frankfort in 1835, comparatively a young man, but one who had reached the highest point of honor and usefulness in his chosen profession. John C. Richardson, grandfather of Robert Richardson, was born in Mary in 1748, and immigrated to Virginia in 1767, where he was married to Miss Sarah Bainbridge. He served as a captain in the Revolutionary war, and after its close was a wealthy Virginian planter. He died in 1832. William B. Richardson, great- grandfather of our subject, lived and died in Baltimore, Md., where he married a French lady, who was a descendant of the Huguenots. The mother of Mr. Richardson was born at Harrison's Landing, Va., and was a daughter of Robert C. and Ann (Cabell) Harrison. Her father, Robert C. Harrison, was a native of Clifton, Va., born in 1765. He died in 1840. Hon. Robert Richardson, who was born in Louisville, Ky., left there when a child, removing with his mother to Lexington, where he grew to manhood. He acquired a thoroughly classical education, graduating from Transylvania University in 1846. Immediately after graduation he enlisted in Hon. Cassius M. Clay's company of Gen. Humphrey Marshall's regiment, and served until the close of the Mexican war, a part of the time as sergeant of his company. In 1848 he attended the law school at Lexington, Ky., and shortly after graduation removed to Covington, Ky., where he entered into the practice of his profession. He has, besides being one of the ablest lawyers of Kentucky, held various and honorable political positions in the State. He represented Kenton County in the Lower House of the Kentucky Legislature four years, and during that time was chairman of the committee on education, and author of most of the educational bills passed during that time. He has always been one of the most powerful advocates of free public education, and in 1859 was elected superintendent of public instruction of the State, which office he held until 1863. In 1861 he was a member of the Border State Convention, and was register of bankruptcy in Covington from 1872 to 1880. Besides these honorable and lucrative positions he has several times been elector for the Sixth Congressional District, and also for the State at large, and is an author of recognized ability. His biography has been published by the Allbons dictionary of authors, Philadelphia, and his writings comprise contributions to the American and Appleton's Encyclopedia, Kentucky school reports, educational treatises, and literary and miscellaneous writings. He is recognized as one of the most thorough scholars, one of the most elegant writers, and one of the most able lawyers in the State. He was married, April 18, 1859, to Miss Mariah L., daughter of Col. H. C. and Rhoda (Davis) Harris, of Prestonburg [sic], Ky., by whom he has had eight children, four of whom: Mary C., Randolph, Samuel Q. and Edmund B. are now living. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and has taken the council degrees in the Masonry. Mr. Richardson is Republican in politics. Richardson Harrison Bainbridge Cabell Davis Harris = Lexington-Fayette-KY Jefferson-KY Prestonsburg-Floyd-KY MD VA http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/kenton/richardson.r.txt