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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Desha County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Col. O. H. P. Richardson, attorney, Arkansas City, Ark. Col. Richardson, by virtue of his ability as a jurist and his victories at the bar, is eminently worthy of a place in our record of successful men, and the history of his life is an important and honorable part of that of his State and country. He was born in Morgan County, Ill., in 1838, and is the eldest of eight children born to Dr. R. F. and Sarah (Simmons) Richardson, natives respectively of North Carolina and Kentucky. Dr. Richardson moved to Illinois at an early day, located in Morgan County, but moved from there to Kaskaskia, where he practiced his profession until the breaking out of the Mexican War, when he served as surgeon in Doniphan’s regiment. Returning home after the war he remained at Kaskaskia for a short time and then removed to Liberty, Randolph County, where he remained for one year. He then removed to Jackson, Mo., and was here located for two years, when he moved to Pleasant Hill, in which place he remained until 1851. From there he moved to El Dorado, Ark., thence three years later to Hillsboro, and in 1856 he was elected State Swamp Agent, which position he held for two years, when he again located at El Dorado. There he remained until the breaking out of the war when he again returned to Hillsboro and was at that place and in the vicinity during that eventful period. Afterward he again returned to El Dorado, remained there until 1871, and then moved to Washington County, Tex., where he is residing at the present time and still continues his practice, although in his eighty-fourth year. The mother of our subject died in 1859, and the Doctor was afterward married to Mrs. Rainey, a daughter of James Aikin. She was drowned in the Mississippi River below Red River Landing, in 1871. She and the Doctor were on their way to Cape Girardeau, Mo., when the boat on which they had taken passage sank in the river. They were the parents of two children: William and Fannie (wife of J. C. Norman, of Hamburg, Ark.) The Doctor was married in 1873 to a widow, whose maiden name was Summers. They are the parents of four children. The Doctor has nine children living, three by his first wife: O. H. P., Maria F. (now Mrs. J. C. Norman, of New London, Ark.), and Robert D. (who resides in Hamburg, engaged in merchandising). The Doctor has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1849. Col. O. H. P. Richardson received the principal part of his education in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., attending school at Jackson for two years. He then went with his father to Union County, attended school at El Dorado and Hillsboro, and although prepared to enter college did not do so. He studied law at El Dorado under J. H. Carlton and was admitted to the bar in 1860. In 1861 he joined the Confederate army and was elected lieutenant in Company A, First Arkansas Regiment Infantry (Fagan’s). He served in the Army of Virginia for twelve months and took part in all the engagements of the same. He participated in the first battle of Manassas, Rogersville, and was then sent to the Trans-Mississippi Department, and was in the Nineteenth Arkansas, serving as first lieutenant of Company D, under Cols. Dawson and Haidie. Col. Richardson was acting as adjutant of his regiment for a time. He was engaged in the battle of Jenkins’ Ferry and Mansfield for two days, and was taken prisoner at Arkansas Post, sent to Memphis, but here he succeeded in making his escape. After this his command was reorganized, and he was put in Lappin’s brigade, Churchill’s division. He was paroled at Marshall, Tex., and after returning home was engaged in steamboating from Camden to New Orleans for three years. In 1873, he was at Hampton, Calhoun County, where he practiced law, and where he was elected to the Legislature in 1879. In 1886 he came to Desha County, Ark. In I860 the Colonel took the census of Union County, and there were 12,000 people, and more negroes than white. While in Calhoun County Col. Richardson was county and probate judge from 1882 to 1886, but since moving to this county he has devoted himself to his profession. He has been twice married, first in 1867 to Miss Susan F. Watts, daughter of H. L. Watts, and to this union were born five children, only two now living: Robert H. and Lillian. Two of the children died while small, and one, Mollie, died in 1880, at the age of sixteen years. Mrs. Richardson died in 1881. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Col. Richardson was married, the second time, at Camden, Ark., to Mrs. Virginia Carington, nee Smead, a native of Magnolia, Columbia County, Ark., and the sister of H. P. Smead, of Columbia County. She was the mother of one son by her former marriage, Hamilton P. Col. Richardson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and his wife of the Episcopal Church. He is a fellow-craft Mason.

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This family biography is one of 80 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Desha County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Desha County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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