Thomas and Eunice Lettie Hickman Richardson

Thomas Richardson

  Thomas Richardson, son of Shadrach and Sarah Haskel Aimes, was born in Payson, Utah, February 2, 1861. His mother died when he was six years old. He moved with his father to Benjamin in 1869. He attended such schools as they had at the time and learned to read and write.

  In the year 1884 he was married to Eunice Lettie Hickman in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. T hey were very popular among the young folks and on their return home a dinner was given for them at the home of her mother and a dance was given that evening in the old adobe school house.

  For three years they made their home with Eunice's mother when they bought a ranch in the northwest part of Benjamin and built a three room adobe house where they lived for a great many years. Later a brick building replaced the adobe one.

  Tom Richardson, as he was called by his friends and neighbors, loved hunting and loved to be in the mountains getting out timber for fuel, fencing, etc. He made a success of farming and loved the work, especially irrigating.

  He was rather retiring in his nature and did not care for work of a public nature. He was an officer in the Young Men's Mutual Association for a number of years and was associated with others in the Elders' Quorum.

  He loved children, which seems to be a characteristic of all the Richardson men.

  In the year 1921 he was stricken with paralysis from which he suffered partial blindness and palzy.  On October 1, 1924, he suffered a second stroke which left him helpless. He passed away on October 21, 1924, and was buried in the Benjamin cemetery. His wife Eunice Lettie H. Richardson and eight children survive him. One child died in infancy.

  His children are: T. Leslie Richardson, wife Hazel Ludlow Richardson, Benjamin, Utah; Shadrach Milton Richardson (died November, 1928), wife Madge Evans Richardson, Spanish Fork, Utah; Genevieve Richardson Lundell, husband F. Joseph Lundell, Benjamin, Utah; Lucy Ann Richardson Roundy, husband Adelbert Roundy, Mapleton, Utah; George Wesley Richardson, wife Pauline Butler, Benjamin, Utah; Alton Richardson, wife Ruth Baadsgaard, Benjamin, Utah; Eunice Lettie Richardson McKenzie, husband Ray McKenzie, Springville, Utah.  There are 29 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

This picture of Thomas and Eunice Richardson and their family was taken in their yard in Benjamin, Utah about 1905 by pioneer Utah photographer George Edward Anderson.  The front row, left to right are:

Alton H. (1904-1977), George Wesley (1899-1952), Lucy Ann (1896-1994), Eunice Lettie (1865-1946). 

The back row, left to right are Thomas (1861 to 1923), Sterling (1892-1934), Shadrach Milton (1888-1927), Thomas Leslie (1885-1963), Genevieve (1894-1951).   Not pictured are children David Othello (1889-1891), who had died, and Eunice (1907-1991), who had not yet been born.

Final Tribute Paid Thomas Richardson

(Special to the News)

  SPANISH FORK, Oct 25.---Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon in the Benjamin ward chapel for Thomas Richardson 63, who died Sunday after a three weeks illness following a paralytic stroke.  Bishop John Johnson was in charge and also made the closing remarks.  Other speakers were B.M. Davis, Joseph H. Hand and Josiah Hickman.  Heber Haseon offered the invocation, Bishop James T. Gardner of American Fork pronounced the benediction.  Music was furnished by the Benjamin choir and by Mr. and Mrs Leslie Hickman of Provo.  Interment was in the Benjamin cemetery where the grave was dedicated by Joseph A. Tibbetts.

  Mr. Richardson has lived in Benjamin for 55 years.  He is survived by his wife, five sons and three daughters.  One of the daughters is Genevieve Richards, county recorder.

--Deseret News, Oct 25 1923 p.3.

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