Are There Any Relations Between Thomas and Alonzo Richardson?

Andrew Richardson
Photo Credit: Jane Holiday

My maternal grandmother's father was named Thomas Richardson born abt 1884 in Ward 3 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.  Alonzo was born abt 1895 in Ward 2, in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.   I wanted to conduct genealogy research to find out if there is genealogy connection between Thomas and Alonzo. Although after looking at the United States Census today, I'm strongly convinced that there is a bloodline connection. At this point, I'm compelled now to look at every census starting at 1940 and working my way back to 1870. 

According to the 1900 United States Federal Census. I think this is a mis-spelling because it lists Alonzo's fathers' name as (Anna Richardson) and his mother name was Sarah. Growing up I always heard that there were two different sets of Richardson families. Most of the older people have long passed that could tell you anything. 

I'm analyzing the 1880 United States Federal Census and found that a man named Andrew Richardson born around 1852 in Ward 2 in St. Helena Parish. Andrew said that his father  N. Richardson's birthplace was Virginia and his mother Dicy Richardson birthplace was Georgia. Could this be Andrew spelled as Anna?  N. Richardson was born around 1820.

Anna! "I'm  presuming this could be Andrew." Andrew married Sarah J. Foster and they gave birth to  seven children according to 1900 United States Census; Girtie, Clacie, John, Marget, Leonard, Alonzo and Monore Richardson. On the Social Security Application and Claims Index, 1936-2007, they had a child named John Wesley Richardson. John  W. Richardson name is on my grandmother Josephine Richardson and Jasper Harrell, Sr. married license as a witness.

Benjamin and Celia Bankston 1853
Inventory

Both Richardson men were from St. Helena Parish during the same time.  Like I said earlier in the blog, I don't know if Carrie had other children. In 1853 when she and her son Thomas, Sr., was appraised for sale the document didn't say that she had other children. Carrie was twenty-years old when she was appraised for sale. 

Andrew died in 1908 and he is buried in Black Creek AME Church Cemetery in Greensburg, Louisiana.  I looked at the photograph of the headstone Jane Holiday posted on findagrave.com., It is almost the same inscription that is inscribed on Thomas and Amanda Breland Richardson headstones. Some of the Richardson family is also buried in Darlington, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.  

When I found my maternal grandparents' marriage licenses in the Amite Clerk of Court records I wanted to find out who was this John W. Richardson who witnesses my grandmother Josephine Richardson Harrell wedding. What relations was he to her and he had to be close to her to stand as a witness in her wedding. 

John Wesley Richardson was born in August of 1885 in St. Helena Parish. In 1920 he was married to a woman named Emma Richardson, in the 1930  United States Census, they list him as being married to Minnie  Ada Wright Richardson. They had seven children at the time the census was taken; Emmett, Flora, Inez, Mennard, Gladys, John, and Huey Richardson.

John's U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 described him as being short with black hair and black eyes and medium build and his birthplace was St. Helena Parishes, Louisiana. 

Something else I would like to point out,  Thomas son Alexander Richardson and his wife Melisa
have a son the named Emmitt N. Richardson.  John Wesley and Minnie Ada Richardson also had a son named Emmett Nathaniel Richardson. It appeared that Emmett Nathaniel moved to Oakland, California. In 1940 he was living the home of John and Starnes. The 1940 United States Census said that he and 3 years of college. 

List or Manifest of Aliens Employed on the
Vessel of Crew

Emmett N. Ricardson was married to Fidella V. Hilliness in 1959. He passed away in March of 1986 in Alameda, California. He was a California, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1959 list him on the ship named Elwood Haynes, Port of Arrival:  San Francisco, California and Port of Departure as Eniwetok.  When he passed away in 1986, they brought his remains back to St. Helena Parish, Louisiana to be buried at Black Creek AME Church. 

On the 1853 inventory list of Benjamin and Celia Bankston, I found the enslaved Africans they owned; a girl name Chole age 18 years old, girl Sally age 15, Carey 20 and her child Thomas 1 years old, boy Nathan age 15 yearly old, boy George 12, years old, boy Charles age 10, girl May age 7, girl Lucy age 14 years old, girl Harriet 32 and her four children; John age 9 years old, and girl Julia age  6 years old and Henry age about 2 years old, boy Jefferson age 12 years old. 

Questions to think about

1. Who were Carrie parents?

2. Did Carrie have other children besides Thomas, Sr., 

3. If so,  how many, who are they and, where are they?

4. Is there a genealogy connection between Thomas and Alonzo?

5. Why did John Wesley Richardson stand in Josephine Richardson Harrell's wedding?

6. Did Alexander Richardson name his son Emmett after a relative?

7. Did Alexander Richardson name his son Nathaniel after a relative?

8. Are we willing to take a DNA test to prove the theory of relations?

9. Are there any other people with the surname Richardson in the Florida Parishes,
     that we don't  know anything about?