•Series 2 - Part D
The oldest daughter of William and Charlotte Warner Morris was Elizabeth "Betsey" Morris (1796-1865). She wed Stephen Richardson, who was the son of Hardy and Fanny Mizell Richardson, in 1819, with their marriage one of the first on official record in our parish. All information in this series of columns is credited to Dr. E. Russ William's book "Kinsmen All Descendants of Wettenhall Warner and Related Families."
While the couple - Stephen and Betsey - first resided near his mother Fanny Mizell Richardson, who by then was a widow, he bought his own property on July 9, 1825, at Sheriff's sale (at that time his brother Benjamin Richardson was sheriff). It had been James Foster's place on Pearl River. Accordingly, the couple moved to the East side of Washington Parish.
Stephen and Betsey Morris Richardson had the following four children: Stephen Decator Richardson (1826-1866), William Porter Richardson (1824-1875); Hardy Richardson (1822-1883), and Charlotte Richardson (1820-1861), who wed John Poole. While it was initially thought that Betsey Richardson was the operator of a water mill on Lea's (Lee's) Creek later in life, a bill that was part of her husband's succession revealed that he had established the saw and grist mill on Lea's Creek before he died.
Dr. Williams explained Stephen's cause of death which came relatively early, before 1840 and even before his mother Fanny's death in 1837. Politically ambitious as the Richardsons largely were, Stephen was away from home quite often supporting his brother Benjamin Richardson who was a state representative in the 1830s. A man of large stature, he went to work in the fields upon his return from a spring legislative session, plowing and hoeing the grass and weeds in an effort to save the crops. According to Dr. Williams, Stephen's "fat melted" as a result of the extreme heat and excitement. The victim of a heat stroke, he died within a few hours.
After her husband's death, Betsey tied the knot with Thomas Jefferson Brassfield (1804-1865) who was the offspring of Zachariah and Mary Bickham Brassfield. A well-respected man, he was admired by his step-children as well as the community. Tom became a Justice of the Peace and what is known as Bassfield Road was named for him; the "r" was dropped over the years.
Son Stephen Decator Richardson wed Eliza R. Warren (1826-1895), who was the daughter of Daniel Rees and Martha Seale Warren. The couple had six children including Daniel Warren Richardson (1848-1929) better known as "Uncle Warren" who married Rosa B. Thomas, first, and Fannie Thomas, second; Davidson Green Richardson (1850-1919) who married Olevia Pierce; Martha Richardson (1846-1933) who married Leroy Laffette Thomas; Laura O. Richardson (1858-1917) who married Quitman "Pete" Parker; Lona Richardson (born 1855) who married Joshua Evans; and Charlotte E. Richardson (1861-1926) who married Emile Welsh.
Son Hardy Richardson married Martha Warren Roberts who was the daughter of Daniel and Martha Warren, Sr., and the widow of Jefferson Roberts. The couple had the following children: Rosa Elizabeth Richardson (1866-1936), who married John T. Dyson, and Mary Ann Miranda "Tince" Richardson (born 1868), who married Joseph W. Carter. Hardy Richardson was a man of influence in Washington Parish, Louisiana. Stay tuned for a future column detailing his life and accomplishments.
Son William Porter Richardson wed Nancy Lampton on December 7, 1848. Referring to him as Bill, Dr. Williams revealed that he served as a soldier in the War with Mexico. He enlisted in the 4th Regiment Louisiana Militia, Captain John G. Staples's Company, which unit was known as the David Regiment and later Company G. Bill and wife Nancy had twelve children: Stephen Pinkney Richardson (1849-1907), who married Lena Leota Burch; Lucy E. Richardson (1851-1852); Ardelia Charlotte Richardson (1853-1933), who married William L. Fussell; Benjamin Slidell Richardson (1855-1916), who married Sarah Martena Roberts; William Lampton Richardson (1857-1947), who married Evelyn Magee; Pauline Valeria Richardson (1859-1897), who married Matthew Griffen Mizell; Emma Josephine Richardson (born 1861), who married George Fisher; Mary Ella Richardson (1863-1868); Lorena Viola Richardson (1865-1951), who married Lewis Adolphus Bickham; James Otis Richardson (1866-1872); Hardy Chessley Richardson (1869-1952), who married Sara Lucy Wadsworth; and Lanese L. Richardson (1871-1943), who married Mary C. Magee.
I would be remiss if I didn't note family friends among the descendants named. Descending from Stephen Pinkney Richardson, a well known resident of Fisher whose life I've previously detailed, are Stephen Richardson, husband of Mary Elizabeth and father of Kay Richardson McCain and Clay Richardson, and R. W. "Dick" Richardson, husband of Marilyn.
Descending from Benjamin Slidell Richardson, prominent in both the Enon and Sunny Hill areas, are John Barrett Green, married to Dianne, and Heyward Carter Green, married to Carolyn. Benjamin "Ben" Slidell Richardson was the grandfather of Geraldine Richardson, the daughter of his son Otis Destrehan Richardson and wife Zoe Carter. Geraldine, well known as "Jerry," married Heyward Green, and they were the parents of Johnny and Heyward Carter Green. And Hardy Chessley Richardson, who was a U. S. Marshal, Sheriff, and Louisiana Senator, was the grandfather of Sally Evelyn Babington, who married Wayne Knight.
The youngest child of Stephen and Betsey Morris Richardson was daughter Charlotte (1820-1861), who married John Poole (1810-1848). She was only sixteen when they wed in 1836. It is his family that Pool's Bluff, where they settled, over the Pearl River is named for - John was the son of William and Elizabeth Poole. John and Charlotte Richardson Poole had the following children: Stephen Poole (1837-1908), who married Miriam Pounds; Abner Carter Poole (1839-1925), better known as "Uncle Ab" who married Margania Wood; James O. Poole (born 1844), who married an Ellis, first, and Margaret F. Thomas, second; Hardy Poole (1847-1917), who married an Elliott; and Fountain Poole (born 1848), who married Margaret Thomas.
Sadly, also in 1948, John Poole perished in the Pearl River which had overflowed its banks. Stranded on the Mississippi side, he drove his oxen across the Pearl, letting one of them pull him across. But a floating limb separated John from the animal, and unable to swim, he drowned.
More friends, who descend from John and Charlotte Poole. Richard Jenkins, married to Candy; Darryl Jenkins, married to Annwood; and Beth Jenkins Pettit descend from Abner Carter and Margania Wood Poole as do Mary Jo Poole and Jane Poole, married to Dan Johnson, and also my childhood friends, siblings Rhonda and Kenny Kinlaw.
Stay tuned for more on the Warners.
