William Richardson (August 17, 1735 – June 24, 1825) was a Maryland politician and

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

officer.

Early life

William Richardson was born on August 17, 1735, in Talbot County, Maryland. He was the son of Ann (née Webb) and William Richardson. As a young man, Richardson moved to Dorchester County.

Career

Richardson lived on a plantation called Gilpin Point. He worked as a planter and merchant, trading with England.

Military career

In 1776, Richardson was commissioned as a Colonel of the

4th Maryland Regiment The 4th Maryland Regiment was organized on March 27, 1777 as a part of eight companies from Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Somerset Counties. It was assigned to the 2nd Maryland Brigade -- a part of the Main Army -- on May 22, 1777. Assigned 27 D ...

of the Flying Camp and served from July to December 1776. He was at the Battle of Harlem Heights. From December 1776 to October 1779, he was the Colonel of the

5th Maryland Regiment The 5th Maryland Regiment is a designation which has been held by several units over the years, not all of which necessarily share the same lineage and honors. Although the first unit to carry the "5th Maryland" designation was organized in 1776 ...

of the Maryland Line. He helped quell an insurrection of Loyalists in Somerset and Worcester County in 1777. During the Philadelphia campaign, Richardson was charged with moving the Continental Treasury from Philadelphia to

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

in 1777. He fought at the

Battle of Camden The Battle of Camden (August 16, 1780), also known as the Battle of Camden Court House, was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. On August 16, 1780, British forces under Lieutenant General ...

in 1780. He was away from Maryland between June 1780 and March 1782. During part of this time, he was held captive in England.

Political career

Richardon was first elected to the Maryland Assembly in 1771. Richardson then served in the Maryland Assembly from 1773 to 1776, introducing the bill that formed Caroline County in 1774. He was a delegate to the

Maryland State Convention of 1788 Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to it ...

, to vote whether Maryland should ratify the proposed Constitution of the United States. He later served as a Presidential Elector in 1789 and 1792.

Later career

Richardson served as an associate justice for the 4th district court from 1791 to 1793. He was the treasurer of the Eastern Shore from 1789 to 1802 and from 1813 to 1825.

Personal life

Richardson married Elizabeth Green. Together, they had seven children: William, Daniel Peter, Joseph, Thomas, Ann Webb, Mary and Elizabeth. His wife died in 1811. Richardson, like many wealthy Marylanders of his time, was a slaveholder. In his will of June 19, 1823, Richardson made bequests of over fifty enslaved persons to approximately thirty of his own family members.

Death

Richardson died on June 24, 1825, at Gilpin Point in Caroline County. He is buried at Gilpin Point.

Legacy

Colonel Richardson High School and Colonel Richardson Middle School in Federalsburg, Maryland are named for him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, William 1735 births 1825 deaths People from Talbot County, Maryland People from Caroline County, Maryland Continental Army officers from Maryland Members of the Maryland General Assembly American Revolutionary War prisoners of war held by Great Britain 1792 United States presidential electors