DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about William Richardson, out in Henderson County. Pull over if you need to — this one's got some layers to it. William Richardson came into this world on December 6, 1805, born in South Carolina.
He made his first big move in 1830, heading west to Pickens County, Alabama. Four years later, on February 13, 1834, he married Mary, known to everyone as Polly, Kilpatrick. Together they built a family that would fill a room — John K., James J., Sara F., Margaret C., Martha E., William A., Peter M., Andrew J., Franklin P., Ann, Allen, Texana, Mary M., and Judeth.
Fourteen children. Count 'em. Now, a man with a family that size and ambition to match eventually starts looking at a horizon he hasn't crossed yet.
And for William Richardson, that horizon was Texas. On December 12, 1855, after a long wagon train push, Richardson arrived right here — not just with Polly and all those children, but with his slaves, and with the families of his brothers Steven Madison and Matthias alongside him. A whole world of people rolling in together.
He built a home about a mile to the northeast and set himself up as a planter. That same year, 1855, he got his cattle brand recorded — he called it the Three Circles. He was appointed to lay out one of the first roads between Athens and Kaufman, and here's a thing worth chewing on: Highway 175, the road you may well be traveling right now, follows much of that original route.
He and his brothers also helped found the First Baptist Church in Athens. Now, the marker is careful to name every soul Richardson brought to Texas in bondage, and so am I. Dinah, Charles, Gin, Rachel, Washington, Henry, Tom, Harrison, Kate, Easter, Til, Carolina, Jane, Sam, Congo, Marion, Mimm, and Jube.
Eighteen people, named. All of them took the Richardson name. And when freedom came, most of them stayed on with the family.
Later, they and their descendants established their own community — the Sand Flat community, about a mile north-northeast of this spot. They built something of their own out of all of it. William Richardson died on May 30, 1864.
His wife Polly lived on until 1889. He's buried in the family cemetery, a mile to the northeast, along with Polly, two of his sons, and two grandchildren. Some of the enslaved people he brought here are buried in that same ground.
One cemetery, holding all of them — that's the last word the land gets to say about what happened here.
What the marker says
(Dec. 6, 1805 - May 30, 1864) Born in South Carolina, William Richardson moved to Pickens County, Alabama in 1830. There he married Mary "Polly" Kilpatrick (1813-1889) on Feb. 13, 1834. Children born to them were John K., James J., Sara F., Margaret C., Martha E., William A., Peter M., Andrew J., Franklin P., Ann, Allen, Texana, Mary M., and Judeth. Richardson moved his family, slaves, and the families of his brothers, Steven Madison and Matthias, to Texas by wagon train, arriving at this location on Dec. 12, 1855. Richardson built a home (1 mi. NE) and became a successful planter. His "Three Circles" cattle brand was recorded in 1855. He was appointed to lay out one of the first roads between Athens and Kaufman. Highway 175 follows much of his original route. He and his brothers helped found the First Baptist Church in Athens. The slaves he brought to Texas were Dinah, Charles, Gin, Rachel, Washington, Henry, Tom, Harrison, Kate, Easter, Til, Carolina, Jane, Sam, Congo, Marion, Mimm, and Jube. All took the Richardson name, and most stayed on with the family after being freed. Later they and their descendants established the Sand Flat community (1 mi. NNE). William Richardson is buried in the family cemetery (1 mi. NE) along with his wife, two sons, and two grandchildren. Some of the slaves are buried there also. (1984)