David Humber Richardson was born January 8, 1937 in Walker County, Alabama, son of Josiah Richardson and Lucy Humber. David Humber Richardson
David Humber Richardson was born January 8, 1937 in Walker County, Alabama, son of Josiah Richardson and Lucy Humber.
The Richardson family came to Texas from Alabama in 1854, settling around the Old North Church near Nacogdoches.
David taught at Richardson School near Appleby, Texas, for several years.
He married Pervilla Shepherd Harris, daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth Reed Shepherd, on September 5, 1860. David and Pervilla had three children (Nannie, Fannie, and Thomas Franklin) before Pervilla died about 1865.
David married Josephine Fry about 1870. Josephine was born July 9, 1844.
They lived in Elysian Fields, Harrison County, Texas, and had at least four children: Burney, Kat, Pearl, and another daughter.
See USGS GNIS mapping information for Elysian Fields, ID# 1335420
David wrote several books. One book called The Great Texas and Pacific Railway apparently gained him the attention of railroad magnate Jay Gould, because the T&P offered David a job as a land buyer.
In 1880, the railroad sent him to Baird in Callahan County, where one of his jobs was setting up experimental farms to attract settlers to the area. He may have also helped to lay out the town of Baird.
See USGS GNIS mapping information for Baird, ID# 1372371
Baird was incorporated Jan. 22, 1889, and the first election was held February 22, 1889. David was elected to the first board of City Councilmen. He was elected the second Mayor of Baird on April 1, 1890.
David Richardson died December 12, 1892 in Baird, Callahan County, Texas, and was buried in Ross Cemetery in Baird.
Josephine Fry Richardson died October 2, 1906, and was buried next to her husband.
David and Josephine's daughter Pearl had lived in Baird longer than any other resident at the time of her death there in 1946. She was buried near her parents in Ross Cemetery.
See their headstones on the Cemeteries page.