Times were
tough and the ones who settled our country and fought for our country were the
strongest and the best of men and women of their times.
4th Great Grandfather William
Byrd "Rowdy" Richardson Born 21 Aug 1764 Montgomery, Virginia, USA
William Richardson, the subject of this
sketch, was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1765. His boyhood was passed during the exciting
times of Indian wars and the American Revolution. At the
age of seventeen he served as scout and soldier in the Indian border wars of
western Virginia and Pennsylvania. Later,
he served two years on the skirmish line in the Revolutionary War. He was a cousin of General Anthony Wayne,
their mothers having been Mattie and Nancy Hiddens. He has the reputation of having been married
seven times. His first wife was a Miss
Mary Adney, whom he married in 1784 (sic?), and who died in 1811. In 1812 he entered Harrison's army and served
during the war, with the exception of two or three months. In 1815 he married Catharine Millhouse, a
sister of Barbara Dillbone, who, with her husband, had been murdered by three
Shawnee Indians. Richardson avenged the death of Mr. and Mrs.
Dillborne by shooting the three murderers.
Two of the Indians were killed near Piqua in Miami county - the third
paying the death penalty on the Auglaize River two miles north of Buckland in
Auglaize county. Richardson was a man of
powerful physique and of great endurance.
The indulgence of his appetite led to many quarrels and fights. It is said of him that "he would rather fight than eat." Owing to his pugilistic proclivities, he was
called "Rowdy Richardson."
During the last twenty years of his life he resided at Hamar, Paulding
County, Ohio. He died in that village at
the advanced age of one hundred and nine years from injuries received in
breaking a colt on his son Oliver’ farm. He was planning on going to town on the
new colt to buy some liquor. He died
three days after being thrown of a fractured skull.
He was first cousin to General “Mad”
Anthony Wayne.
Ironic that he has horses on his headstone.
I
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