Johnson William Richardson
Encyclopedia
Johnson William "Billy" Richardson (1834–1862) (Virginia
– Fort Laramie) was a native of Virginia. At a fairly young age he was shanghaied onto a sea going freighter where he sailed in icy seas of the North Atlantic. It was a number of years before he found an opportunity to make a successful escape. He ventured to St. Joseph Missouri where he was employed as a hostler by Fish and Robidoux in 1859. During that time he also rode race horses at a popular track on Sparta Road.
Billy Richardson is believed by many to have been the first westbound rider for the Pony Express
. The contemporaneous newspaper account (written within hours of the actual event) as it appeared on April 4, 1860 in the St. Joseph Daily West, recorded him as the first Pony Express
rider on April 3, 1860, "The rider is a Mr. Richardson, formerly a sailor, and a man accustomed to every description of hardship, having sailed for years amid the snows and icebergs of the Northern ocean." The article was reprinted in The Weekly West
.
In the photo of the four Expressmen, Billy Richardson pictured in a sailor's hat and jacket is standing next to Johnny Fry
. Also pictured is Charlie and Gus Cliff, the other Westbound riders for Lewis' division.
Apparently, the expressmen had drawn straws to determine who would make the inaugural ride. Johnny Fry
drew the shortest straw, which meant he would make the ride, but injured himself the day before, so Richardson who was next in line replaced him.
Years later, a W. B. Richardson (1851–1946) claimed to be the Pony Express rider denied the honor, in an article titled "Uncle Billy Richardson, 91 Today, Disclaims Fame." W. B., who would have been about ten years old the day of the historic ride, boasts that his half brother Paul Coburn, who was the station manager, "accidentally" threw the "mail pouch" on his pony instead of Fry's horse and so he made the ride. His recollection contradicts all historic accounts.
Clearly, J. W. Richardson, the actual rider, was not W. B. Richardson, a nine or ten year old boy, but a grown man when he was hired by Lewis for Russell, Majors and Waddell. He rode for the company until the Transcontinental Telegraph
went into service. According to his relatives he rode on to Fort Laramie and died later that year.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
– Fort Laramie) was a native of Virginia. At a fairly young age he was shanghaied onto a sea going freighter where he sailed in icy seas of the North Atlantic. It was a number of years before he found an opportunity to make a successful escape. He ventured to St. Joseph Missouri where he was employed as a hostler by Fish and Robidoux in 1859. During that time he also rode race horses at a popular track on Sparta Road.
Billy Richardson is believed by many to have been the first westbound rider for the Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
. The contemporaneous newspaper account (written within hours of the actual event) as it appeared on April 4, 1860 in the St. Joseph Daily West, recorded him as the first Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
rider on April 3, 1860, "The rider is a Mr. Richardson, formerly a sailor, and a man accustomed to every description of hardship, having sailed for years amid the snows and icebergs of the Northern ocean." The article was reprinted in The Weekly West
The Weekly West
The Weekly West was an American newspaper founded by twenty-two year old Frances Marion Posegate in St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1859 it was expanded to a daily paper. In August, 1860 Posegate sold the paper to James Tracey & Co....
.
In the photo of the four Expressmen, Billy Richardson pictured in a sailor's hat and jacket is standing next to Johnny Fry
Johnny Fry
Johnny Fry was the first "official" westbound rider of the Pony Express.Fry was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky to John Fry and Mary Fry...
. Also pictured is Charlie and Gus Cliff, the other Westbound riders for Lewis' division.
Apparently, the expressmen had drawn straws to determine who would make the inaugural ride. Johnny Fry
Johnny Fry
Johnny Fry was the first "official" westbound rider of the Pony Express.Fry was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky to John Fry and Mary Fry...
drew the shortest straw, which meant he would make the ride, but injured himself the day before, so Richardson who was next in line replaced him.
Years later, a W. B. Richardson (1851–1946) claimed to be the Pony Express rider denied the honor, in an article titled "Uncle Billy Richardson, 91 Today, Disclaims Fame." W. B., who would have been about ten years old the day of the historic ride, boasts that his half brother Paul Coburn, who was the station manager, "accidentally" threw the "mail pouch" on his pony instead of Fry's horse and so he made the ride. His recollection contradicts all historic accounts.
Clearly, J. W. Richardson, the actual rider, was not W. B. Richardson, a nine or ten year old boy, but a grown man when he was hired by Lewis for Russell, Majors and Waddell. He rode for the company until the Transcontinental Telegraph
First Transcontinental Telegraph
The First Transcontinental Telegraph was a milestone in electrical engineering and in the formation of the United States of America. It served as the only method of near-instantaneous communication between the east and west coasts during the 1860s....
went into service. According to his relatives he rode on to Fort Laramie and died later that year.
External links
- Pony Express on Oregon Trail
- Kansas Historical Quarterly
- History Buff Primary Source
- National Historic Trail - Pony Express Stables
- Pony Express Resource Study - Chapter 2
- http://billyrichardson.wordpress.com/pony-express-mystery-1/, “The Pony Express Mystery”, by Lee Starnes from “Museum Graphic Vol. 3 / Winter 1951 / No. 1: 4, 4 by Lee Starnes
- http://billyrichardson.wordpress.com/pony-express-mystery-2/, “The Pony Express Mystery”, by Lee Starnes from “Museum Graphic Vol. 3 / Winter 1951 / No. 1: 4, 10-11 by Lee Starnes
- http://billyrichardson.wordpress.com/pony-express-mystery-3/ , “The Pony Express Mystery”, by Lee Starnes from “Museum Graphic Vol. 3 / Winter 1951 / No. 1: 4, 11 by Lee Starnes