Biography:

Dr. George Elvins Richardson was born in St. Austell, Cornwall, England on the 30th of November, 1845.  Dr. Richardson was the eldest of 9 children born to Rev. George Thomas Richardson and the former Mary Ann Elvins.  His father was a Wesleyan Methodist Minister and his siblings were; Mary Jane Richardson, Henry W. Richardson, Ellen Richardson, Emma Richardson, Benjamin Richardson, Fanny Eliza Richardson, Henrietta Richardson and Charles Albert Richardson. Dr. Richardson’s parents immigrated to Canada in 1853. The family first settled in Mara Township (now part of Ramara Twp) near Orillia, Ontario but eventually moved to the Blenheim, Ontario area.

Dr. Richardson graduated M.D. from the Detroit Medical College in 1869.  He subsequently, graduated M.D. from the University of Victoria College in 1870 and returned to Blenheim to set up his medical practice. According to the 1882 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Richardson joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 5th of October, 1870.  He was listed in the 1874 Blenheim Business Directory.

On the 23rd of December, 1873, Dr. Richardson married Elsie Jane White in Charing Cross, Ontario.  Mrs. Richardson was born in Raleigh Township (near Charing Cross) on the 22nd of April, 1852.  She was the 4th of 9 children born to Stephen H. White and the former Harriett Elizabeth West.  Her parents were farmers and her siblings were; Albert Hilliard White, Oliver Carroll White, Sarah Hannah White, John Wesley White, Sylvester Franklin White, Sidney Seymour White, Minnie May White and Hattie Victoria White.

Dr. and Mrs. Richardson had two children; Mabel Elvins Richardson was born in Blenheim on the 10th of September, 1875 and George Meymott Richardson was born on the 2nd of November, 1878.

According to the 1880 Kent Directory Dr. Richardson’s medical practice was located at 119 Queen Street in Chatham and he resided next door.  He had been appointed as a Coroner in Kent County.  In the 1881 Souter Almanac for Kent County, Dr. Richardson appears on page 52 identified as the “Town Physician”.  By 1882, Dr. Richardson had moved his medical practice and his home to Harvey Street at the corner of Centre Street.  He had been appointed as an Examiner by the Board of the Detroit Medical College.

Sadly he would never fulfil that duty as he died suddenly on the 20th of February, 1885.  According to the death notice that appeared in the February 23rd, 1885 edition of the Chatham Tri-Weekly Planet, Dr. Richardson “was passionately fond of music, and could play a variety of instruments”.  According to that same article, Dr. Richardson was writing a thesis on “The Life of Christ” at the time of his death.  Dr. Richardson, had gone outside to split some firewood.  His son went outside and found him dead in a snowbank.  He was 39 years old.  Dr. Richardson belonged to the I.O.O.F. and the A.O.U.W.

According to the 1891 census, Mrs. Richardson resided in Chatham with her 2 children.  Around 1898 Mrs. Richardson moved to Detroit, Michigan.  Mrs. Richardson died on the 8th of November, 1929 in Detroit.  At the time of her death, she resided at 80 Willis Ave., East in Detroit, with her daughter Mabel and her son-in-law Dr. James Murray, a general practitioner.

Dr. and Mrs. Richardson were buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.

*Dr. Richardson’s son, George Meymott Richardson served in the United States Army in WWI and he appears on the Gathering Our Heroes website.   At the time of his enlistment, he was living in Goshen, Indiana.