William Samuel Richardson was born on a farm in McLean County, Illinois,
     May 6, 1860. He married Sarah Atteberry Eldred, of Illinois. In 1881 
     Richardson first came to Kansas for a visit that lasted the rest of his
     life. He died in 1948.
       William spent two years in Caldwell, then a lusty cowtown on the Chisholm
     trail, and then moved to Harper. He started a hackline from Harper to
     Coldwater, a distance of 100 miles. Using two teams, one stationed at the
     midway mark, the hackline made the 100 mile trip daily. One of the country's
     notorious bad men, Richardson once recalled, threatened the life of a
     passenger in a Medicine Lodge hotel, but was led out of the hotel by two
     cowboys. That same bad man was tried and acquitted of the murder of the
     first settler in the Aetna community. The settler, a man named Watts, and
     his son, were buried by Richardson and some other men, two miles south of
     Aetna, on the south side of the Salt Fork River.
       In 1884 Richardson staked a claim three miles northwest of Aetna, then a
     Flourishing little town of 200; in 1887 he bought a store and two other
     buildings. Many of his supplies were brought by dray from Hardtner and Kiwoa.
     The first store in Aetna was built in 1884 and 1885 by three Medicine Lodge
     names Byerly, Dark, and Runyan. For nearly forty years Richarson operated
     his store in Aetna, and also served as postmaster. He was a softhearted
     man and grubstaked many settlers, many of whom were never able to pay. In
     addition, he owned and operated the town's hotel and livery.
       In 1925 he sold his holdings and moved to Lake City, where he operated a
     store until his retirement in 1935.
       Richardson often recalled his boyhood pleasure at meeting President U.S.
     Grant, when he visited the home of Richardson's uncle, Senator Funk, in 
     Bloomington, Illinois. William graduated from Illinois Wesleyan at Bloomington
     with a degree in Botany.
       Six children were born to William and Sarah Richardson. They were William
     Allen of Lake City (1886-1962), married Ina Ruth Bennett and Alma Swinton.
     William and Ina had one son, Marion; and William and Alma had one son, Wilbert.
       May Belle of Kiowa (1887-1935), married Joseph V. Scripsick. "Mabel" and
     Joe had eight children: Arthur, Mary Wing, Harold, Frances Domann, Robert,
     Kenneth, Betty Wear, and Marjorie Shuster.
       Ethyl of Woodward, Oklahoma (1889-1968), married Eugene Bennett. They had
     five daughters: Mildred Pile, Vera Beard, Wilma Cook, Beryl Immell, and
     Bonnie Easterling.
       Claude Richardson of WaKenney (1892-1977), married Edra Hyatt of Hazelton,
     who died within a few weeks of lockjaw. After many years, Claude married
     Ellen Carpenter.
       Raymond of Berryville, Arkansas (1894-1965) married Doris Thompson. They
     had two sons, Donald and Wayne. Both will be remembered for their athletic
     ability when they were in school at Isabel, and later at Kingman.
       Mary of Hardtner (born 1897) married James Lasley. They had six children:
     Dale, Gayle (Mrs. Vestal Cook, Jr. of Barber County), June Achenback, Marie
     Tessie Overton, Billie Jeanne Wallace, and Patricia Pierpoint.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 382 
     Submitted by: Gayle Lasley Cook