Career
Born in Athens, Limestone County, Alabama to William Richardson and Anne Davis, Richardson served in the, fighting for the Confederacy. Richardson enlisted in Company K, 50th Regiment Alabama Infantry and was wounded in the battle of Shiloh and was taken prisoner.
He escaped from prison, was caught, and about to be shot as a spy at Murfreesboro when "on the morning air there came to our ears with heartfelt welcome the famous rebel yell," and General Forrest with his "critter company" rescued him.
This account is given in Andrew Nelson Lytle"s Bedford Forrest and His Horse Critters. William then joined Company East of the 50th Alabama Infantry Regiment, and was again wounded at Chickamauga.
He was paroled in April 1865 in Marietta, Georgia. After the war, Richardson returned to Limestone County and served in the Alabama House of Representatives between 1865 and 1867 from that district.
He studied law and was admitted to the bar at Huntsville in 1867.
Between 1875 and 1886, he served as judge of the probate and county courts of Madison County. Richardson played a major role in the election of George Smith Houston as governor the next year. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1904.
He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-sixth congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Joseph Wheeler.
He was reelected to the Fifty-seventh and to the six succeeding Congresses. He served until his death.