The Green Ba Vol. XI.
No. 8.
BOSTON.
August, 1899.
WILLIAM ADAMS RICHARDSON. By Edmund S. Spald1ng. FEW books have been given to the world so publicly, and yet so privately, as " A Sketch of the Life and Public Services of William Adams Richardson by Frank Warren Hackett." Privately printed, Wash ington, 1898. After the death of Chief Justice Richard son, October 19, 1896, a letter was found among his papers, bearing no date, but addressed to Frank Warren Hackett, re questing him to write his life, to be printed privately, to be given to friends and to vari ous public libraries. He and Mr. Hackett had been professional and personal friends for nearly thirty years, and the biography shows thorough knowledge and ability for the work. William Adams Richardson was born in the quiet country town of Tyngsborough, in the northern part of Massachusetts, Novem ber, 2, 182 1 . His -descent is traced from a line of strong and worthy English ancestors. His grandfather, William Merchant Rich ardson, who lived in Portsmouth, N. H., was chosen chief justice of New Hampshire, a position ably filled until his death, a period of twenty-two years. His father, the third son of Judge W. M. Richardson, Daniel Richardson, settled in Tyngsborough, in the practice of law, and had two sons, both of whom adopted the same profession. Wil liam Adams Richardson, the younger son, was graduated from Harvard College in 1843. He was considered a faithful and industri
ous, rather than a brilliant scholar. He was admitted to the Suffolk bar, July 8, 1846. He went to Lowell and entered into part nership with his brother, Daniel S. Richard son, already well and favorably known at the bar. He devoted himself more to the solid work and careful investigations of his profes sion than to any prominence as an advocate. In 1855 Mr. Richardson compiled a vol ume upon the banking laws of Massachu setts. He was never neglectful of the claims of any client, but he found great interest in the prompt and methodical arrangement of all legal subjects. Unexpectedly there came to him an opportunity for this kind of con genial work when Governor Gardner ap pointed him one of three commissioners to consolidate and rearrange the Massachu setts statutes, retaining everything essential, but omitting every tautological expres sion. He bent his whole mind to this labor, and upon himself and George S. Sanger de volved the labor of editing and superintend ing the printing of the new form. It is related of Mr. Richardson that one day at the State House, Judge Parker, who was chairman of the board of commissioners, put into his hand a chapter drawn up in formally, and asked him if he could put it into better shape. He took it home to Lowell, where he then lived, sat up all night, and recast it into three pages, which were printed just as he had written them. It is remarkable that this taste for what 349
