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Mary Sophia*
Harmon (Harman)
William Pinkerton
Richardsonversion 41: 8 / 4 / 10 (daughter of John Harman
and
Pauline Bartles (Bartlett?) .................
(son of William B. Richardson
and
Violet J. Whitton)MARY'S INFO
* Alternate middlenames:(Sophie?) (Soffie) (Sofa) (Sophia was in her obit.) but in two handwritten notes from Mary, she spelled it Soffa or Sofa.
Her tombstone states: "Sophia".
The only evidence that I have that Mary used Harmon as her maiden last name instead of her father's last name Harman is found on a handwritten note (see below) in which she used Harmon.
Really neatness!
A map of Bynumville, Chariton Co., MO in 1897 shows property of FE, FF, John and S. Harmon. Mary would have been living with her parents in the land labelled John Harmon near Bynumville.
b. 30 Jun 1881 near Wien, Chariton Co., MO (according to Mary's note) but Jun 1880 in 1900 Census. On 17 Jun 1880 she was not listed in her parents census record, but if she was born on the 30th that is consistent with either 1880 or 1881.
married
16 Aug 1899
at Bynumville
Chariton Co., MO
View children below.
WILLIAM'S INFO
(view his website)
b. 8* Sep 1866-7 in
Hope, in Bartholomew County, Indiana
* Day of 8 taken from his Obituary and
a family listing by his daughter Mary Frances.
Her listing gives his birthdate as 8 Sep 1866
however.
d. 8 Nov 1946 in McLarney Hospital
in Brookfield, MO buried in Mount Olivet
Cemetery, Marceline, MO on 11 Nov 1946
Photo by Kevin Casey
Dates taken from his Obituary. (see below)
(aka Richeson in 1920 census
& Richerson in 1930 census)
Read his Obit: OBIT
More Mary Info...
The first on-paper documentation of Mary that I have found is after she is married, since the 1890 census is not available. Nineteen year old Mary and her family were found in the in the 1900 Census as the William P. Richardsons living in Clark Township in Chariton Co., MO. The number of years married and number of children was zero!!! It also states that Mary was born in June 1880 and William in September 1867. Both dates are in debate based on other references. (June 1881 and September 1866)It appears that they moved to Linn Co., by 1902 because Russell, Mildred and Ruby were born there in the 1902-1905 time period. Or maybe they just visited the Marceline hospital for those births which is just north of the Chariton County area they had been living in. Or maybe they moved back to Westville by 1907 when Herbert was born.
They lived in Nebraska by 1909 because Norman and Wilford were supposedly born near Alexandria, Thayer Co., Nebraska. I have found them in the 1910 census there. William's obituary also says that he lived for four years in Nebraska. The 1930 census also states that Norman was born in Nebraska but Wilfred had left home.
By 1913 they had moved back to the Westville area in Chariton Co, because Marvin was born there. In the 1920 Census for Charition Co, Clark Township, their last name was written as Richeson. W. P. is listed as 52 and Mary is listed as 38. He is listed as born in Indiana with parents born in Indiana and Kentucky. She is listed as born in Missouri with parents born in Germany.
Again in the 1930 census, her family was listed as the Richesons. She is listed as Mary S. and 48. She is listed as born in Missouri with parents born in Germany. She was 18 when she married William.
As far as I know, they lived in Chariton Co., after they moved back from Nebraska. William died in 1946 and Mary in 1965. They are both buried in Linn Co. but William P. is buried in Marceline and Mary is buried in Meadville near her son Herbert Richardson.
Mr. and Mrs. William Pinkerton RichardsonPhoto taken at Nickell Photographters
in Marceline in Linn Co, Mo.
Date: unknown but around 1900
soon after their wedding I imagine.On the back is written in pencil:
Mary Sofa Richardson
William Pinkerton Richardsonfrom collection of Donald DeWitt
d. 30 Jul 1965 in Emmett, MI
and buried in Meadville Cemetery,
Linn Co., MO (FindAGrave)
Funeral on 3 Aug 1965Details from Obit (2 Aug 1965):
Read her Obits: OBITSThree sons had preceeded her in death (They were not stated but should be Russell, Herbert and Harlan?)See photo of the 4 Harmon kids below.
and Tillie (Tilda) Minks who lived in Brunswick, MO was her surviving sister. (I assume the sons are Russell, Herbert and ?Harlan?)
Some of her siblings were: Tilda, Louise and Gus
Photo by Terri Spencer
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My interpretation from this census by Don DeWitt:
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| Views of Mary's Life: |
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In a note
written by Mary found in the collection of Joel S. DeWitt, Jr, Mary
wrote
about herself:
Mary Soffa Harmon RichardsonShe also wished to be buried by her son Herbert in Meadville. |
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The
Harmon kids (Pauline's)
These
are
the youngest
photos Back row:
Louisa (Lou) Harmon, Left to right: Mary Sophia Harmon, Henry August (Gus) Harmon
Location: taken by Nickell Photography in Marceline, MO Date: before 1899 From
the
collection
of Joel S. DeWitt, Jr
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Some of the Harmans
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Location: probably Chariton Co, MO Date: Before 1928 when Paulina died. |
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Location:
?
Date: Christmas day, 1942-3? Back
row: Fay
Haley *
Mary
Richardson wrote
on the Front
row: William
Fay Haley From
collection of
Don DeWitt
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Location:
?
Date:
1943? Back
row: Mary
Frances Richardson DeWitt Front
row: William
Fay Haley From
collection of
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The Three Sisters (L to R) Louisa (Lou) Harmon Sinn * Location: ? (on the back is written 3 sisters) Date: early 1950s? From
the collection
of Joel S. DeWitt, Jr who obtained the photo from the collection of Mary
Sophia Harmon * I believe she was divorced from George Sinn by the time this photo was taken. |
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Photo Location: Meadville, MO? Date: 1950 On the back Mary wrote: year
1950 the
man had me Mary
S. Richardson
Meadville, MO From collection of Don DeWitt who obtained the photo from the collection of Mary Soffa Harmon |
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Location:
?
Date: 1960s? Back
row: Mildred
Richardson Front
row: William
Fay Haley From
collection of
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A
BIG PARTY: Minks Family Reunion: July 4 1954

Wonder who is who? Visit: MinksParty
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| Looks like a
celebration! (See the flower on grandma Richardson's dress?. Her birthday was June 30th so maybe it was a birthday party?) Mary Frances' mother, brothers, sisters, son, and in-laws in 1963. Scanned from a slide taken by Joel Swanger DeWitt, Jr. Some of
the Richardsons (website) Left
to right: Fay Haley [son-in-law] All are deceased as of
2005 except for Donald and Ofelita. On a happier note... The
blue Mercury was owned by the DeWitts and Location: home of From the collection of Joel S. DeWitt, Jr |
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