Lucy J Hunt / Burton C Richardson

Lucy Jeannette Hunt was the fourth of five children born to Rosetta Lois Griffin and Eleazer Hunt. Lucy was born in Essex, VT, 19 June 1845. She grew up in what family letters describe as a close family circle. She would have been about the age of six when her grandfather, Samuel Griffin passed away. The 17-year-old Lucy Hunt of Essex married the 21-year-old Burton C Richardson of Jerico on September 6, 1865 in Essex. ---------- The family was living in Brookfield, Orange County, VT in 1868 when twins Nellie and Nettie were born. The birth is found in the Brookfield records dated March 28, 1868. ---------- Winnie M Richardson was born August 16, 1870 in Underhill, VT. The family was living in Ft. Edwards, NY when she died on August 15, 1871. Ft. Edwards is at the southern end of Lake Champlain just across the border into New York. ---------- Willie Burton Richardson was born in Underhill February 15, 1872. ---------- May Lucy Richardson was born in Essex in May 1874. ---------- Nellie, Willie and Winnie share a headstone with their grandparents Rosetta and Eleazer Hunt in the Essex Common Burial Ground. ---------- The headstone for Nellie reads, “ August 16, 1868, twin dau. of B.C. & L.J. Richardson, AE 5 mos.” ---------- The headstone of Winnie reads, Aug 15 1871, dau of B.C and Lucy J. Richardson, died at Ft Edwards, NY, AE 1 yr.” ---------- The headstone for Willie reads; “Feb 16, 1877, son of B.C. & Lucy J. Richardson, AE 5 yr, 1 da.” ---------- The family moved to Athol, Massachusetts in 1891. Athol is in the western part of the state not too far from the Vermont border. The census records indicated that Burton worked for the US Postal Service. That may explain the number of moves made by the family. ---------- The Richardson family is buried together in a family ploy in the Highland Cemetery in Athol. Lucy J. Hunt Richardson, b. 1846 d. 1937, Burton Clark Richardson b. Feb 22, 1845 d. Aug 8, 1913, Nellie Amelia Richardson Wood, b. 1868 d. 1919 and Maybird Lucy Richardson Twitchell b. 1874 d. 1948. ---------- We have not found an official death record for Lucy that provided us with a more definitive date for her death. However the date comes to us from an unusual source the Athol City Directory. Lucy had appeared in the director each year for a number of years. The 1938 directory had the following entry. ---------- “Richardson, Lucy J wid Burton C died May 25, 1937 age 91” ----------Update; recently we recoverd a Certificate of Death for Lucy R Richardson. It is found in West Lafayette, Indiana. It identies Lucy R Richardson of Athol, Mass. Her parents are listed as Eleazer Hunt and Rosetta Griffin. It makes note that she is to be buried in Athol. The informant for the information is "Mrs Charles Burnaham" the wife of her grandson Charles.----------- The obituary for Burton Clark Richard is posted in the Find A Grave entry for him in Athol. The obituary notes that he was born in Cambridge, VT the son of Martin Richardson. The obituary proves details of his Civil War service. He joined early on in the war. He was discharged because of disability quite likely from wounds. On his recovery he reenlisted and served until the end of the war. The 17th Vermont was part of General Grant’s forces that pushed General Lee back to Richmond. The history of the 17th places them in the battles as General Grant tried to break the Richmond stalemate. Burton was involved in the battle of Popular Spring in September 1864 in Grant’s offensive to turn the flank of the Confederate Army. We have posted a description of the Popular Spring Battle below. You can follow what happen to Burton by following the actions of his commanding officer Robert B. Potter. Burton was capture at Popular Spring and spent the next five months in the infamous Libby Prison in Richmond. He was moved to North Carolina and eventually paroled in February 1865. His “Personal War Sketch” is part of a collection put together by Lamoille County, Vermont for its native sons who served in the war. ------------------------------------------------------- Lucy Hunt / Rosetta Griffin / Samuel Griffin / Samuel Griffin /Samuel Griffin of Killingworth. ------------------------------------------------