Anyone who has information about the saddlemaker, Mr. Richardson, please contact me via email: Dianna, Also contact me with the history of the plantation saddle. |
NEW...March 6, 2013 |
By: William T. Richardson (March,
2013)
The maker(s) of your saddle, depending on the year it was made, were either William M. Richardson; my Great-Great Grandfather, or his son William L. Richardson, my Great Grandfather. They were in Maury County Tennessee. We still have one of the last saddles in the family and also have one last saddle tree that was never completed. My Great great grandfather, William M. Richardson, was in the civil war and designed his saddle during that time and ended up making them after the war. The design was actually patented. To clarify, my (Great) Aunt MaryAnn, one of William L.
Richardson's 4 children, was fond of asking people if they had ever heard of a
Richardson Saddlle. She was also fond telling how her daddy made saddles.
Alas, my (Great) Aunt MaryAnn passed on as the last of
her generation of Richardson's being born from William L. Of the four, my
grandfather was William H. There were 2 other boys - Lyndsey and Earl. I can say
that for sure my grandfather, William H. (the oldest son of William L.) did
indeed work in the shop on Bluegrass Avenue for a time in his younger years and
was capable of making shoes and I am sure had experience with some saddles. I
know I wish I had that knowledge base; for I would be making them myself = one
by one- just to continue the line. I may even make one out of the last official
saddle tree (which was made by William L.) that we still have.
We also have a picture and have been contacted by the
present owner (son of original owner) that purchased the very last one ever
made. William L. Richardson passed August 1946. That last saddle was
picked up that very day prior to him passing. My great-great-grandfather
instructed the gentleman to melt a pound of unsalted butter and rub it into the
saddle and it "would last a lifetime". I can say that by the photo evidence,
that was a very true statement as the saddle looks as new and was made in 1946
and picked up in August of that year. The picture we have of it was taken in
2009. |