Sibley Gazette Tribune August 20, 1931

R. Richardson, Oldest Sibley Merchant, Dies: Pioneer Opened meat Market Shortly After Town Was Platted

Robert Richardson, Sibley's oldest merchant and the oldest butcher in Iowa, died in his home her Tuesday evening, following several month's serious illness. He was 84 years old. Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Sibley M.E. church under the direction of the local I.O.O.F chapter, the Rev. H.O. Ward, pastor of the church will officiate. Burial will be made in the Sibley cemetery. Mr. Richardson has been bedridden since April, when he returned from an Execelsior Springs, Mo., sanitorium, where he had gone for several weeks of treatments. He suffered with rheumatism last fall and winter and had contracted uremic poisoning last spring. His death was caused by a complication of the alliments.

Oldest Iowa Butcher - Mr. Richardson had been in the meat business in LeMars two years before he came to Sibley, in 1872. He was recognised by Iowa butcher groups as the oldest of their number. The Richardson meat market here is still conducted in this pioneer's name. He came here in the fall of 1872, only a few months after the town was platted. At the time of his death, he was the only merchant in Sibley to have conducted a business here continuously more than 50 years. He was actively connected with the business houses in that district burned in 1873 and were rebuilt on Ninth Street. In those pioneer days, Mr. Richardson was on of the few butchers in northwest Iowa and drew customers not only from all of Osceola county, but also from Sioux, O'Brien and Lyon counties. Odd Fellow for 58 years - Mr. Richardson had been a member of the I.O.O.F Lodge for 58 years at the time of his death. He was also a member of the Yeomen Lodge. He was born in Belfast, Ireland, Feb 9, 1847. He came to the United States in 1860 and lived for several years in Wisconsin. In 1873 he was married to Miss Katherine Bremer, who survives him. He is also survived by two sons, Edward of Sibley and George of Santa Ana, California, and two daughters, Miss Mae Richardson of Sibley and Mrs Allan Knapp of Garden Grove, California. Edward Richardson is manager of the meat market. A brother Jack Richardson of Sibley also survives, as well as two brothers in Canada and two brothers and a sister in Belfast, Ireland.

A daughter Edith, died about nine years ago and a son, Randolph died about 30 years ago.

Robert John Richardson