Harry A. Richardson

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Harry A. Richardson
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = U. S. Senator from Delaware
term_start = March 4 1907
term_end = March 3 1913
predecessor = J. Frank Allee
successor = Willard Saulsbury, Jr.
birth_date = birth date|1853|1|1|mf=y
birth_place = Camden, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1928|6|16|1853|1|1
death_place = Dover, Delaware
spouse = Priscilla Walker
party = Republican
residence = Dover, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = businessman
profession =
religion = Baptist

Harry Alden Richardson (January 1 1853 – June 16 1928) was an American businessman and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who was U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Early life and family

Richardson was born January 1 1853 in Camden, Delaware, the son of Alden B. Richardson and Lucy R. Richardson. His family moved to Dover, Delaware when he was a small child in 1858. He attended the common schools there and the academy in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. In 1876 he married Priscilla Walker. They were members of the Baptist Church.

Professional career

Richardson worked in his father's canning and packing business in Dover, eventually becoming a partner and assuming control in 1894. He continued in this business throughout his life, was President of the First National Bank of Dover, and was also interested in various public-service corporations.

In his first attempt at public office, he ran for the office of Governor of Delaware in 1890, but lost to Democrat Robert J. Reynolds. Then, many years later, in 1907, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. During this term, he served with the Republican majority in the 60th, 61st Congress, and 62nd U.S. Congress. In the 61st Congress, he was Chairman of the Committee to Examine Branches of the Civil Service, and in the 62nd Congress he was Chairman of the Committee on Pacific Islands and Puerto Rico, and a member of the Committee on Printing. He did not seek reelection in 1913, and in all, served from March 4 1907, to March 4 1913, during the administrations of U.S. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William H. Taft.

Death and legacy

Richardson died June 16 1928 in Dover, Delaware and is buried in the Lakeside Cemetery in Dover.

Public offices

U.S. Senators were elected by the Delaware General Assembly for a term of six years and took office March 4th.