Ilion High School - Class of 1878

Herkimer Evening Telegram - September 23, 1948

Ilion Library Pioneer Dies

Article 3

Ilion Library Pioneer Dies

Ilion - Miss Carrie L. Richardson, 88, died yesterday in her home, 317 W. Main St., after a long illness.

One of Ilion's most respected citizens, Miss Richardson was honory president of the Ilion Library Board and more than 50 years ago she actively campaigned with the Ilion Alumni Association's movement to establish a free library here. She also was an ardent worker to raise funds to build the library building.

During World War I, she was home service chairman of the Red Cross and later handled many war risk insurance cases for soldiers. She served for about 16 years on the Board of Directors of the Old Ladies Home of Mohawk and was treasurer of the board most of that time.

She was chairman of the Ida M. Butcher Scholarship Fund committee of the fifth district of New York State Federated Women's Clubs for many years.

Miss Richardson was born on August 16, 1860, in Frankfort, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Richardson. The family moved to Ilion while she was a young girl. She graduated from Ilion Union School Academy in 1878 and from Smith College in 1884 where she took a post graduate course, receiving her MA degree in 1886.

She served as a substitute teacher in Ilion and later taught in the science department of Elmira Academy.

She leaves two sisters, Dr. Jennie Richardson and Mrs. Lillian H. Shepherd; two nephews, Thomas Shepherd, Ilion, and Arleigh D. Richardson, Columbus, Ohio, and one niece, Mrs. George Thurston, Middletown, Conn.

The body will be taken from the Applegate Funeral Home Friday noon to the Richardson Memorial Chapel in Armory Hill cemetery where funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p. m. The Rev. John Stewart MacPhee, pastor of the Church of the Reconciliation, Utica, will officiate.