Dr. Richardson was born in Scioto County, Ohio, and received his early education locally. In 1870, he entered Ohio University in Athens, remained there for two years, and then moved to Ohio Wesleyan University. He attended lectures at a medical college in Cincinnati and then entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College, graduating in 1876. He returned to Ohio and took a position as assistant physician at the State Hospital in Athens, and in 1880 he became superintendent. He remained in Athens until 1890, when he moved to private practice in Cincinnati and was selected to be superintendent of the Columbus State Hospital in 1892.
In 1898, Dr. Richardson moved to Massillon, Ohio, to become the superintendent of the newly established State Hospital. He remained there for a year, when he was named Superintendent of the Government Hospital for the Insane in Washington, D.C. He was successful in obtaining Congressional appropriations to improve the hospital’s services for patients and erect new buildings. He was superintendent until his death in 1903.
Dr. Richardson was Professor of Mental Diseases at both Columbia and Georgetown Medical Schools and contributed to psychiatric literature.Dr. Richardson was elected President of the American Medico-Psychological Association to serve (1903–04) but died before taking office.