John William Richardson
John William Richardson was a merchant, horticulturist, and politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as mayor of North Bay in 1902 and from 1932 to 1933.
The son of John Stanley Richardson, a native of England, and Helen Taylor, he was born in Forest, Huron County, Canada West. He first worked with George Frederick Marter, a general merchant. Richardson later went to Winnipeg, where he entered the hardware business. He also worked as a tinsmith on the roof of the Manitoba parliament buildings. Around 1885, he married Eliza Hill of Winnipeg; they had four children. Richardson came to North Bay in 1885. He opened a tinsmith shop which, over time, became a hardware and general store.
He served on the North Bay council, as chair of the town planning commission and as a member of the public school board. Richardson was also president of the local horticultural society. He also served as head of the local Orange Order.
Richardson died just before his 75th birthday of a heart problem that had affected him for the last five years of his life.
Richardson's store remained in the family until 1998 when it was destroyed in a fire.
