John Griffin Richardson

Save to my tree History of Richardsons in Scio Scio Yahoo Map

The village was named for Scio, Ohio which, in turn, was named for Scio (Chios), an island off the coast of Turkey mentioned in one of Paul's journeys. This writer one time had a fine lunch on Chios. The oldest church in Scio, the Christian Church was established in 1852 with services held in the log cabin of John G. (1795-1872) and Orpha Richardson. They lived in the area soon called "Richardson's Gap," a half-mile wide gap between two ranges of hills. They built their cabin on a small promontory a few feet above the valley floor. This was located two miles east of Scio and one mile south.

The Richardsons were of English, Scottish and Irish descent. They had arrived from Illinois in 1851, bringing their nine sons and one daughter. The sons scattered throughout Marion and Linn Counties. Leadership for establishing the Scio congregation came from son George Richardson. He wrote later to the Christian Herald that four of the six charter members had passed away, so the church must have started as a family gathering. John and Orpha Richardson are buried in the Providence Cemetery near Scio.

When George was 32, he moved to Bethel to take the leadership in the church there. He was a teacher at Bethel Institute and a member of the Legislature from Polk County. In 1874 he became the minister of the Salem Christian Church. Meanwhile, back in Scio -

Scio building in 1915

After outgrowing the private home, the fast-growing group met at a school right in Scio, about 1,000 feet north of the present building. (It was a log cabin on Third Street, right behind the present Baptist building.) Then property was purchased from Henry L. Turnerof Turner for $1 in 1863.

By 1869 there were 162 members. "A small church building was erected on the present site of the Christian Church on Second and Alder streets sometime before the Civil War." That building was burned.

The church reported just 32 members in 1881. The circuit-riding preacher was Ephraim W. Barnes who came twice each month.

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Preacher Isaac Newton Richardson Pioneer Northwest Gospel Preacher By Charles Dailey - March 2002

Isaac Newton Richardson at a Glance: Born: Barry, IL in 1849 Emigrated: To Oregon in 1851 Settled 1st: Scio, Linn Co. OR Education: Monmouth College Married: Florence Jane Gerking at Athena, Oregon in 1878 NW Ministries: Scio, OR 1871 Athena, OR 1875 -- 1877 Pendleton, OR Touchet, WA Helix, OR Yakima, WA Seattle, WA Centralia, WA Elma, WA Kent, WA These were listed by Dr. Richardson Died: Tacoma, WA -- 1934

I. N. Richardson was a two-year-old pioneer at Scio, Oregon in 1851. His grandparents, John and Orpha Richardson, started a church meeting in their home in Richardson's Gap. This soon developed in the Scio church that still meets every Lord's day and still stands for the same teachings that John and Orpha held to more than 150 years ago.

I. N.'s father, George Washington Richardson, was a pioneer preacher who covered much of the Oregon Territory and we can also locate him at Waitsburg, Washington Territory during his fruitful lifetime.

Dr. I. N. Richardson

Mr. Richardson states that he became a Christian at age 16 while he was at Amity, Oregon. His first ministry was seven years later back at Scio, Oregon in 1871. The records of the Scio Church do not list I. N. Richardson, but there is a gap in their listing that includes 1871.

Mr. Richardson attended college at Monmouth, Oregon. He probably attended at the time of the transition from the Presidency of Levi L. Rowland to that of Thomas Franklin Campbell who came in 1869. Richardson was not in good health in those years and did not graduate.

At some point, I. N. Richardson was trained in dentistry and as an osteopath. He reported that over his lifetime, he also taught school and farmed. He was not a vocational preacher and always supported himself and the churches where he preached. I. N. Richardson was among the last of the pioneer preachers who worked as volunteers.

While living at Athena, Oregon from 1875 to 1877, he had a dental office in the local hotel. It was here in Athena that he met and married Jennie (Florence Jane) Gerking, granddaughter of Jonathan Gerking, one of the original pioneers.

Mr. Richardson returned to Athena in January of 1895 to conduct a gospel meeting. He reported that he immersed 54 into Christ at Athena and that 16 others were added to the church. That meeting may have been the highlight of his career.

The family next moved to Pendleton, Oregon to assist in organizing a congregation that has survived until this day.

Other congregations benefiting from this dedicated family included Touchet, WA near Dayton; Helix, OR near Athena; Yakima, WA; Seattle, WA; Centralia, WA; Elma, WA and Kent, WA.

In their later years, the Richardsons lived with their son Prince at Lancaster, California. Jennie died there and I.N. moved to live with his daughter Florence at Tacoma, Washington. He died there and may be buried in Tacoma

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History of Richardsons in Scio Scio Yahoo Map

The village was named for Scio, Ohio which, in turn, was named for Scio (Chios), an island off the coast of Turkey mentioned in one of Paul's journeys. This writer one time had a fine lunch on Chios. The oldest church in Scio, the Christian Church was established in 1852 with services held in the log cabin of John G. (1795-1872) and Orpha Richardson. They lived in the area soon called "Richardson's Gap," a half-mile wide gap between two ranges of hills. They built their cabin on a small promontory a few feet above the valley floor. This was located two miles east of Scio and one mile south.

The Richardsons were of English, Scottish and Irish descent. They had arrived from Illinois in 1851, bringing their nine sons and one daughter. The sons scattered throughout Marion and Linn Counties. Leadership for establishing the Scio congregation came from son George Richardson. He wrote later to the Christian Herald that four of the six charter members had passed away, so the church must have started as a family gathering. John and Orpha Richardson are buried in the Providence Cemetery near Scio.

When George was 32, he moved to Bethel to take the leadership in the church there. He was a teacher at Bethel Institute and a member of the Legislature from Polk County. In 1874 he became the minister of the Salem Christian Church. Meanwhile, back in Scio -

Scio building in 1915

After outgrowing the private home, the fast-growing group met at a school right in Scio, about 1,000 feet north of the present building. (It was a log cabin on Third Street, right behind the present Baptist building.) Then property was purchased from Henry L. Turnerof Turner for $1 in 1863.

By 1869 there were 162 members. "A small church building was erected on the present site of the Christian Church on Second and Alder streets sometime before the Civil War." That building was burned.

The church reported just 32 members in 1881. The circuit-riding preacher was Ephraim W. Barnes who came twice each month. http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8319393/person/-450458138/media/5?pg...