John S. Richardson

John Smythe Richardson (February 29, 1828 – February 24, 1894) was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina.

John Smythe Richardson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 1st district
In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883
Preceded by	Joseph H. Rainey
Succeeded by	Samuel Dibble
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Sumter County
In office November 27, 1865 – December 21, 1866
Personal details
Born	(1828-02-29)February 29, 1828 Sumter, South Carolina
Died	February 24, 1894(1894-02-24) (aged 65) Sumter, South Carolina
Resting place	Sumter, South Carolina
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	South Carolina College
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Branch/service	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Captain
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Born on the Bloomhill plantation, near Sumter, South Carolina, Richardson pursued an academic course in Cokesbury, South Carolina, and was studied law at the South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) at Columbia, graduating in 1850. He was admitted to the bar in 1852 and began practice in Sumter, South Carolina.

During the Civil War, he entered the Confederate States Army as a captain of Infantry. He was later promoted to adjutant of the Twenty-third Regiment, South Carolina Infantry, and served until the close of the war in 1865. He served as member of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1865–1867. He was appointed an agent of the State of South Carolina in 1866 to apply for and receive the land script donated to South Carolina by Congress. He served as delegate to the 1876 Democratic National Convention.

Richardson was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883). He served as master in equity for Sumter County in 1884–1893. He died at his country home, "Shadyside," near Sumter, South Carolina, on February 24, 1894. He was interred in Sumter Cemetery.