Richardson, Roy Mundy Davidson, 1895-1968

Lawyer, of Martinsville, N.J., and Brooklyn, N.Y.

Roy Mundy Davidson Richardson (1894-1968) was a Brooklyn civic leader active in community, legal and political affairs. Born in 1894, Richardson graduated from Rutgers, and earned a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University. While attending university, World War I broke out and Richardson decided to enlist. Following the war, Richardson joined Dewey, Ballentine, Bushby, Palmer, and Wood law firm in 1925, heading its Paris office. Back home Richardson became active in the Brooklyn Heights Association (1939-1951) and served as its President from 1941-1944. He helped to reserve the residential nature of the community by determining the final construction designs of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Richardson was also a trustee at Brooklyn Hospital, and an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn Heights. He was affiliated with other community related organizations as well. With such a distinguished record of civic leadership and legal experience, Richardson was the Republican choice for Congress in 1944 and 1946. Running aganst twenty-five year House veteran John J. Delany in the overwhellmingly Democratic Seventh Congressional district (Brooklyn Heights-Fort Green-Park Slope), Richardson was able to run a well organized and financial campaign. Upon the death of Kings Country Surrogate Francis D. McGary in early 1951, Richardson was appointed Surrogate by Governor Dewey, losing the judgeship in the November general election to Democratic Ivan Rubenstein. Richarson remained active in the Kings County Republican party, stumping for presidential candidates, contributing to local clubs, presiding over party dinners, and judical conventions. After many years of community, legal and political service, Roy Richardson died of a heart attack at the age of seventy-three on New Years Day 1968 in his home at 160 Henry Street. He was survived by his wife, the former Ms. Clara Gano, son James, daughters Mrs. Lois Burdick, and Mrs. Janet J. Britton, and seven grandchildren.