William H. Richardson
Agency patch
Marshal

William H. Richardson

Felonious
End of Watch November 17, 1855
Age 33
The Vigil Panel 2 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Marshal Richardson was shot and killed during a confrontation. Marshal Richardson was quarrelling with Charles Cora in front of Fox and O'Connor's store on Clay street, between Montgomery and Leidesdorff streets. Cora killed Richardson between 6 and 7 o'clock. Cora was arrested and placed in custody of the City Marshal. There was talk of lynching, but it was decided to have the law enforced at trial. The suspect was convicted of Marshal Richardson's murder and hanged in 1856. Marshal Richardson was survived by his wife. He was the United States Marshal for the Northern District of California.

Survivors

Marshal Richardson was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-17E567EB
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

171 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Marshal Richardson served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 1855
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Marshal William H. Richardson is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service
251
of 313 officers
80.2% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William H. Richardson's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How William H. Richardson Compares

Age at Death
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William H. Richardson is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William H. Richardson was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909