Athens Cemetery Association

A historical marker is now set at Athens Cemetery in honor of a man whose wealth and influence was once felt around the world.

Athens Cemetery Association President Steve Grant gave opening and closing remarks on Saturday. He said that Richardson, Clint Murchison and their contemporaries were world-renowned business leaders.

"In their heyday, at least in business terms, the world did revolve around Athens.”

Association board members serve for a brief time as stewards of the property.

"We're here to see that not only the legacy of Sid, Clint, some of the others mentioned today (but that) everyone here has their legacy preserved," Grant said.

Chip Perryman of the association read Richardson's life history as well as excerpts from letters written by the oil man and news stories of the day, taken from the Athens Review. Perryman said that in the early 20th century, many wildcatters came from modest backgrounds and overcame seemingly insurmountable odds and many setbacks to achieve great wealth and power.

"One such wildcatter was Sid Williams Richardson, who was to become known as the 'Billionaire Bachelor' and who one day was proclaimed America's richest citizen who, at his death, controlled more petroleum reserves than thee major oil companies," Perryman said.

Richardson used his wealth to help many philanthropic organizations around Henderson County and didn't forget his hometown.

"In 1938, he gave enough money to Athens High School so the band could purchase much-needed instruments,” Perryman said.

After the cover was lifted off the marker, Steve Sparkman read the text. Richardson, the marker says,  lost and gained wealth in the early 20s, then discovered the Keystone Field in Winkler County, which produced 80 straight wells without a dry hole.  

He was a close friend to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and entertained him along with Sen. Lyndon Johnson at his home on San Jose Island, off the Texas coast. Richardson died in 1959 and was buried at Athens Cemetery.

The Color Guard of Boy Scout Troup 343 presented the flags for during the ceremony.