RICHARDSON, JOHN NEWTON (Feb. 1837-5 May 1902) was an architect and engineer who, with FRANK (FRANZ) E. CUDELL, formed Cudell & Richardson, one of the most important and innovative architectural firms in Cleveland during the 1870s and 1880s.
Born, raised and educated in Scotland, Richardson came to the United States in Nov. 1863 and was naturalized on 27 June 1871. In 1867 Richardson started in the architectural office of J.M. Blackburn. In 1870 Richardson joined Cudell and formed Cudell & Richardson.
During the 1870s Cudell & Richardson designed churches in the Victorian-Gothic style, including St. Stephen's Church at W. 54th St. and Courtland, the FRANKLIN CIRCLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, and St. Joseph's Church at E. 23rd St. and Woodland.
Cudell & Richardson's commercial buildings, designed during the 1880s, included George Worthington Hardware (The Geo. Worthington Co.) on St. Clair Ave., the Root McBride Building (Bradley Building) on W. 6th St., and the Perry-Payne Building on Superior Ave. Cudell and Richardson dissolved their partnership around 1890.
Richardson helped construct numerous power plants in Cleveland and other cities. In 1892 MARCUS HANNA commissioned Richardson to design the Powerhouse at Elm and Riverbed St. in the FLATS to generate power for Hanna's Woodland & West Side Street Railway Co.
Richardson designed the six-story Jennings Apartments (1898) on Jennings Ave. (W. 14th St.), one of Cleveland's first high-rise apartments having an elevator.
Richardson married Martha Ann Wood on 15 Sept. 1870. They had 2 sons, Francis and Edward A. Richardson is buried in RIVERSIDE CEMETERY.
Johannesen, Eric. Cleveland Architecture 1786-1976 (WRHS, 1979).