son . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁veter an ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁ins urance ▁agent . ▁His ▁mother ▁worked ▁at ▁home . ▁When ▁Richard son ▁was ▁sevent een ▁years ▁old ▁his ▁parents ▁sent ▁him ▁to ▁Indian apolis , ▁Indiana , ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁better ▁educational ▁opportun ities . ▁While ▁att ending ▁Short ridge ▁High ▁School , ▁Richard son ▁lived ▁at ▁Indian apolis ' s ▁Senate ▁Avenue ▁Young ▁Men ' s ▁Christian ▁Association ▁and ▁waited ▁tables ▁to ▁support ▁himself . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Short ridge ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁and ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁on ▁scholar ship ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁At ▁Illinois ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁editor ▁of ▁a ▁student ▁newspaper , ▁The ▁College ▁Dream er . ▁Richard son ▁briefly ▁returned ▁to ▁Hun ts ville ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁death . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Indian apolis ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁b ach elor ▁of ▁laws ▁degree ▁( L . L . B .) ▁from ▁the ▁Indiana ▁Law ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁( Ind iana ▁Law ▁School ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁Indiana ▁University ▁School ▁of ▁Law .) ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁and ▁family ▁Richard son ▁married ▁Ros ely n ▁Viv ian ▁Com er ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁Com er , ▁a ▁native ▁of ▁Georgia ▁, ▁was ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Fort ▁Valley ▁Normal ▁and ▁Indust rial ▁School , ▁attended ▁Clark ▁College ▁in ▁Atlanta , ▁Georgia , ▁from