Richardson & Son were listed as pencil case makers in 1850 located at 4 Liberty Place in Brooklyn, near several other pencil case makers including J.J. Lownds and Edward Deacon. Richardson & Son shared 4 Liberty Place with other pencil case makers Isaac W. Stewart and Alexander Johnston.
William Richardson was the senior pencil case maker and son Richard joined the business to become Richardson & Son.
The patent application of John Richardson was filed on October 20th, 1853.
William S. Hicks had filed a patent application that was at first rejected then later Mr. Hicks was told he could move forward with an interference declaration.
On November 25th, 1853, the commissioner addressed a note to Hicks, stating that “there is an application for letters-patent before the office for alleged improvements in the construction of pen and pencil cases. The devices are equivalents for yours rejected on the 26th of September last, but now considered to be patentable. If you desire the opportunity to prove priority of invention, an interference will be declared in accordance with the rules contained in the thirteenth section of the enclosed circular.” In reply to which, on the 30th of November aforesaid. Hicks notified the commissioner of his desire to have the opportunity to prove his priority of invention; and accordingly, on the 2d of December, an interference was declared for the trial of the issue so made by the declaration of interference....on March 11th, 1854, the commissioner awarded priority of invention to William S. Hicks, effectively invalidating Mr. Richardson's patent application.
The resulting decision of the commissioner of patents for interference, awarding priority to William S. Hicks.
This prompted Richardson to appeal the decision and request an appeal hearing .
During the appeal hearing, one of Richardson’s witnesses testified that he saw the pen-pencil case in June 1847.
Other employees testified to seeing or working on the models of the pen and pencil cases in question at later periods during the year 1847, and that he was engaged diligently for years afterwards in endeavoring to make his pen and pencil case more perfect.