Monadnock Moment No. 114

Era 4: Expansion and Reform - 1800 to 1860

Rosina Delight Richardson

Samuel Richardson came from Sutton, Massachusetts to settle in Alstead, New Hampshire in the late 1700s. His descendants remained there for several generations. The Richardson men were well known and respected in Alstead, but the Richardson women have generally been forgotten and ignored in the local history books. One of the Richardson girls made a name for herself, however, and was well known and remembered by thousands of American children.

Records indicate that Rosina Delight Richardson was born in Alstead in the 1830s. The town of Marlow has also claimed Rosina as a native, and the Richardsons did indeed own property there. In any case, Rosina Delight arrived as a five pound baby girl in April of 1833.

Rosina was different than the other children. She soon grew larger than her young friends… and larger, and larger. When Rosina went to the store in the village, she had to go around the back and enter through the wide grain room door. At home she sat on two chairs. At school the town school committee had to have the desk in front of Rosina removed so that she had space to sit down and do her lessons. By the age of 19 years Rosina Delight had grown to 515 pounds.

It was at about that time that Rosina left home to find fame and fortune. She measured 5' 3" tall and 5' 4" around the waist. It is said that she eventually weighed more than 750 pounds. Rosina Delight Richardson of Alstead was soon known across the nation, as she became P. T. Barnum's most famous "fat lady of the circus."