Richmond Pearson was born in Yadkin County, North Carolina on January 26, 1852. Pearson was an attorney and Republican politician who served as a member of the state legislature (1885-1887), as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1895-1899 & 1900-1901), and as ambassador to Persia (1902-1907) and Greece and Montenegro (1907-1909). He died in Asheville (Buncombe County) on September 12, 1923.