When William Richard Atkinson was born on 21 September 1876, in Minnesota, United States, his father, William R Atkinson, was 45 and his mother, Adelia Carpentier, was 21. He had at least 3 sons and 1 daughter with Mamie Elizabeth Geise. He lived in Dodge, Minnesota, United States in 1935 and Milton Township, Dodge, Minnesota, United States in 1940. He died on 4 October 1962, in Goodhue, Minnesota, United States, at the age of 86, and was buried in Pine Island Cemetery, Pine Island, Goodhue, Minnesota, United States.