John Hudson

HUDSON, ELAM

Posted By: james c. murphy (email)
Date: 2/18/2003 at 13:14:42

John Hudson, the oldest resident of Johns Township, and one of the first settlers, is a native of North Carolina. He was born in Lenoir County, near Kingston. When he was eight years old his parents moved to Sumner County Tennessee, and there he was reared. His Father died in 1830 and the family subsequently moved to Illinois, locating in Adams County, where his mother died in 1858.

He had four brothers and six sisters. John was reared on a farm, attending in his youth the subscription school. Being studious he acquired sufficient knowledge of the common branches to enable him to teach, an avocation he followed several winters.

He was married in August 1834, to Anna E. Elam, and in the fall of the same year moved to Bond County Illinois, where he worked at farming in the summer and taught school during the winter for several years.

In June, 1849, he moved his family to Appanoose County, Iowa and settled on section 1, in what is now Johns Township, pre-empting a claim of 160 acres. This he sold in 1853, and then bought 200 acres on the same section where he now lives. Owning now 125 acres. His first house was a cabin made of round logs. In this he lived three years and then built a larger and better one of hewed logs.

Centerville (County seat of Appanoose County) at that time was a village of log houses. The voters of the township when organized were thirteen in number, seven of whom were named John, and from this circumstance the Township received its name.

Mr. Hudson has held various local offices of trust, among others that of trustee, assessor, clerk and justice of the peace. The latter office he held four years and was again elected but refused to qualify.

He has been a member of the Baptist Church since 1858, and served as deacon several years. The first meetings of the church in Johns Township were held in his house. The church was built two miles west of Walnut City and was named Concord. The Post Office was at Walnut City.

In 1878 his land was valued at $25.00 per acre. He cast his first vote for President Jackson and has since held to the principles of the Democratic Party. They had a family of twelve children, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson shared joys and sorrows of life together for a period of Fifty two years, and in their last days experienced the pleasures and comforts which was the result of a well-spent and honorable lives. John and Anna E. Hudson are both buried in the Concord Cemetery. His inscription is on the front of the stone and hers is on the side of the same stone.

Those of his family also buried in Concord Cemetery are
#1. Mary Francis Hudson and her husband Samuel Harbold
#4. Sarah Hudson and her husband David Haines
#7. Eliza Hudson and her husband Alex Haines
#12. William Henry Hudson and his wife Phoebe E. Santee