HUDSON, Thomas E 1873-1959

HUDSON, JOHNSON

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 3/14/2012 at 09:52:52

Thomas E. Hudson January 28, 1873 – June 15, 1959

Thomas E Hudson was born Jan 28, 1873 in Lincoln Township, Mitchell County, Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hudson. He died in Beach, North Dakota June, 15, 1959.

He received his education at the Cedar Valley Seminary and Des Moines College. He married Mary Gertrude Johnson at Osage, Iowa, on Dec. 31, 1902, They never had any children, but adopted three (3) John Vera and Irene.

Before going to Beach, North Dakota, Thomas E. Hudson served as an executive for a publishing Company, which took him to China, Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii. His banking career began in 1921 at Beach, North Dakota with the Farmers and Merchant Bank and covered a span of forty-seven (47) years, nearly forty (40) of those years as President, a position he held right up to his death.

He was also a big rancher, a life member of Masonic Sunset Lodge No. 88 AF and AM, a charter and life member of the Beach Lions Club, and an Honorary Chapter Farmer s awarded by the Beach Future Farmers of America. He was a member of the North Dakota Bankers Association, County Key Banker of the American Bankers Assn. many years, and a member of the State and National Cattleman’s Associations.

In addition to banking, Mr. Hudson also has extensive farm and ranch interests. These interests, along with his helping others engaged along the same lines, led to his being awarded by the Soil Conservation Society of America for promoting the conservation and development of natural resources.

Two very special occasions were highlights in Mr. Hudson’s life: his eightieth (80) birthday, and he and his wife Mary’s golden wedding at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Hudson (his adopted son) and was attended by all the men employed on the Hudson farms and ranches here, as well as the employees of the Farmers and Merchants Bank.

The other very impressive event was their fiftieth (50) or golden wedding anniversary on Jan 18, 1953, when they received the congratulations of a long line of friends at open house hours at the John T. Hudson home.

During Mr. Hudson’s lifetime he was deeply interested in community affairs, a fact that was evidenced especially on March 23, 1950, when members of the local American Legion, and citizens of Beach joined in honoring him for his long and faithful service to the community by sponsoring a Hudson appreciation Day, the only one of its kind ever to be held at Beach, North Dakota.

He lent a helping hand to many persons in this area, without any fanfare or publicity. These characteristics and his deep devotion to his family epitomized the life of Mr. Hudson, in the best American tradition. This was illustrated more fully at his last rites, as the church and the church parlors also were filled to capacity, as a final mark of esteem, by members of this community, as well as out of town relatives and friends.

Final rites were conducted on Friday, June 19, 1959, at the Congregational Christian church, Beach, North Dakota with rev. John B. Steinberg officiating.

(The above quote was from the Golden Valley News, Beach, North Dakota.)

note** Thomas was buried in the Beach City Cemetery, Beach, Golden Valley Co., North Dakota