CORA [DUTCHER] HUDSON

BACHMAN, DUTCHER, HARROLD, HARVEY, HUDSON

Posted By: Irma (email)
Date: 6/28/2009 at 13:44:58

AFTON STAR ENTERPRISE

DECEMBER 15, 1983

Cora Hudson to Celebrate 100th Birthday

Cora Hudson will be celebrating her 100th birthday Sunday, December 18th. She has spent all her adult life in the Arispe community, Sand Creek Township in Union County, Iowa. She is currently making her home at the Osceola Leisure Manor.

Mrs. Hudson was born in the Adair-Cass county area near a town named Briscoe on December 18, 1883 to Mr. & Mrs. Charles W. Dutcher. She was one of ten children in the Dutcher household. [The only member still living.]

Her parents had resided a short time in Illinois following the Civil war, then they came to Iowa by train and settled near Briscoe where Mr. Dutcher worked in the carpenter trade and farmed. In 1891, he entered the mercantile business in Briscoe. In 1895, the family moved to Arispe, where the family operated a mercantile business, about where Sweet's Grocery is currently located. The Dutcher home in Arispe is still there today, in it's original square shape, and is currently the home of the Raymond O'Grady's, located 'catty-cornered' from Sweets. The street which goes by the church now carries the name "Dutcher".

Even at her advanced years, Cora still has vivid memories of friends, places and times of her girlhood, such as where Owen Beaman and Max Staver now live, was then an oat field. There was a 2 story brick building across the street south from Sweet's, with the telephone office on the upper story. The hotel was where the home of Mrs. Lillian House is now located. Across the street where Mrs. Clara Wasteney now lives, there was a creamery, and to the west of that was the Bunt-Shull service station. Forbes Lumber was located where the Lyle Fluckey home is now. Mr. Forbes financed most of the building of the town of Arispe, he would build the houses, then sell them. The street which passes the north side of the school is called "Forbes" street. There was a hardware store located south of the present county barn.

The Dutcher family had a black dog which was used as a "guard dog" at the store. The only person in the household that could bathe the dog was Cora, so it was her duty. In fact, it was a one-woman dog, and would do anything she asked. But one night, she came upon him unexpecedly, and not knowing her, he bit her hard on the calf of her leg. The first aid treatment of the placing tobacco on the bite was applied. The leg healed but the scars of he dog bite still show today. Yet Cora and the black dog remained inseparable frinds.

Cora was united in marriage to Clark O. Hudson of Arispe on April 12, 1905. They were to become the parents of three children, Margaret M., Everett O., and Ralph E. In the year of 1914 or thereabouts the Hudson's sons became the proud owners of a Cadillac which had brass headlights, a cloth top, with the brakes and gear shift housed outside the vehicle instead of inside.

Cora made her home on the Hudson home farm for 75 years even though she lived alone since the passing of her husband Clark O. in July, 1949. In February, 1983, her health failed to the point where she had to rely on nursing home care.

Cora is the mother of three children, grandmother to eleven, and great grandmother to 26. Her childen and their familes today are:
Margaret Harvey of Des Moines [her husband, Howard is deceased.] and their four childen, Harold Harvey and Donald Harvey of Des Moines, Keith Harvey of Grinnell, and Ada Marie Backman of Clarkston, Washington.

Dr. Everett Hudson of Sedlia, MO. [his wife Marie is deceased]. They have one child, Lynn Hudson of Sedalia.

Ralph E. Hudson and wife Marie of Afton, and their childen are Dan Hudson of Shannon City, Mark and Clark Hudson, both of Afton, Rose Marie Harrold of Wapello, Illinois; Katherine Floyd of Berlin, Germany and Brian Hudson at home.

Cora's two sons and daughters are planning a card shower and a short birthday party for her on Sunday afternoon, December 18, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the nursing home. They request no gifts please.

Cards my be sent to Mrs. Hudson at the Osceola Manor, Hwy 9 North, Osceola, Iowa 50023

[Transcriber's note: Cora died in 1985, is buried beside her husband in Greenlawn Cemetery near Afton.]