HUDSON
FAMILIES.
[File
Created by RKW years ago.]
Robert
Hudson.
Robert Hudson, early day optometrist in
Winfield, camped with his parents at Island Park on Christmas 1869, although
he did not claim to have settled in Winfield until early in 1870. (NOTE:
This is from the Biographical Record of Cowley County. Published in 1901. RKW)
March 18, 1871 - Censor - “Mr. Hudson
raised and has nearly enclosed his immense two story building on Main street
this week.
May 13, 1871 - Censor - We call the
attention of our readers to the new advertisement of Robt. Hudson, in another
column. Mr. Hudson has constructed a blacksmith shop at the north end of Main
street, and secured the services of Mr. John Weiss, one of the best mechanics
in the valley.
The Winfield, Kansas, census of 1873
lists Robert Hudson, 48, Sarah Hudson, 48, and Elizabeth J. Hudson, 21.
The Winfield, Kansas, census of 1874
lists Robert Hudson, 46, Elizabeth Hudson, 21, and George Hudson, 21.
The Winfield, Kansas, census of 1878
lists Robert Hudson, 49, W. H. Hudson, 44, George Hudson, 24, E. J. Hudson, 23,
and W. H. Hudson, 22.
Between Jan 1, 1878 and Jan 1, 1879 W.
Hudson built a residence for a cost of $450.
Winfield Courier, January 2, 1879.
HUDSON BROS., are young men, born
mechanics. They are in the jewelry, silverware, watch, and clock trade, and
they know how to make and mend in the best of style. Their strict attention to
business and pleasing manners are winning over an excellent trade.
Winfield Courier, January 16, 1879.
Will Hudson was elected to an office in
the I. O. O. F.
Winfield Courier, February 13, 1879.
W. H. Hudson has opened a wagonmaking
shop in the rear of Dan Miller’s blacksmith shop. Mr. Hudson is a good workman.
Annie Hudson took the teachers
examination.
Winfield Courier, February 27, 1879.
Capt. Sanford has fitted up the Hudson
building, corner of Eight avenue and Main street, and intends moving his
billiard hall into it.
Winfield Courier, March 28, 1879.
Mr. Will Hudson and Miss Emma Green were
married on last Sunday evening.
Winfield Courier, April 24, 1879.
George Hudson’s blacksmith sign was
wrecked by the gentle zephyrs that played around so lively last Monday.
Winfield Courier, May 1, 1879.
A law suit was to be heard. It was Robert
Hudson vs. Frances R. Hudson.
Winfield Courier, May 29, 1879.
The city authorities are sinking a public
well in front of Hudson Bros. jewelry store.
Winfield Courier, June 12, 1879.
Mr. Robert Hudson moved the Jochem
building with all the shelf hardware intact and never disturbed a thing. When
Mr. Hudson goes to work on a building, he is sure to make it go.
Winfield Courier, July 3, 1879.
Mr. Robert Hudson, the boss mover of
Winfield, accomplished a feat in the moving line last week which is worthy of
mention. He moved Harry Bahntge’s old building from one lot over on another
without jarring the plastering or moving a thing out of the house. The building
was filled with furniture which was neither moved nor jarred.
Winfield Courier, July 31, 1879.
Last Saturday Mr. Robert Hudson finished
taking out the Timber Creek bridge which was thrown down last week. The bridge
is very little damaged, there being only one rod and a wooden cross-beam
broken. The opinion of the persons who took the bridge out is that it did not
go down in the center as at first supposed, but was thrown off of the abutment
by the springing and crowding of the ponies. The irons and belts have all been
taken out and are now at the foundry, and will only need to be straightened
before they can be put back. It is estimated that three hundred dollars will
put the bridge back on the old abutments in as good shape as it was before.
Winfield Courier, August 21, 1879.
We have been instructed to say that the
person who feloniously and with malice aforethought, took three of Robert Hudson’s
jack screws from his residence recently, had better return the same without
further notice and save trouble.
Winfield Courier, November 6, 1879.
Hudson Bros. received last Monday a large
and handsome safe, which will be placed in their jewelry store. It the largest
safe, outside of the banks in the city.
Winfield Courier, April 1, 1880.
The elements seem to have a particular
spite against Robert Hudson. His barn was destroyed by the cyclone of Wednesday
night and Friday night the wind took the awning from the front of his building
on Main street.
Robert Hudson’s granary and the shed
attached to the stage stable were completely wrecked.
Winfield Courier, April 29, 1880.
Will Hudson, Shelly Hyde, and others
started overland for Colorado last Friday. Their trip is one of pleasure, and
they intend to spend several weeks camping among the mountains angling for the
festive trout.
Winfield Courier, May 6, 1880.
Last Thursday night, between 11 and 3
o’clock, Winfield was visited by the most disastrous conflagration yet
happening within her borders. The fire started in the old log store, one of the
landmarks of the town, and for years occupied by the COURIER, but was now being
used by F. Leuschen as a cabinet shop. The fire is supposed to have originated
from the old rags, oil, and varnish in the shop. The alarm was given before the
fire was thoroughly underway, and had those first on the ground been furnished
with decent appliances, it might have been controlled, saving thousands of
dollars worth of property. The old log building was like a tinder box and made
a very hot fire. Next to it on the east were two buildings, one belonging to C.
L. Harter and occupied by the moulder at the foundry, the other owned and
occupied by Robert Hudson. These buildings were both destroyed, but the
contents were saved.
Immediately west of the log building,
across the alley, was an old livery barn belonging to Hackney & McDonald,
which was the next to go.
From this the fire was communicated to
the Central and Lindell hotels. As soon as it was evident that the hotels must
go, the work of getting out the furniture began. Carpets, bedding, crockery
ware, and furniture of all descriptions were tumbled promiscuously out of
windows and doors into the street, much of it being broken and smashed. The
hotels being dry, pine buildings, burned rapidly, sending up large cinders
which fell in different parts of the city, making the utmost vigilance necessary
to keep them from igniting buildings three blocks from the fire.
When the two hotels caught, everyone
turned their attention toward saving the buildings on either side of the
street. They were covered with men who handled buckets of water and barrels of
salt, and by their exertions prvented the fire from spreading and destroying
the larger part of the business portion of our city.
The old part of the Central Hotel was
owned by Jas. Jenkins, of Wisconsin. The new part of the Central Hotel was
owned by Majors & Harter. They had sold out to A. H. Doane, and were to
have given possession Saturday morning.
The Lindell Hotel was owned by J. M.
Spencer, and was leased by Jas. Allen one month ago.
Our citizens generously opened their
homes to the homeless people, and accommodations were offered for more than was
needed.
The following is a list of the losses and
insurance.
Captain Stevens, store, loss $1,000; no
insurance.
Fred Leuschen, furniture store and
dwelling, loss $1,200. Insurance on stock, in Home, of New York, $300.
C. L. Harter, tenant dwelling, loss $300;
no insurance. Tenant had no loss except damage.
Robert Hudson, dwelling, loss $800. Mrs.
Hudson removed most of her furniture. No loss except damage. No insurance on
either house or contents.
Hackney & McDonald, livery stable
occupied by Buckhart, loss $800; no insurance.
Central Hotel, main building: James Jenkins, loss $3,500; insurance, $1,500
in the Atlas.
Central Hotel, Majors & Harter
portion: loss to building, $2,500;
insurance, $2,100, as follows:
Weschester, Springield Fire & Marine and Hartford, $700 each. [Their
insurance was on building and furniture.]
The loss of Majors & Harter in excess of their insurance will be
upwards of $3,000.
PUZZLING!
$2,100-INSURANCE...AND YET $700 EACH ($1,400)...DOES
NOT COMPUTE WITH $2,100 INSURANCE...COULD BE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN $2100 AND $1400 WAS INSURANCE
ON CONTENTS!
J. M. Spencer, Lindell Hotel, loss
$2,500; insurance $1,000, as follows:
Fire Association, $500; Phenix, of Brooklyn, $500; James Allen, loss
$1,000; insurance, $800.
Policies are in the agencies of Gilbert,
Jarvis & Co.; Curns & Manser; and Pryor & Kinne. The companies are
all first class, and the losses will be promptly adjusted and paid.
Winfield Courier, May 6, 1880.
Robert Hudson’s new bath house is about
finished. It is complete throughout, furnished with bath tubs and bathing
apparatus, and will be one of the most convenient houses in the southwest.
Mr. Chas. Stueven has rented it and will open up in about a week.
July 8, 1880 - Will Hudson has returned
from his Colorado trip much improved in health.
July 15, 1880 - Dr. Fleming has removed
his drug store to the Hudson building on Main street. The Doctor has a neat
way of arranging his store which makes it very attractive.
Aug 5, 1880 - Hudson Brothers are running
the Arkansas City jewelry business in the Palace store, as well as their
Winfield store.
Winfield Courier, August 19, 1880.
Hudson’s bath house will be in trim and
open anew. On Thursdays he will give free baths to gentlemen and on Fridays,
free baths to ladies, when female attendants will be in charge. Call and try
it.
Winfield Courier, October 7, 1880.
Married at the residence of the bride’s
mother, Mrs. Dillingham, Sept. 29th, 1880, by Rev. Cairns, Mr. William H.
Hudson and Miss Leonora P. Dillingham, both of Winfield.
Winfield Courier, January 6, 1881.
Mr. and Mrs. Friend have rented the
Hudson building, formerly the Flag drug store, and will occupy it during the
next year for their combined stores.
Winfield Courier, April 14, 1881.
Robert Hudson is putting in an addition
to his bath house, and will soon have two more tubs in running order. With his
new improvements, he will be able to give as good a “Turkey” bath as you can
get in Chicago.
Winfield Courier, May 5, 1881.
HUDSON BROTHERS, JEWELERS. We are doing
twice the amount of business we did a year ago, probably because we are
carrying twice as many goods and are better known. Do not know as the short
crops of last year has any effect on our trade. Have not noticed any particular
effect of the prohibitory laws on our trade.
The grandfather, also named Robert
Hudson, owned a home on the present site of the Salvation Army citadel and
operated the Lindell Hotel, one of the first hotels of Winfield. He brought the
first bath tub to Winfield, a metal lined box, which at that time was quite a
curiosity.
The grandson, Robert Ellis Hudson,
operated a jewelry store and optometrist’s shop at 915 Main street. He was
educated in the Winfield high school and subsequently graduated from an optical
college. His son Robert Ellis Hudson was associated with him in the shop.
Robert Ellis Hudson graduated from the
Winfield high school and the Gem City business College at Quincy, Illinois.
Subsequently he became a licensed optometrist. He also served in the First
World War.