THE HUDSONS IN CAMPBELL AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES
William Still Hudson
The recorded history of the Hudson family in Douglas County starts in Jackson County, Georgia on May 12, 1812 with the birth of William Still Hudson. Sometime later, it is known that he relocated to Campbell County in what is present-day south Douglas County and farmed acreage along the Five Notch Road area. The first of his 11 children were born here in 1840. The 1850 Campbell County Census lists William, along with Susannah, born 1822 in South Carolina, as well as the 5 children who were born to them before the census was taken; Elizabeth, born 1840, Pauline, 1841, Marquis, 1846, William Henry, 1845, and Zackeriah, 1849. Later, the W.S.Hudson family grew to include Sarah Amanda, born 1851, Allen, born 1854, George, born 1855, and Julia, born 1866. William Still Hudson died February 14, 1900 at the ripe old age of 88. He is buried at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Highway 166 in South Douglas County, along with Susannah, who followed him 10 years later, also reaching 88 years of age.
William Henry Hudson and the Civil War
At the onset of the War Between the States, William S. Hudson was approaching 50 years of age. As was the custom in those times, he elected to send a son to serve in his place in the Confederate army. 16 year old William Henry drew the unfortunate lot, and enlisted as a Private on February 1, 1863 with 30th infantry regiment, Company K, of the Chattahoochee Volunteers. Young William saw his first action at Calhoun in the futile defense of Georgia from Sherman's Union invaders. Falling back southward, Company K skirmished at New Hope Church, Kennesaw, Peachtree Creek, and the Battle of Jonesboro in the Atlanta campaign. It was within a day's walk from his home that William Henry was wounded on July 22, 1864 during the bloody final days of the Atlanta defense. The 30th Regiment traveled north again and fought in Tennessee and North Carolina. William Henry Hudson was admitted on March 15 1865 to the Ladies' Hospital in Montgomery, Alabama with pneumonia. By the time he was released, the Confederate States had fallen.
Life in a New County
After the war, William Henry married Lucy Mckoy in 1870.They settled on the Hudson homeplace in south Douglas County, and proceeded to raise 14 children.
Henry Still b. 1870 d. 1923, married Adelia Music in 1898, 6 children.
Mary Elizabeth b. 1872 d. 1931, married Sol Duncan in 1892, 3 children.
Susan Pauline b. 1874 d. at 10 months of age.
Lucy Newman b. 1875 d. 1911, married Walter Richards in 1897, 8 children.
Benjamin Franklin b. 1877 d. 1957, married Maggie Johnson in 1907, 5 children.
Albert Sidney b. 1879 d. 1944, married Savannah Barron in 1900, 6 children.
Robert Lafayette b. 1881 d. 1938, married Nancy Richards in 1900, 7 children.
Laura Western b. 1883 d. 1920, married Will Eidson in 1897, 10 children.
William Homer b. 1885 d. 1968, married Corine Morris in 1908, 10 children.
Effie Lou b. 1886 d. 1959, married D. Morris Truett in 1907, 5 children.
Martha Tallulah, b. 1888 d. 1975, married Gordon Johnson in 1903, 4 children.
Frances Allen b. 1891 d. 1961, married Luke Brannon in 1906, 6 children.
Ruby Lee b. 1894 d. 1971, married Joe Gary in 1915, 6 children.
Clifford McKoy b. 1897 d. 1966, married Evie Demonia in 1920, 6 children.
William Henry farmed the area and kept exact records of his financial transactions. Receipts and invoices for fertilizer and supplies bought from Duncan's General Store in Douglasville and Mandeville Mills in Carrollton exist in the family scrapbooks today, and reveal interesting facts such as payoff amounts of 50 cents and $2. A Confederate pension application shows an annual income of $150 from farming. Like his father, William lived a long, fruitful life, and died at the age of 81 in 1926. He is interred with his parents at Ebenezer Church.
Clifford Mckoy Hudson
The youngest of William Henry's 14 children, Clifford married Evie Demonia in 1920, and stayed on the family's land in South Douglas county. The family included 6 children.
James Clifford b. 1921 d. 1930.
William Leonard b. 1923 d. 1945.
William Leonard Hudson joined the U.S. Army Air Force at the outset of World War II, and was stationed in England with the 323rd Bomber Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group, part of the 8th Air Force. This group included the famed Memphis Belle. Leonard's unit had many claims to fame. It had the highest total of enemy aircraft destroyed (420), but it also had the highest loss of all 8th Airforce bomb groups with 197 planes missing in action. This groups also lost 1010 combat crewmen in over 9000 sorties. Staff Sergeant William Leonard Hudson was killed over Nuremberg, Germany on February 20, 1945, while volunteering for turret- gunner duty on the B-17 "Wicked Witch" and is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium. He was awarded the Air Medel with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart posthumously.
Oliver Thad b. 1928 d. 1996. Longtime Douglas County business owner.
Rosalind Leseure b. 1931.
Clark Aaron b. 1934.
Orren Buford b. 1936. Longtime Douglasville business owner and farmer.
Clark Aaron Hudson
Clark Aaron Hudson married Kay Ann Spruell in 1954. He started his business career in Douglasville as a salesman with Western Auto. In 1959, he was offered the manager's position with Service Supply Co., an auto parts store on Broad St. During the next 32 years he served stints as city councilman, corporate board member, and business owner. Presently he maintains an active retirement with various volunteer and board duties. He has two children and two grandchildren.
Samuel Aaron b. 1956, one child, Stephanie Leigh b. 1979.
Kayron Ann b. 1959, one child, Ann Elizabeth b. 1991.
Sam Hudson's Home Restoration Page
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