Dickson Co, Tennessee - 1800

9. William Hudson (175x - 1821)

My fifth Great-Grandfather William, a lietenant in the Revolutionary War, was retired a Captain and received a land grant equivalent of Captain rank. Born in Mecklinburg Co, VA, William and his brothers John and Cuthbert appear in Dickson Co Court records as land owners / sellers as early as 1799 / 1800. William owned land on the Piney River as well as Turnbull Creek. William fathered children by two wives, Elizabeth Baker and Taffernous Moore. This is evidenced by the children's names Baker and Taffernous. A plaque at the Dickson Co Courthouse (in Charlotte) commemorates William as a Revolutionary War soldier buried in Dickson Co. He is buried in Turnbull Baptist Church Cemetary. The Dickson Co Court records of 1821 lists the wife Taffincous(sic) and children as heirs of William. The children of William are as follows:

Thomas C. Hudson (my line) (1792 - 1850+) married Rebecca Hulme in 1815

Rebecca Hudson (1806 - 1860) married James Yates

Judith Hudson

Nancy Hudson married Mr. Hodgins

Cary Hudson

Taffernous Hudson married Mr. Eason

Elizabeth Hudson married Mr. Marsh

Polly Hudson married Mr. Russell

Baker Hudson

William Hudson Jr.

This period of time was the most difficult to tie together since some records were destroyed in the tornado that destroyed the courthouse in 1830. These records probably contained the information on Thomas C's wife, children, brothers and sisters, so the census records of 1810 to 1840 and subsequent family bible records were utilized to construct this period.

Daughter Rebecca and James Yates were parrents of Mordica Yates(1848 - 1923) who married Armatha Petty (1848 - 1896). Mordica and Armatha were parents to Dorsie Robert Yates (1885 - 1966) who married Annie Ozella Petty(1890 - 1968). Dorsie and Annie were parents to Delvia Yates (1912 - 1979) who married Freeman Eugene Hudson (1911 - 1986).


10. Thomas C. Hudson (1792 - 1850+)

Thomas was my fourth Great-Grandfather. Thomas married Rebecca Hulme in 1815 in Williamson County, Tennessee. Thomas fought in the War of 1812 under his uncle, Captain Cuthbert Hudson of Dickson. The Dickson Co. census records indicate that he and Rebecca had eight children. Only four have been identified to date as follows:

John Washington Hudson (my third Great-grandfather).

Missorie Hudson

Caroline Hudson

William Hudson


I have found no records as to John Washington being the son of Thomas, so the following deductive reasoning was utilized to establish this relationship:

1. Hudson family history and Bible records only go back to 1819 and indicate that John Washington was born in 1819 in Dickson, Tn.

2. The 1820 census of TN indicated three Hudson's in Dickson that could be John's father; Thomas, Henry and Cuthbert. The 1830 census shows that both Thomas and Cuthbert had children that would be the same age as John (11).

3. Cuthbert's will lists his wife and children ( no John ).

4. Census records indicate Henry moved out of Dickson by 1830 taking his children with him. Henry was from North Carolina.

5. The 1880 census lists John Washington's father as born in Virginia and his mother in Tennessee. Dickson was populated by two Hudson families; The clan of William about 1799 and a clan from North Carolina about 1830. This fact eliminates the North Carolina Hudson's as possibilities.

6. Thomas' wife Rebecca was born in Tennessee. According to court and census records, they both lived in Dickson until 1850. After 1850 records cease to exist on this particular Thomas Hudson.

7. Thomas' known children have various state names; Missouri and Caroline(a). According to many records John Washington Hudson was known as Washington.

8. One of Johns' son was named and went by John Thomas. The middle name of Thomas would be his grandfathers name.

Utilizing the above information, and barring the possibility that John was abandoned in Dickson, the only possible solution is that Thomas was the father of John Washington Hudson.

All the census reports and court records are attached to the hard copy version of this document.


11. John Washington Hudson (1819 - 1891)

John Washington Hudson married Mary Tilley December 1, 1838 in Dickson by Thomas Palmer at Smyrna Meeting House. Mary was the daughter of George Tilley, also of Dickson Co. John is my third Great-Grandfather. Although John was born, raised and died in Dickson, the 1840 census report list John and Mary residing with Johns father Thomas in Roane County, TN as well as the Dickson County census.

The tracking of my John W. Hudson became difficult since the appearance of a second John W. Hudson also appears in Roane County at this same time. The second John W. (no immediate relation) was also born in 1819 (although in Virginia) and was also married in 1838, but to a women named Elizabeth. I only add this note in the case that other researchers come across these same facts, since it caused me much confusion in sorting out who was who.

John and Mary, or Wash and Tilley as they were known, ran a livery stable on the stage coach route to Memphis. This was a last stop prior to reaching Memphis and the newly expanding Western frontier. John's brothers ran an Inn and Saloon just up the hill from the livery stable. Family legend has it that Wyatt Earp, and many other frontiersman stayed at the Inn.

John and Mary again show up in Dickson County in the 1850 census where they lived out the rest of their lives. It appears that John Washington Hudson was well to do since two of his sons, William and John Thomas, obtained law degrees and were prominent Dickson County as well as Tennessee polititians. Dickson Co census reports, as well as Bible records, list the children of John and Mary as:

John Thomas Hudson (my line) (1853 - 1920) married Lucindy Bowen on 1/9/1873

Lucinda Hudson (1841 - 1917) married George Tatum and Blount Baker

William R. Hudson (1858 - 1939) married Eliz. Jackson / Ollie H.

Dennis F. Hudson (1843 - ) married Susan Brown and Martha Southerland

Click here to see the descendents of Dennis F Hudson... Submission by Kathy Robbins

Margaret A. Hudson (1846 - 1912)

Freedonia E. Hudson (1849 - ) married David Robertson

Click here to see the descendents of Freedonia Hudson....Submission by Mildred Bateman Perry

Virginia Alice Hudson (1856 - 1924) Married James Baker

A. Hudson (1847- )

M. L. Hudson (F) (1849- )

George W Hudson b.1861 d.1861

WL Hudson B.1866 d. 1867

George May Hudson married Debbie

Laurentine is mentioned in JWH Will


Son William R. was the first Dickson Co - County Judge from 1902 to 1918. He is buried in Mt. Lebanon Cemetary in Dickson Co. William had one known child, Ilma Hudson (1895 - 1953) who married Robert Cratty.


12. John Thomas Hudson (1853 - 1920)

John Thomas Hudson was my Great-Great Grandfather and was named after his father (John) and Grandfather (Thomas C.). John married Lucindy Bowen (1855 - 1915) on 1/9/1873 in Dickson. John Thomas was a hardware store owner, attorney, Dickson Court Judge (1898) as well as State of Tennessee Legislator from 1911 to 1913. John, a Democrat, served in the 55th and 57th Tennessee General Assembly and was also a member of the Methodist Church; Free and Accepted Masons, Royal Arch. John married a second time to Mrs. Susie (Walker) Easley in 1917, with no children from this union. John is buried at the Dickson Union Cemetary in Dickson.

John's first wife, Lucindy, is the daughter of George Bowen (1828 - 1858) and Mary Springer (Dickson). George was the son of Allen Bowen (1782 - ??) and Rebecca Owen. Allen was the son of Captain William Bowen (Revolutionary War) (1741 - 1804 VA) and Mary Russell. Captain William's father John, Grandfather Moses and Great-Grandfather Richard were all some of the early Quaker settlers in Pennsylvania, settling between 1695 and 1698 from England.

John and Lucindy's children were as follows:

Van D. Hudson (my line) (1888 - 1961) married Della Fussell (1887 - 1978) on 11/6/1907 in Dickson,Tn

William Wyatt Hudson (1874 - 1954) married Berry Brazzell (1879 - 1954) on 4/9/1903 in Dickson, TN.

Floy Hudson (1881 - ???) married Will Adam

Nola Ann Hudson (1883 - 19650 married Wade Ermon Greer (1882 - 1956) on 10/19/02 in Dickson, TN.

George Wesley Hudson (1884 - ???)

Harden Burl Hudson (1877 - 1954) married Arzilla Donegan (1876 - 1937) on 1/20/1899 in Dickson, TN.

Walter Scott Hudson (1890 - 1890)

John Beines Hudson (1891 - 1946)

James Lee Hudson (1894 - 1936)

Click here to see a detailed list of the Grandchildren of John Thomas Hudson and Lucindy Bowen

Click here to see the descendents of William Wyatt Hudson and Berry Brazzell


13. Van D. Hudson (1888 - 1961)

Van, my Great-Grandfather, married Della Fussell on 11/06/1907 in Dickson TN. It appears through a letter that Van went to Detroit, MI seeking work around 1924. Van worked at the Chrysler Corporation in Detroit during World War II. He died at the age of 73 and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetary in Detroit, MI.

Della Fussell (1887 - 1978) was the daughter of John Morgan Fussell (1863 - 1946) and Mary Jane Oakley (1860 - 1951) both buried in Mt. Lebanon Cemetary in Dickson Co. John Morgan Fussell was the son of John Morgan Fussell Sr. and Polly Harmon. Mary Jane Oakley was the daughter of Joseph Oakley and Mary Ann Leech both of Dickson, TN.

Van and Della's children are as follows:

Freeman Eugene Hudson (my Grandfather) (1911 - 1986) married Delvia Yates (1912 - 1979) in Dickson

Lester V. Hudson (1906 - ???) married Oda Ree Rains in Dickson

Merwyn D. Hudson (1909 - ???) had four wives over the years

Floy Avis Hudson (1912 - 1923)

Robert Glenn Hudson (1915 - 1922)

Clifford Hudson (1918 - ???) married Mary Willie in Dickson

Mildred Mae Hudson (1922 - ???) married Rudolph Balazovic

Frances D. Hudson married Ralph Lapinski

Click here to see the descendants of Van D. Hudson