Richard HUDSON b.ca.1605-08, settled Accomack Co VA
The following article is of such significance to HUDSONs who feel they descend in this particular line, that it should be noted here:
Richard HUDSON of Hungars Creek, Accomack/Northampton Co, VA
Did He Have a Son Named Richard ?
By Betty Jo HUDSON, HFA Director of Genealogy and Archivist
Article originally appeared in Bulletin No. 113, pp.2-4 – © HUDSON Family Association)
Because several new HFA members are claiming descent from Richard 1 HUDSON of Accomack/Northampton Co, VA, through a Richard 2 HUDSON of Henrico County, VA, who married (___) BOWMAN, it seems important that this question of kinship be asked and answered. The descent has been widely asserted and repeated over recent years, especially in the lines of new HFA members.First, we need to ask if Richard 1 HUDSON had a son named Richard. Second, we have to prove that Richard HUDSON of Henrico Co, VA, is that son. The problem is that there are no documented references in the database, the archives, or this writer’s personal library which either confirm or deny such a connection. Either HFA does not have all the records that exist, or we are printing unsupported connections in new member lines as proved when (they are) not proved.
Court records pf Accomack/Northampton Co, VA, are a complete and unbroken set of originals from 1632. To this writer’s knowledge at least three researchers (including this writer) have made serious efforts to document Richard 1 HUDSON of Accomack/Northampton Co,VA:
Millard F. HUDSON (ca.1897-1923)
Roy D. HUDSON (ca. 1957)
Betty Jo HUDSON (ca.1979-present)
The HFA archives have a five page summary with no documented references of Millard F. HUDSON’s research which he obtained with help from a hired researcher in Northampton Co, VA, (sent to HFA by Margaret CORBELL in 1979), and three pages of handwritten research notes done for Millard F. HUDSON, notes which do have original references (sent to HFA by Shirley KINNEY in 1981). Being early Xerox copies that have faded, they are readable only in parts.
Roy D. HUDSON assembled a book of 92 pages entitled, “HUDSON Genealogy 1834-1957, but only 8 pages relate to Richard 1 HUDSON,Henry 2 HUDSON,John 3 HUDSON, and Joshua 4 HUDSON.The remaining pages document descendants of Ananias 5 HUDSON who married Magdalin WILEY. Both Millard HUDSON and Roy D. HUDSON descend through Henry 2 HUDSON.
In HFA Bulletin #27, (June, 1979), pp. 52-57, this writer reported in a chronological format all references appearing in the Accomack/Northampton Court Records of Virginia as transcribed and published by Susie M. AMES in two volumes for the time periods 1632-1640 and 1640-1645. This work cited documentation for each entry. This writer owns copies of both AMES volumes in addition to a third volume entitled, “Studies of the Virginia Eastern Shore.” Lack of access to the later records prevented completing the chronological study of Richard 1 HUDSON’s life events through 1659. The above enumeration summarizes what we know and how we know it about events in the life of Richard 1 HUDSON.
Among Millard F. HUDSON’s notes made circa 1900 was found a handwritten copy of the nuncupative Will of Richard 1 HUDSON. It is recorded as follows in Northampton Court Records, Volume Orders No.8, 1651- 1664, p.59:
“The Deposition of Jno Robinson & Jno Winberry---- Being att ye house of Richard Hudson ye said Hudsonbeing weake & sick was moved ye said Richard Hudson to sett his things in Order whilst ye Lord gave him time. Then ye sd Hudson said all that ye hath lent me & wt I have gotten by
ye sweat of my browesI desire it may be equally divided betwixt my wife & my sonn Nicholas, then wee moved him with his two other children & tould him also ye also came out of his loines and he said I know it & thus hee they have both stockes of their ownThey have noe thing but wt I gave them----
Dated ye 29th of December 1659.
John Robinson
John Winberry”
Notes by Millard F. HUDSON just below the above Will read, “Barbara Hudson was widow of the above Richard as is shown on same volume and page. Barbara Hudson married John Badum. See Vol.1657-1666 List of Marriages p.90New Book. She was doubtless widow of Richard HUDSON whose Will is above & I do not believe she left any children either by Hudson or Badum. See her Will p. 196 of this book.”
Please note that the nuncupative Will of Richard 1 HUDSON does not define whether Richard’s two unnamed children were sons or daughters. Millard F. HUDSON does not say in his notes (and Roy D. HUDSON seems to agree) that subsequent records prove a second son named Henry, and this Henry 2 HUDSON is their line of descent.The third child has not been identified by Millard F. HUDSON or Roy D. HUDSON.
This writer continues to be puzzled by the number of new member lines of descent claiming a Richard 2 HUDSON as the third child of Richard 1 HUDSON, so once again we carefully re-read all available records.During this re-reading we discovered an inconsistency in the HFA records indicating that HFA’s published records, themselves, may have created the problem. The entire matter hinges on the reading of one word in the old writing. The evidence of the inconsistency of records is as given below:
On July 6, 1664, Richard HUDSON and his wife, Mary (widow of John HAYES), bound out Richard’s daughter-in-law, Ruth HAYES, to John and AnnJOHNSON. This record was in Northampton County Court Records, Vol.2, 1640-1645, original p.198.
Don HART transcribed this record in “Hudson Records of Virginia”, Vol. 1, p.18, and the first sentence reads:
“Be it known that I Richard HUDSON Sr. with consent of my wife Mary doth freely and absolutely give away said daughter……”
The use of the abbreviation “Sr.” meaning “Senior” infers the existence of a Richard Junior. In most cases this would be a correct inferenceeven though it has been known to have been used in early Virginia to distinguish uncles from nephews.
Susie M. AMES transcribed, not just for the few Hudson entries, but two entire published volumes, entry by entry, and word for word. See County Court Records of Accomack/Northampton County, Virginia, Vol.2, 1640-1645, p. 368, and the first sentence reads:
“Bee it Knowne unto all men by these presents That I Richard Hudson doe with Consent of Mary my Wyfe doe Freely and absolutely Give my said Daughter in law
Ruth HAYES…….”
Please note that the word read by Don HART as “Sr.” was read by Susie M. AMES as “doe”.
Further careful checking in AMES verified that in that time period and location, the language of documents by parties of the first part to parties of the second part (usually a deed) contained the consistent pattern as used by AMES as given above:“ I ………doe……..”Entry after entry of the AMES transcription conform to this pattern.
Handwriting of Virginia circa 1650 is unreadable by the untrained eye, even without fading and aging, both of which affect the quality of the record. This writer admires and respects any who attempt such a task, especially Don HART who donated to HFA four (4) volumes of Virginia Abstracts of HUDSON records for the convenience of all HFA members; however, we must keep an open mind and weigh the evidence at hand.
Best evidence at hand says that Don HART misread the word “doe” for “Sr.”. Therefore, there is no inferred Richard 2 HUDSON Junior. Lacking any other information, either inferring or proving a son, Richard 2 HUDSON, we should not be attributing a son in the HFA archives or database or published records of any kind since no other such proof has yet been found and sent by members as supporting proof up to the present time. Therefore, we will not connect the Richard HUDSON of Henrico County, Virginia, who married (___) BOWMAN to the Richard 1HUDSON of Accomack/Northampton County until some member/researcher sends additional documentation or inferential evidence that such is true. Being in print, especially in our (HFA) Bulletin, does not make information “true” in the face of contrary evidence.
As stated in the beginning, we needed first to prove that Richard 1 HUDSON had a son, Richard 2 HUDSON, and we do not have this proof. This especially relates to any member who bases their lineage on HART, Vol.1, p.18, as discussed above. If any (HFA) Bulletin readers possess any relevant data on this, please share it with the HUDSON Family Association so that we may be as accurate as possible. We promise to weigh all evidence with an open mind and to give credit to the sender of any such information. This is where we stand based on evidence at hand, to date. –BJH-
(Note by Editor, John W. HUDSON: At the time of publication of this article, some 195 members (past and present) of the HUDSON Family Association indicate descentfrom the Richard 1 HUDSON referred to in Betty Jo HUDSON’s article.)
Respectfully submitted,
John W. Hudson
HUDSOn Family Association