J. P. HUDSON, Justice of the Peace, Mason City; one of the early pioneers of Mason Co.; born in Worcester Co., Mass., Dec. 30, 1805; at 16 years of age, he engaged in the cotton mills at Newton, Upper Falls, where, after a time of experience in the machinery department, his skill as a mechanic and workman in the machinery of cotton mills became known, and for several years previous to 1833, he was constantly employed in placing in the machinery in different mills, located in the Eastern States; in 1833, he went to Newport, Campbell Co., Ky., where for two years he was Superintendent of the cotton, hemp and flax mills of the place; in 1835, he leased a mill at Maysville, Ky., which he ran three years, and in 1838, removed to Macoupin Co., where he followed the merchandise trade seven years; in 1845, he came to Mason Co., and located near Bath, and engaged in farming for awhile, when he leased his farm and removed to Havana, where he was engaged in business until 1867, when he removed to Mason City and engaged in the lumber trade and contracting and building until 1870, when he was succeeded by his sons. Mr. Hudson brought the first McCorinick reaper to his place that came to Mason Co.; he located in Havana when there were only two houses in the place; his first home was built of birch poles, fished out of the river, which was erected at Matanzas, which now exists only in name; he has now retired from active business, attending only to such matters as his office as Justice of the Peace requires, which office he has held for the past three years; in 1846. he was appointed by Gov. Ford as Justice of the Peace, resigning the same upon his removal upon his farm. In 1832, he was united in marriage with Abigail Harrington, who was a native of Paxton, Mass.; children:  Martha, wife of R. J. Onstott; J. Davis, engaged in business at home; Preston C., lawyer, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Olive A., teacher in the Mason City school; of his sons, J. D. served in the 2d I. V. C., and Preston C. enlisted at 17 years of age, in the 85th I. V. I., and served three years; he was a graduate of the Class of 1872, at Ann Arbor, Mich. When Mr. Hudson located in Mason Co., hia milling was done in what is now Quiver Township; he put up an ox mill, of the capacity of ten bushels per hour, and was patronized by parties from different counties, for a distance of twenty-five miles.



Maintained by Mason County Coordinator Donna Mayer