A few years earlier, the Byrd Hudson family was featured in this column. Byrd was born in 1792 in Georgia as the son of Hall and Elizabeth (Hampton) Hudson. Byrd was married to Mary Bedingfield, and they migrated to Covington County during the early 1840s. At present, there is no known relationship of Byrd’s family to the one being reviewed in today’s column.

In today’s story, the earliest known Hudson ancestor is Uriah Hudson and his wife, Charity Stallings. They had a son named Joseph Isaac Hudson who was born in 1758 in Perquimans County, N.C. Joseph was married circa 1801 to Sarah Sylvia Parker Miller who was born in 1761 to Elisha and Elizabeth Parker. Sarah died in 1810, and Joseph, in 1850. They were buried in Neshoba, Miss.

Joseph and Sarah reared a son named Alfred/Alford Hudson who was born in 1801 in New Hanover, N.C. He was married in 1824 to Mary Jane Johnson (1809-1887), daughter of Soasbe Johnson and Sarah Miller. Alfred died in 1874 in Neshoba County, Miss., and Mary Jane, in 1887 in Lamar, Miss.

Alfred and Mary Jane Hudson reared the following 14 children: John D., b. 1826, d. 1895, m. (1) 1849 Cynthia Brannen (1828-1868) (2) Mary Ann Williams (1829-1896); Elizabeth A., b. 1828, d. 1914, m. 1852 Francis Marion Register; Mary Jane, b. 1830, d. 1904, m. 1856 Rev. John James Miller; Thomas Miles, b. 1832, d. 1880, m. Jane Clara Register; William Fredrick, b. 1834, d. 1913, m. 1852 Martha Matilda Fannin; Andrew Jackson, b. 1837, d. 1920, m. Letta Futch (1839-1891); Jonathan Joseph, b. 1839, d. 1890, m. Emma T.J. Fannin (1827-1887); George Randol (twin to Jonathan J.), b. 1839, d. 1924, m. (1) 1859 Martha E. Brannen (1841-1881) (2) 1881 Samantha Brown (1854-1900); Temperance Caroline, b. 1841, d. 1912, m. John Hardy Harrell (1830-1916); Clarissa, b. 1943, d. 1897, m. John Henry Cleghorn (1842-1930); Sarah W., b. 1845; Isaac Coleman, b. 1849, d. 1925, m. (1) 1867 Margaret J. Matthews (1847-1879) (2) 1880 Martha L. Ellingberg (1861-1935); Martha L., b. 1849, d. 1935; and Harriet, b. 1851.

The oldest son, John D. Hudson, enlisted into the Confederate Army as a Second Lieutenant in Company A, 54th Alabama Infantry Regiment. He served throughout the war and was discharged at the same rank of Second Lieutenant. He was married first in 1847 to Cinthia Brannen (1828-1868), and they had the following children: Jasper; Gillis B., b. ca 1852, d. 1930; James Sampson, b. ca 1857; and Noah R., b. ca 1859. Earlier on in their marriage, John’s younger brother, George Randol Hudson, lived with them. In fact, it has been said that John and Cinthia pretty much reared George Randol.

John D. was next married to Mary Ann Williams. They had the following children: Frances, b. ca 1861; Charles, b. ca 1864; Alfred, b. ca 1866; Tranquilla “Leully,” b. ca 1869; Annie, b. ca 1869; and Zacariah, b. ca 1870.

John D.’s younger brother, George Randol Hudson, at around the age of 22 years, enlisted for service in the Confederate Army. He was enrolled at Greenville, Ala., as a private in Company E, 42nd Alabama Infantry Regiment under the command of Captain J.H. Field. His first major battle, the Battle of Corinth, occurred at Columbus, Miss. The next was the Battle of Vicksburg where he was wounded and taken prisoner. He was held until the surrender of the City of Vicksburg at which time he took the Oath of Allegiance. He returned to service and fought in the Battle of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. He later fought in the Atlanta Campaign. He was honorably discharged in January 1864 at Montgomery, Ala.

George Randol Hudson was first married in 1959 in Coffee County to Martha Elizabeth Brannen, daughter of Joseph Brannen and Elizabeth Jane Beck. Their first child, James Alford Hudson, was born in 1860, a year before Randol enlisted in the Confederate Army. Randol and Martha had the following three children before her death in 1881: James Alford, b. 1860, d. 1941, m. Lula Boswell; John Everett, b. 1864, d. 1941, m. Amanda Crocker; and Harris Marion, b. 1869, d. 1943, m. Martha Elizabeth Little.

George Randol was next married in 1881 to Samantha Brown (1854-1900), daughter of Green Field Brown and Apsilla Parrish. They had the following four children: Charlie M., b. 1881, d. 1962, m. Eunice Hardy; Jessie G., b. 1883, d. 1950, m. Annie Liza ?; Matilda “Tildy,” b. 1884, d. 1969, m. (1) H.M. Nolin (2) Gus Lawson (3) Horace Wilkerson (4) Gus Fowler; and Hillory “Hill,” b. 1888, d. 1970, m. (1) 1912 Alma Rebecca “Susie” Lawson (2) Dollie Adams. George Randol was married again in 1900 in Coffee County to Roxie Anna Smith (1864-1914). They had no children together, but she would have helped rear his young children. When he died in 1924, George Randol was residing in the household of his daughter, Matilda Wilkerson, in Coffee County and was buried in the Zion Chapel Cemetery.

The youngest son, Hillory “Hill” Hudson, moved to Andalusia as a young man, which would have been during the early 1900s. He managed an 80-acre farm in the area of Sanford where he raised corn, cotton, hay and truck crops. Before his retirement in the 1940s, he became grounds-keeper for Alatex President, and former Mayor of Andalusia, J.G. Scherf and family. Their residence property is currently Andalusia’s Springdale estate.

Hill and Susie Hudson reared the following six children: Mattie Lou, b. 1914, d. 1995, m. 1931 Charlie Buford Ziglar (1910-1986); Charlie B., b. 1917, d. 1954, m. Nell Collier (1915-1989); Bessie, b. 1920, d. 2004, m. Mason H. “Dock” Thames (1917-1979); Randle Alonzo, b. 1921, d. 1956, m. 1947 Maxine Lawson (1928-2015); Helen Marie, b. 1924, d. 1945, m. Louis Jason “Pete” Thames (1920-1990); and Leamon Edward, b. 1928, m. Mary Lela “Fosteen” Jay.

The oldest daughter, Mattie Lou, and Charles Ziglar had four children: Charles Kenneth, b. 1932, d. 1999, m. Rachel ?; Leon Marcell, b. 1936, d. 2014, m. Peggy ?; Gloria, b. 1940, m. (1) Sonny Aughtman (2) Roy Cobb; and Emily, b. 1950, m. 1971 Joseph Rhymes.

The oldest son, Charlie, and Nell had four children: Billy Haywood, b. 1939, d. 2012; Virginia Susan, b. 1941, m. ? Stevenson; Mary Ann, b. 1944, d. 2015, m. ? Ballard; and Hillory Malvern, b. 1951, m. Valerie D. Givens.

Daughter Bessie and husband, Dock Thames, had five children: Anne Rebecca, b. 1939; Lavon, b. 1941, m. Mary A. Hilburn; Nannie Ola Patricia, b. 1943, m. Donald Gene Smith; Linda, b. 1945, d. 1965; and Donnie, b. 1949, m. Barbara ?.

Son Randle Alonzo Hudson and wife, Maxine, had two children: Judy Gail, b. 1949, m. 1969 Richard Alan Gaal; and Terry Randle, b. 1954, d. 1990, m. Tonya Lynn Hutchins.

Daughter Helen Marie and husband, Louis “Pete” Thames, had one son, Omen Randolph, b. 1943, d. 2011, m. 1964 Barbara Rawls.

Youngest son, Leamon Edward Hudson, and wife, Fosteen, had two sons: Michael Jay, b. 1949, m. Lynn ?; and Timothy L, b. 1953, d. 2000, m. (1) Renee ? (2) Joann ?.

The personal family records of Judy Hudson Gaal, a Hudson descendant, were the source for this narrative. Anyone who may find an error in the above is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, in the Dixon Memorial Room at the Andalusia Public Library. Guests and prospective members are encouraged to attend.