JAMES S. HUDSON. This gentleman is one of the substantial residents of Newton County, Arkansas, and is also one of the pioneers of the same, for he has resided here since his birth, which occurred on February 4, 1857. His uncle, Samuel Hudson, was the first white settler of the county, having come to this region in 1830, and his brother, Andrew Hudson, the father of James S., came here in 1835 from his native county of Jackson,Tennessee, where he was born in 1818. He settled on a farm about three miles west of where Jasper now is on Little Buffalo Creek, and so dense was the cane along that bottom that he was compelled to get out and cut a road through it. He lived on this farm for some years, but later moved to a farm one mile west of Jasper, on which his son William now resides, and where he died in the fall of 1891. He was quite successful in the accumulation of worldly goods, and was a substantial, law-abiding and public-spirited citizen. In his political views he always supported the principles of Democracy and at one time ably filled the office of county treasurer. Wild game was abundant when he first came to this section, and he and his brother Samuel became well known as hunters, for many were the deer and bears that fell victims to their unerring marksmanship. Mr. Hudson was married to Miss Sarah Holt, a native of Tennessee, who survived him about one year, having become the mother of the following children: Nancy, married I.J. Dum and died in California; Martha, widow of M. Young; Amanda, who died after her marriage with John Wammock; Henry a farmer of this county; Samuel who died in 1880; Eliza who died after her marriage with William Carter; Matilda, wife of Jesse Blackwell of Oklahoma Territory; William who resides west of Jasper; James S.; Francis M., who is a resident of Texas, and Ellen, who is the wife of Monroe Stacy of Jasper.
The early life of James S. Hudson was spent on the farm near Jasper, but he afterward attended school in Harrison, Berryville and Bellefonte, thus gaining a thorough and practical education. Upon attaining his majority he went west to Nevada, and for two years worked on a stock ranch for Col. Harden, near Winnemucca, after which he returned to his old home, and with a small capital earned while working on stock ranches he engaged in the cattle business. Later he took his cattle to Kansas, where he sold them, after which, in 1885, he returned and engaged in the mercantile business in Jasper, which has since occupied his attention. He is doing a prosperous business of 8,000 annually, carries an excellent general line of goods, and is liberally patronized by the best people of the section. He has made his own way in the world and has every reason to be proud of the manner in which he has bent the force of circumstances to his will and has triumphed over adversity. June 4, 1885, he was married to Samantha Carlin, of Pierce City, Missouri, by whom he has four children: Docia, Mintie, William A. and Jesse S. Mrs. Hudson is a member of the Baptist Church, and he is a member of the I. O. O. F., Harrison Lodge, and politically is a Democrat, and for some time held the office of postmaster of Jasper under President Cleveland.