Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-08-05
The Hudson Family.
Written for the MESSENGER.

An old historic mystery regarding the
family of Captain Henry Hudson is at
| las, in fair way To be cleared up. All
| the older histories state that nothing is
known about his family. but of late years
/ it has been shown that he was the grand
son of Alderman Henry Hudson. of Lon
dom and very highly connected. Al
dcrman Hudson died i'll l515, and Capt.
/ Henry was born about 1870. Being Il
younger son. he went out to seek his
| fortune. as was then the custom. and
tanned employment with the English
East India Company, with whom he
! learned the profession of navigator
and became one of their boldest captains.
! He was entirely devoted to the discovery
of the Northwest passage to India. a
problem then absorbing the attention of
voyage of discovery. undertaken for the
Dutch East India Company under a
contract with the Chamber of Amster-
dam i'll 1909, that he discovered the
Hudson river The Dutch were quick
10 claim the new land for their own and
soon established post for trading with
| the Indians, on the Island of Manhattan
AT the mouth of the great river. Thus
was founded the city of New York, first
called New Amsterdam In 1901 Capt
| Henry Hudson made his last voyage,
this time under English auspices, and
discovered Hudson bay in upper Can
ada. On the way home his crew NUT
imcd and cast him and his son John
adrift in small boat on the waters of
Hudson's strait, where they persisted.
An historical pamphlet now before us
gives the result of an examination of
the English Calendars of State Papers,
recently completed. These Calendars
contain the English State Papers from
| the earliest times, among which are a
| great many bearing upon the history
of the English East India Company and
its early voyages of discovery and col
Onization. They disclose the very in
tcrcsting facts that Capt. Henry Hudson
left surviving widow and at least one
son. Richard Hudson, born about 1905.
| This son was, like his father, taken into
the service of the English East India
Company aS an apprentice. when Il
young boy. He spent many years in
the East Indies and Japan, and rose to
be an agent or factor of the East India
Co. The pamphlet gives many curious
particulars of his voyages and advcn-
lures.
Richard Hudson emigrated to America
in 1888, in the ship Safety. of London
and settled in Northampton County,
Virginia, where he spent his remaining
days. and where some of his descend
ants still remain. His sons Henry and
Nicholas however removed with their
families to Maryland prior to I6i5, and
settled on the Pocomoke river Nicholas
died in 1850 and left no male descend
ants, hut Henry left family and was
the ancestor of all the Worcester County
HudSonS. He and his sons were sailors
and planters from their youth up, and
the names of Henry and Richard appear
among his descendants for many gen
crationS The Hudsons living near
Berlin and in Delaware are descended
from his son Richard, while those in
other parts of Worcester county are
descended principally from his son
Henry.
In every generation. members of the
family have removed To other parts so
that they are now scattered all over the
United States, although the name has
been kept alive in Worcester and other
adjacent counties. One of the family
now in New York City, recently said:
Every day rs | pass the bronze statue
of Capt Henry Hudson on the roadway
| feel like lifting my hat and saying:
Hello. Grandpa -
The history of this family. which is
now being collected for publication. is
u particularly interesting one. and there
viii doubtless be much qualification felt
among this and other allied families
Besides complete genealogical record.
collected from the archives in Virginia
and at Snow Hill. a careful study is to
he made of early Maryland history. as
well a. local customs. traditions, etc
Those interested will do well To com
muncaie with Mr.. Willard f. Hudson,
of San Francisco, California. the author
of the pamphlet mentioned. who will
answer questions and send copies of
the pamphlet upon request.
500 Reward, * 500.