Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1912-04-19
Col. Richard Hudson is No
More.

wore.
For several weeks the people of
Deming have been prepared to re.
ceive the announcement of the death
of Col. Richard Hudson, familiarly
known to all ms Uncle Dick" but
when on Sunday afternoon the dread
summons came, it was a decided
shock to his legion of friends, ms ev.
erybody had a kind regard for their
venerable friend.
The funeral was held from his
late home, Tuesday, under the aus
pices of McGrorty Commandery,
Knights Templar. of which he was
an honored member, Rev Lconidas
Smith, of st. l. II k s Episcopal
church assisted by Rev. Il. Moore. of
the Christian church, having charge
of the church observances. The
floral tributes were extensive and
beautiful.
The deceased leaves to mourn his
departure, his widow and daughter,
Mrs. Hugh II. Williams. his cousin,
Thos. Hudson, who is now in Brook
lyn. n. Y, and a legion of friends.
The remains were laid to rest in the
Dcming cemetery.
An excellent sketch of Col. Hud-
son appears in the official history Of
New Mexico, and is as follows:
Col. Richard Hudson, now living
retired in Deming, is one of the
most widely know of the pioneers of
New Mexico, and his life has been
of direct and immediate scrviccable-
ness in the substantial uphuilding and
development of his part of the Ter
ritory He was born in England,
February, %, 1899. was early left
an orphan and in his childhood came
to the United States. He was edu-
Gated in Brooklyn, New York, and,
attracted by the discovery of gold in
California. went to San Francisco in
1852, when but thirteen years Of
age. In 1886 he ran away from
home and began mining in OrovilIe,
California. In 1861 he helped or
ganize the First California Regiment
for duty in the Civil war, but this
regiment was not sent into active
service. Subsequently. therefore,
he joined Company ! of the Fifth
California Infantry and was made
sergeant, while in 1863, in southern
California, he was promoted to the
rank of second lieutenant. He came
to New Mexico with his command
in the same year and assisted in pre-
serving order in the over Rio
Grandc valley. In 1864 he was pro-
NOTED to first lieutenant and adju-
tant. and remained in the service
until the end of the war On the
18th of October, 1866, he was mus
tered out at Fort Union, New McXi-
co. He has since resided in the
southwest, and in 1868 was appoint
cd by Governor Mitchell captain of
militia. while Governor Wallace
made him major in the National
Guard and Governor Sheldon promo
ted him to the rank of colonel of the
First Regiment. He has ever been
interested in military affairs, and
vet possesses much of the old militia
ry spirit which promoted his active
duty with the Union troops in the
Civil war.
In the fall of 1866 Colonel Hud-
son located at Pinos Altos, where he
engaged in the hotel business, also
in mining, staging and freighting.
The same year he was elected the
first sheriff of Grant county and
served in that capacity for two
wears. In 1870 he was elected pro-
bate Judge and served four years.
| In 1871 he removed to Silver City,
where he engaged in the livery and
freighting business and subsequent
Ily purchased the hot springs, when
they became known as Hudson Hot
Springs. Recognizing their value
because of their medicinal proper
ties, in 1876 he built hotel and
bath houses there and conducted the
hotel for a number of years with