HUDSON GENEALOGY FROM

RUDOLPH TO RICHARD IV
Ifyou'reinterestedthisispartofmyChristmasgifttomy95yearoldgrandfather,JDHudson.
During the 70's he worked on the genealogy of our family and made his way back to 'Ward
Hudson'.IthoughtIwouldtakeittherestofthewayforhim.IhaveprintedthisforBigGran
(that'swhatweallcallmygrandfatherhe'stallmygrandmotherwasLittleGranyesshewas
short!)inbookformandhavehispedigreeprintedout,all20plusgenerations!Thisisjustthe
historyofbutafew.Enjoy!

MIGRATIONFROMSCANDINAVIA
TONORMANDYTOENGLAND

MIGRATION FROM SCANDINAVIA TO NORMANDY

ThenameHudsonisofNormanorigin,datingbackto1066inYorkshire,England.TheHudsonscameto
EnglandfromNormandywithWilliamtheConquerorin1066duringtheinvasion.Normandyisa
regioninnorthernFrancewhichexperiencedresettlementbyVikingspriorto1066.In911,Frenchruler,
CharlestheSimple,allowedagroupofVikingsfromScandinavia(Norway,SwedenandDenmark)to
settleinthisareainordertostoptheirattacksonFrance.

VIKINGS FROM SCANDINAVIA

VIKING WEAPONRY
Aspartoftheagreement,theVikingswhichsettledintheareawouldprotectthecoastfromother
Vikings.TheVikingswereknownas'Northmen'fromwhichthenameNormanNormandyisderived.
TheNormansadoptedmuchoftheindigenousculture,intermarryingwiththelocalpopulation,
convertingfrompaganismtoChristianityanddevelopingalanguagederivedfromLatinthatwouldlater
developintoGallicanathenOldFrench.

KING THELRED
In1002,inanattempttounifyNormandyandEngland,KingthelredofEnglandmarriedEmma,the
daughterofRichardI,theDukeofNormandy.VikingraidsonEnglandwereoftenbasedinNormandyin
the late tenth century, and this marriage was intended to unite against the Viking threat.King
thelredandQueenEmma'sson,EdwardtheConfessor,wasexiledinNormandyformanyyearsaftera
VikinginvasionofEngland.DrawingonNormansupport,EdwardwascrownedKingofEnglandin
1042.

EDWARD the CONFESSOR

AconflictarosebetweenKingEdwardandGodwin,theEarlofWessexandasaresultEdwarddiedin
1066withoutason.Godwin'sson,Harold,wascrownedKingbutWilliamofNormandyandHaraldIIIof
Norwaybothcontestedthethrone.HaroldwasabletodefeatHaraldIII,andremainedkingforatime.
WilliamtheConquerorlandedinSussexonSeptember28thandtheBattleofHastingsfollowedon
October14th.KingHaroldwaskilledatthebattle,alongwithtwoofhisbrothersandWilliambecame
kingofEnglandonDecember25,1066

WILLIAM the CONQUEROR

ThenumberofNormanknightsunderWilliamisestimatedtohavebeenbetween5,000and8,000.These
knights received land and titles for their service during the invasion. William essentially claimed
possessionofallthelandinEnglandmeaningthatfromthispointon,alllandbelongedtotheKing.At
first, William confiscated lands belonging to English lords who fought and died with Harold,
redistributingthemtohisNormansupporters.Theseconfiscationsledtorevolts,whichWilliamusedas
anexcusetosiegemorelandoverthefollowingfiveyears.Fortsandcastleswerebuilttoputdown
furtherrebellions.Asactiveresistancedieddown,Williamandhissupporterscontinuedtotakelandout
of the hands of the English and giving it to Normans. By 1086, Norman names predominated as
landholdersintheDomesdayBook.

THE ORIGIN OF THE HUDSON

NAME
IntheopinionofEnglishgenealogists,theearlyancestorsoftheHudsonfamilycameintoEnglandwith
WilliamtheConquerorin1066andsettledinYorkshire.

NORMAN ENGLAND - 1066

YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND
Theywereanumerousfamily,andthenamesofRichard,John,HenryandWilliamwererepeatedtothe
point of confusion.The Hudsons are the descendants of the Lords of Hoddleston(Hudleston)who
occupiedthecastleMillominCumberland,onthecoastoftheIrishsea.AfterthefalloftheRoman
Empire, there was fiercerivalrybetween the Norman's andthe Saxons over Yorkshire and the land
aroundtheRhineValley.TheearlyancestorsoftheHudsonfamilycamefromNormandyandremained
inEnglandaftertheBattleofHastingsin1066.InearlyEnglandamanwasknownbybutonename.
Whensurnamesfirstcameintouse,HuddewasacommonnicknameforRichard,soitappearsthatthe
immediatedescendantsofSirRichardHoddleston(sometimesspelledHudleston)wereknownasthesons
ofHuddeorHudson.TheseHudsonswouldhavebeendescendantsoftheNormansthatinvadedEngland
withWilliamtheConqueror.ThereisevidencethatsomeHudsonfamiliesareSaxoninorigin,butgiven
that Rudolph Hudson (14751530) was a member of the aristocracy, he was likely to have been of
Norman

descent.

ANCESTRAL HOME
MILLOM CASTLE

MILLOM CASTLE
MillomCastle,locatedintheSouthwestofCumbria,EnglandontheIrishSea,isnowagradeIlisted
buildingandscheduledancientmonument.Itistheruinsofaoncestatelymoatedcastlewhichwasgiven
alicencetofortifyfordefensein1335.Thegreattowerdatesfromthe16thcentury.Thecastleitselfwas
builtbyGodarddeBoyvill,LordofMillom,butitcameintotheHudlestonfamily'sownershipwhenno
sonswerebornanddeBoyvill'sgranddaughtermarriedJohnHudleston.In1251amarketcharterwas
grantedbyKingHenryIIIofEnglandtoJohndeHuddleston,LordofMillom.AcharterforanEasterfair
atHolyTrinityChurchwasalsograntedatthesametime,givingcredencetothefactthatMillomwasa
goodsizetowninthemidthirteenthcentury.AllGradeIbuildingsareofexceptionalinterest,sometimes
consideredtobeinternationallyimportant;only2.5%oflistedbuildingsinEnglandareGradeI.Millom
CastleistheancestralhomeoftheHudsons.

THE HUDSON COAT OF ARMS

TheoldestknownHudsonCoatofArmsconsistsofThreeLionsandtheRampartpositionwiththree
boarsheadsassupportingbadges.Thesymbolismofthelionsshowsrearingwithstrength,courageand
loyaltyascharactertraits.Threelionsonacoatofarmsisrareanditssignificanceisnotknown.The
boars'headswerebadgesthatsuggestedallegiancetotheroyalarmsofKingRichardIII.KingRichardIII
utilizedboarsheadsashisidentifyingbadgestosignifybraveryandperseverance.Possibly,thethree
lionsrampantissignificantinidentifyingwithKingRichardIIIalso.RichardIIIdiedin1485,when
Rudolphwouldhavebeenabout10yearsold.Althoughhewouldhavebeentooyoungtoserveunder
Richardbutperhapshisfatherdid.SinceRichardwasamemberoftheHouseofYork,itwouldbe

consistentwiththeinformationabouttheHudsonfamilyoriginatinginYorkshirethatRudolph'sfamily
wouldhavesupportedRichard.

RUDOLPH HUDSON 1475-1530

Rudolphwasbornin1475inTamworth,Staffordshire,England.Rudolphwasawhalerbytradeand
tradedwithRussiaduringhisyouth.

Atsomepoint,RudolphmovedtoLondonashewasanalderman(councilmember)ofLondon.Rudolph
alsocarriedthetitleofGentleman.ThesignificanceofthetitleGentlemancomesfromthearistocracyof
ancientEngland.Gentlemanwasatitlegiventoamanofcertainnobilitysignifyingsocialpositionin
England. Rudolph married a women by the name of Elizabeth who bore him many sons and
daughters.HediedJune27th,1530inLondon,EnglandandhewasplacedinatombintheChurchofthe
GreyFriarinLondon.TheGreatFireofLondondestroyedtheGreyFriarMonasteryin1666.

GREY FRIAR

HENRY HUDSON I

Henry,thesonofRudolphandElizabeth,wasborninTamworth,Englandintheyear1500theexact
dateisnotknown.LikehisfatherbeforehimheservedasanaldermanofLondon.Henry'sofficialtitle
wasGentleman,AldermanofLondon,LordofManors.Henryhadgatheredconsiderablewealthintrade
andwaslordovermanymanors,somewhichweregiventohimbyKingHenryVIIIforservicetothe
crown.GentlemanHenryHudsonwasobviouslyofthearistocracy,demonstratedbyhiscollectionof
titles and the ownership of a coat of arms that identified his family. After the suppression of the
monasteriesbyHenryVIII,thecrowngrantedforfeitedchurchlandsatHitchin,CountyHertfordshireto
EdwardWatsonandHenryHudsonHudsonreceivingoveradozenancientmanors.(Simplyput,when
KingHenrythe8thbrokeawayfromtheRomanCatholicChurchanddeclaredtheChurchofEngland,he
divided the land once owned by the Roman Catholic Church and gave it to the
Englisharistocracy.)HenryalsopurchasedthemanorsofBertrams,NewingtonBelhouse,ofSkelting,
Ackhanger,Terlingham,FolkstonandWalton.HewasnamedasLordoftheManorofSweeteninDevon,
theheartofDartmoorwhichisnowa5starresort,cominginatnumber2inallofUnitedKingdom.

SWEETON MANOR
Henrywasextremelywealthyandhadclose relations withthe crownandthe nobility. Henrywas a
directoroftheRussianFurCo.andlaterhebecameassociatedwiththeDutchEastIndiaCompany
andwasnamedinQueenMary's(MarywasQueenbetweenherfather,KingHenrythe8thandherhalf
sister, Queen Elizabeth I) Charter on February 6, 1555, as one of the founders of the Muscovy
Company.HenrydiedDecember22,1555andwasburiedatSt.DunstansintheEast,London,England.
HenrymarriedBarbarain1525inSt.Editha,Tamworth,England.TheinscriptiononHenry'stombinSt.
Dunstan'sindicatesthathehadeightsonsandthreedaughterswithawifenamedBarbara.
HerelyethHenryHudson'scorps,
WithinthisTombeofStone:
Hissoul,throughfaithinChrist'sdeath,
ToGodinHeavenisgone.
WhilesthathelivedanAlderman
Andskinnerwashisstate:
ToVerturebareheeallhislove,
ToVicebarehehishate.
HehadtowifeoneBarbara
Whichmadethistombeyousee
Bywhomhehadofissuestore,
Eightsonnesanddaughtersthree.
Obit22,Decemb.An.Dom.,1555
HenryI'stombstoneandthecemeterywhereheisburiedwassadlybombedanddestroyedduringWWII.
TheCityofLondonchosenottoreconstructthechurchorsurroundingarea.Insteadtheyturneditintoa
lovelycitygardenamongtheruinsofthismedievalchurch.WevisitedSt.Dunstanswhilewetraveled
throughEuropeintheSummerof2013thesearepictureswetook.

ST. DUNSTANS IN THE EAST, LONDON, ENGLAND

HENRY HUDSON II

HenryII,thesonofHenryIandLadyBarbaraWatson,wasborninTamworth,Englandintheyear1542.
The exact date is not known but his baptism is recorded on December 30, 1542 in Tamworth,
Staffordshire,England.HewasawealthyLondoner,amemberoftheSkinnersandTanners(oneof12
privilegedmenfromwhichLordMayorcouldbechosen),servedasaldermanintheCityofLondon,and
ownedpropertyinStourton,Lincolnshire.

MUSCOVY COMPANY - 1555

AfterhisfatherdiedhetookoverthecharteroftheMuscovyCompany.HenryIItradedwithRussia,
ownedseveralwhalingshipsandwasacontemporarytoSebastianCabotandRichardChancellor,who
eventuallysailedinsearchofaNortheastPassagetoChina.Hemarriedlateinlifeattheageof68,on
June11,1609toBarbaraAlderman.HenryIIdiedin1635attheageof94.HeandBarbarahadmany
sonsanddaughters.William,whowearedescendedfrom,andHenryIIItheExplorerwhotheHudson
BayandRiverarenamedafter,arebuttwoofhissons.

WILLIAM HUDSON

WilliamHudson,sonofHenryIIandBarbaraAlderman,wasbornonSeptember30,1571,inStAndrew
Undershaft,England.Notmuchisknownabouthislife,itisovershadowedbythehistoryofhisbrother
HenryHudsonIIItheExplorer.WilliammarriedAliceTurnerApril3,1605andfathered4sons,Richard
Ibeingbutone.HediedonApril9,1630,inEngland,attheageof58.

RICHARD HUDSON I

TAMWORTH CASTLE
RichardHudsonI,sonofWilliamHudsonandAliceTurner,wasbornin1605inTamworthCastle,
Tamworth,Staffordshire,EnglandandnotchristenedintheChurchofEnglanduntilNovember5,1608.

SAFETY
He departedEnglandon August 10, 1635 aboard the shipSafety boundfor the Virginia Plantation.
RichardIcametoVirginiain1635asanindenturedservanttoObedienceRobbins.Courtrecordsindicate
adisputeoverapaymenttoObediencewhichindicatesaservitude.UponarrivalinVirginiahesettled
inAccomac.HewasthefirstHudsontoimmigratetotheAmericas.Richard'sfirstwifeisunknown,but
hemarriedasecondtimein1638toMaryHayes,awidowabout30yearsold.Alongwithhisnewwife
RichardIacquiredtwoormorestepchildrenanddebtsthreetimesgreaterthanthevalueofherestate. He
owned land in Hungars Creek, one of the oldest settlements on the eastern shore.

Ascaptainofhisownship,RichardIHudsonwasacoastaltraderandmariner.EarlyVirginiadocuments
mentionedRichardas"amarinerin1642,CaptainofhisownshipandhisMateThomasStreete".

HetradedupanddowntheEasternseaboard.Hisholdingsofland,crops,amillandwarehouse,and
livestockindicatehisactivitieswerelocalaswell.Hislivestockmarkwasa"fleurdeleis,"adevice
associatedwiththeHudsoncoatofarmsofHenrytheAlderman.Thefleurdeleiswasalsothelivestock
markofbothRichard'ssons,HenryandNicholas,ofSomersetCounty,Maryland.RichardIHudson
disliked Marylanders. Rivalry between Virginia and Maryland for the Chesapeake trade may have
contributed, because other traders during this time were also having difficulties with the
Marylanders.ReligiousdifferencestoomayhavecontributedtohisdislikeofMarylanders,whowere
mostlyCatholics.Hissons,HenryandNicholas,werecloselyassociatedwith,ifnotthemselves,Quakers.
Nicholas'wife,ElizabethFreeman,wasaQuakerandSomersetCounty,Maryland,wheretheylived,was
aQuakerrefuge.PuritanandCatholicdifferenceswereontheriseatthattime. RichardIcontinuedto
liveatHungarsCreek,andafterMarydied,RichardmarriedathirdtimetoBarbaraJacob.

Heleft a Nuncupative (spoken to witnesses) Will in 1658.Richard I died September 12, 1658 in
Northampton,

Virginia.
AfewcourtrecordsfoundonRichardI:

RichardsuedaMrs.Savageforpaymentofsomeservicesthatwererendered.Thecourtordered
hertopayRichard600lbs.oftobaccoandfivebarrelsofcorn.(Eightylbs.oftobaccowereworth
aboutonepoundSterlingandaday'swageswasaboutsixteenlbs.oftobacco.)

GoodwiffeRobbins'wifewasbroughtintocourtforslanderingRichard'swifeMary.Goodwife
Robins'wifeAlicereceivedtwentylashesforthisoffense.ItappearsthatAliceRobbinswasa
disagreeablepersonevidencedbythefactthatshewasquiteoftenincourt.Forherslanderous
offenseshewas"...lashedtotheendofacanoeandtowedoverthecreek".

RichardIagainappearsincourtoveradisputedhog.ItappearsRichardclaimsitwasstolenand
couldidentifyitbyitsmarkingsintheear(thesamefleurdelisutilizedbyGentlemenHenry
Hudson).Thedefendantsclaimthatthemarkingsintheearweredestroyedwhenthesowwas
attackedbydogs.Richardclaimedthatthethievescutitout.Therecordsarenotentirelyclearas
tohowitended.

CourtrecordsshowthetransferofaminororphanfromthehouseholdofRichardandMarytohis
sisterinlawRuthHayes.

RICHARD HUDSON II

RichardHudsonII,sonofRichardIandMaryTillmanHayes,wasborninAccomackCounty,Virginia,
about1634,anddiedOctober25,1669inRoxdale,HenricoCounty,Virginia.HewasthefirstHudsonto
beborninAmerica.HemarriedMaryBowmanin1658.Richardwasalienatedfromhisfatherwhowas
awayatseaforvariouslengthsoftime,andafterhismotherdied,Richardwasapparentlyindenturedinto
thecareandcontrolofJamesBruce.Afterhisservitudeendedheembarkeduponhisownpersonal
fortune.

In1652,hejoinedagroupofpeopletravelingwestwardintoHenricoCountyandmainlandVirginia.
TherehesettledamongtheBowmanfamiliesonlandlyinginabendonthesouthsideoftheJames
River. Existing Henrico County records indicate Richard Hudson II received, from his fatherinlaw
Bowman,fatherof hiswifeMaryBowman,agiftoflandknownas"Roxdale."Theabovementioned
recordsarealsoreferredtointheWillofRichardHudsonII,madeOctober25,1669,wherebytheland
known as "Roxdale" was divided between his three minor sons. Court records show a guardianship
administeredtoThomasPauldonforhisminorsons,indicatingRicharchIIandhiswife,Mary,died
leavingveryyoungchildren,notmuchelseisknownabouttheirdeath.Thewillnolongerexists,dueto
buildingsburningduringtheCivalWar.Partofitscontents,however,canbereconstructedfromadeed
made1Dec1688.Onthatdate,Richard,thesonandheirofRichardHudson,deceased,lateofRoxdalein
HenricoCo,statedthatbyhisfather'swillof25Oct1669heandhistwobrothers,RobertandWilliam
Hudson,weredevisedaplantationatRoxdaletheninthepossessionofThomasPoland.Itwastheland
whichhisfatherRichardHudson,SrhadbeengivenbyhisfatherinlawBowman.Thelandhasescheated
tothecrownandhadbeengrantedtothethreebrothers.For1600poundsoftobaccoRichardHudsonsold
hissharetohisbrotherRobertHudson.ThewitnessestothedeedwereThomasCockeandWilliam
Cocke,Jr.MaryHudson,wifeofRichardHudson,relinquishedherdower.ThreesonsofRichardIIand
Mary Hudson; Richard Hudson III 1660, Henrico Co, VA, Robert Hudson 1662, Henrico Co., VA,
WilliamHudsonAug1668,HenricoCo.,VA.

RICHARD HUDSON III

RichardHudsonIII,sonofRichardIIandMaryBowman,wasbornin1660inHenricoCounty,Virginia
anddiedOctober21,1746inAmelia,Virginia.HemarriedMaryHallin1688.Afterthedeathofhis
father,RichardII,heandhisbrotherswerefosteredbyaguardian,ThomasPauldon.InaHenricoCounty
deeddatedDecember1,1688RichardIIImentionsthathisfather,RichardII,hadawilldatedOctober
25,1669,inwhichhegavetheland,"Roxdale",hereceivedfromhisfatherinlawBowman,equallyto
histhreesons.HealsostatedthattheRoxdaleplantationwasoccupiedbyThomasPoland,theirguardian
andsubsequenttohisfather'swillthelandwasswindledfromRichardII'sthreesons.Pauldon,sincehe
wastheguardian,likelytook,orcontrolled,thelandthatrightfullybelongedtothesonsofRichardII.But
it seems conditions may have been suitable to get it back, because Richard sold his share of said
plantationatRoxdaletohisbrother,RobertHudson,for1600poundsoftobacco.RichardIIIthenleft
HenricoCountyforthefrontier,whichlaterbecameAmeliaCounty.HesettledatHatcher'sRunaround
1706.ChildrenofRichardIIIandMaryHudson;RichardHudsonIV1690,JamesHudson1706,Hall
Hudson1708.