Hudson Residence
Springfield Journal Register, date of paper which originally published the following is unknown.
"THE OLD J. L. HUDSON RESIDENCE AT SIXTH AND ALLEN--
Remember 'way back when most of the bon-ton social life of Springfield revolved around South Sixth Street? In that
"golden era" of the Eighties, Nineties and Nineteen Hundreds, no fewer than five of the noted old Ridgely families and
their connections had fine homes on that one street, including those of N. H. Ridgely, Redick M. Ridgely, C. D. Roberts,
James T. Jones and J. L. Hudson. The J. L. Hudson residence, shown above as it appeared in the Nineties, was on the northeast
corner of Sixth and Allen (it has since been made into apartments.) Mr. Hudson was a well-known merchant here, whose hardware
establishment was located on the south side of the Square for many years. Mrs. Hudson was a daughter of Nicholas H. Ridgely, pioneer Springfield
banker and financier. The Hudson property occupied two lots in Elijah Iles Second Addition, platted in 1857. S. S. Whitehurst bought these
lots in 1864, selling that same year to George W. Shutt, who erected this dwelling shortly thereafter. After severan changes of ownership, which included
a several years' residence there by the family of George H. Souther, the property was acquired by N. H. Ridgely in 1881. A year later
Mr. Ridgely presented the home to his daughter, Mrs. Hudson, and the title remained in the Hudson family until 1920, two years after Mr. Hudson's passing.
Mrs. Hudson died in 1926. This substantial old residence was closely linked up with Springfield social traditions of the gas-light era and the horse-and-buggy
days. It was the scene of many receptions, dances, house parties and other elite gatherings over a period of nearly four decades.
The Hudson family included one daughter, Miss Mary R. Hudson, now deceased, and two sons - Charles R. Hudson, now a resident of the
Virgin Islands, and Ridgely Hudson, now of New York City. South Sixth is still a beautiful street but with so many of the prominent
families missing from its roster today, it has become a very special "street of memories" - of the gracious era of the Springfield
that was! (Special acknowledgements to Sangamon County Abstract Company for title information.)
Submitted by: Jeanie Lowe.
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