Capt. Joseph Hudson House , Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky

CAPT. JOSEPH HUDSON HOUSE

N.W. Corner Mill and Maxwell Streets
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built about 1800

"On Wednesday, the 26th of January, late at night A.D. 1814," reads the nuncupative will of the old Indian fighter and Captain of the Lexington Rifle Sharp Shooters, Joseph Hudson, "the undersigned were sitting up with Capt. Joseph Hudson in his last illness, at his own home in the Town of Lexington, where he had resided many years, being the night previous to his death.

"He asked and beckoned to us to approach near to his bed, which we did, when he further said that he wished the Business (meaning as the under-signing persons believed, the Merchantile Business) to be carried on for the benefit of his family in partnership with Joseph H. Hervey."

The above was signed January 29, 1814, by Wm. Huston, George Trotter, Jr., and Joseph H. Hervey. Next was recorded the following:

"On the 27th day of January instant the day of the death of Capt. Joseph Hudson, the subscribers were in the room with him in his own house in Lexington where he had long resided. Mrs. Hudson asked William Huston, one of the subscribers, to ask Mr. Hudson to repeat what he had said the night before. He went up to his bedside and spoke to him thus: Suppose it should be the Will of Providence to call you off now. What way do you wish to dispose of your property? Then Mr. Hudson mentioned he wished all to his wife and waved his hand round the room and after a moment's pause added, not the Goods. Mrs. Hudson then asked Mr. Hudson, Did you not mean that the Goods were to be in partnership with Joseph Hervey. Answ'd, Yes. The subscriber, Huston, states that he was not called only Captain Hudson to ask the above questions, but did it in agreed measure to satisfy his own mind. The subscribers state further that they did not understand from what passed, that Capt. Hudson intended to give a fee simple in the House and Lot to his wife." (Signed January 29, 1814, by Wm. Huston and J.R. Postlethwait).

(February Court, 1814. This nuncupative will of Captn. Joseph Hudson, dec'd, was produced in court and proved by the oaths of Joseph Postlethwait, Wm. Huston, Jos. Hervey and George Trotter, Jr. The proof of each was to that part of said will to which their names were subscribed as witnesses and ordered to record. Attest: John D. Young, Clk.)

The widow died within less than two months afterward--"Mrs. Sarah Hudson, relict of the late John Hudson, Lexington" (March 1814).

Capt. Hudson, shown in the 1806 Directory as "Joseph Hudson, merchant, Main St.," was a pioneer Lexingtonian. In June, 1797, fresh from his campaign with General Wayne against the Indians, he purchased 26 feet on Main Street about 60 feet from the south-west corner of Upper, from John Martin Franks and wife, Elizabeth. It was located between Hugh McIlvain's store on the west and Alexander Parker on the east, and the price paid indicates there was a store (log house) already there. He paid Franks seven times the amount paid by Alexander Parker for practically the same frontage. Joseph H. Hervey, mentioned in Capt. Hudson's will, evidently took over the business, as he is listed in the 1818 Directory as "Merchant, Main St.," and he resided next door to Hudson.

Hudson bought a corner lot here, fronting 80½ feet on Mill St., from Robt. R. Barr at a very early date--probably abut 1800--and built the corner frame house (now stuccoed). His will (January, 1814) stated he had resided here many years. The deed was mislaid, and his heirs had Robert Barr and Dr. Elisha Warfield issue another in 1815, which read as follows"

"Robert R. Barr and Elisha Warfield to John A. Hudson, Joseph A. Hudson, Wm. Hudson, and Julia Hudson, all heirs of Joseph Hudson, dec'd. a Tract beginning at the South corner of the new frame house at the intersection of Mill St. and a new street Called Maxwell, thence with Mill St. North-east 80½ feet to corner to Jos. H. Hervey's," back 141 feet to Barr's factory and the same distance on "said new street Called Maxwell."

Capt. Hudson, being a well-to-do merchant, had his house well furnished, as was shown in the following inventory and appraisal (quoted in part) filed by Richard Higgins, Abner LeGrand and Wm. Huston May 9, 1814, appraised in pounds (a pound was about $3.75), shillings, and pence:

3 guns, Powder horns and shot Bag   £ 18-0-0
1 Bed and Bedstead (in counting Room)   7-10-0
1 pair Saddle Bags ("   "   "   )   1-1-0
1 side board $40 12-0-0
Glass, china and queensware   12-0-0
2 Tables in Dining Room $15 4-10-
2 Kettles, chafing dish and Coffee Mill   4-1-0
Soup, table and teaspoons and sugar tongs   11-8-0
2 brass and iron candlesticks   1-1-0
7 chairs 3/ 1-1-0
2 sets knives and forks   1-4-0
Shovel, tongs and andirons   1-4-0
7 waiters   0-18-0
1 Looking glass in dining room   1-16-0
1 parcel of school books   3-0-0
1 Table and 2 chairs in Lodging room   1-16-0
1 Book and Umburellar   1-4-0
1 sett table china, upstairs   10-10-0
17 Bottles 3/ 1-10-0
1 Silver Watch $20 6-0-0
Andiron and Tongs $26 7-16-0
14 Winsdor Chairs and 2 common   6-0-0
1 Boroe   3-0-0
1 cradle   0-12-0
1 candle stand (over £ 120-18-0, total)   0-12-0
1 Family Bible   1-10-0
3 Tables in front Room   9-0-0
1 Peanna Forte   15-0-0
1 Large looking glass   9-0-0
3 pairs plated candlesticks   2-8-0
2 large tea Boards   2-8-0
4 window curtains and carnishes   2-14-0
4 do   0-18-0
1 carpet in front room   9-0-0
1 settee   3-6-0
Beds, furniture and bedsteads   67-10-0
1 Indian Bett.   0-18-0
10 table cloths   6-9-0
1 Gray Horse   15-0-01
1 cow   4-10-0
1 Saddle and Bridle   2-14-0
1 Negro boy, "Cupit"   105-0-0
1 Negro woman, "Tonah"   100-0-0
1 Negro woman and child   100-0-0
Kitchen furniture, a passage carpet, 45 lbs. hog's lard, 75 lbs. pickled pork, 479 lbs. bacon, 8 gallons wine and spirits, 1 side saddle, 1 pair spectacles.    

Samuel D. McCullough (born 1803), in his historic "Reminiscences," described at length the Fourth of July celebrations in Lexington 1807 to 1810. He said in part:

"The procession was usually formed on our present Main Street, the military marching in front, composed of that venerable company, The Old Lexington Infantry, in their showy dress, and the Rifle Sharp Shooters in their blue hunting shirts and caps of coon and opossum shins, commanded by Capt. Hudson, the father of the present Rev. John Hudson, now (1871) of Illinois, who has passed three-score-and-ten."

Captain McCullough in the same connection mentioned Captain Hudson in paying a tribute to the pioneers of Lexington and the "West," saying

"There were no united soldiers sent to protect us from the Indians, for our sturdy citizens protected themselves, and helped to protect our neighbors, Ohio and Indiana. Mad Anthony Wayne had the Old Infantry under Genl. James Wilkinson and Hudson's Rifleman on the Miami, when he beat them without the help of a solitary United States private soldier."

After Captain Hudson's death--some time in the 1820's--his family built the attractive brick cottage (No. 381) between the Hudson and Hervey Houses.

Joseph Hervey, the partner and neighbor, bought a 3/4 interest in the two Hudson houses in 1833, from the heirs--John Hudson and wife, Elizabeth, Warren, Ohio; Jos. N. Hudson, Washington County, Ky., and Chas. D. Bilbro and wife, Julia Ann (Hudson), Greene County, Georgia. The other 1/4 belonged to the Will Hudson estate.

John Norton purchased Hervey's acquired interest by Commissioner March 30, 1839, and sold it to Henry Lancaster in 1850. Elizabeth Lancaster bought the other one-fourth interest in 1849 from Elizabeth Welsh.

Henry Lancaster (H. Lancaster & Son, builders) in a deed of trust made in 1860, described his property here as follows:

"A lot situated at the North corner of the intersection, three-fourths of which was bought by said Lancaster of John Norton, dec'd, and one-fourth bought by Mrs. Emily Lancaster, wife of Henry Lancaster, from Mrs. Welsh. The lot is now divided into three tenements--one situated on Mill St., one on Maxwell" (which Lancaster built) "and the other at the intersection."

All of Lancaster's real estate was dispersed in 1860.

Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.

Transcribed by pb, July 2006