OH-FOOTSTEPS-L Archives

From: Valerie & Tommy Crook <>
Subject: BIO: Wood Co. OH, LESTER J. HUDSON
Date: Sun, 04 Jul 1999 21:45:14 -0400

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 191-192
Cabell

LESTER J. HUDSON is prominently concerned with the
industrial activities of the City of Huntington, where he
is manager of the United States Chain & Forging Company,
the extensive plant of which, together with the general of-
fices, is situated at Fifteenth Street, West, and Adams
Avenue. This well ordered corporation, one of the most
important in its special field of enterprise in the United
States, manufactures a large variety of iron and steel
chains, especially for railroad and dredging purposes, and
Mr. Hudson has the general supervision of the work of 125
employes.

Lester J. Hudson was born in Wood County, Ohio, July
5, 1887, and is a son of Frank M. and Catherine (Miller)
Hudson, both natives of Seneca County, Ohio, where the
former was born in 1853 and the latter in 1855, the father
being now a resident of Deshler, Henry County, that state,
and being still active in the supervision of his fine farm in
that county, his wife having passed to the life eternal in
1917. He is a republican in political adherency and is a
zealous member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also
his wife. Gaylord, eldest of their children, is an electrician
and resides at Deshler; Laura is the wife of Henry Wentz,
of Elkhart, Indiana; Elmer is a farmer near Attica, Ohio;
Lester J., of this sketch, and his twin brother, Chester A.,
were next in order of birth, the latter being an employment
manager in the City of Cleveland, Ohio.

Frank M. Hudson was reared and educated in his native
county, where his marriage was solemnized and where he
continued his activities as a farmer until he removed to
Wood County, Ohio. In the latter county he was engaged
in farm enterprise until 1892, since which year he has been
one of the substantial exponents of agricultural and live-
stock enterprise in Henry County, that state.

After attending the district schools of Henry County,
Ohio, Lester J. Hudson there continued his studies in the
high school at Deshler until his graduation in 1907. He
taught two terms of school in that county, and in 1910 he
graduated from the Lima Business College at Lima, Ohio.
He then became stenographer in the offices of the Stand-
ard Chain Company at St. Marys, Ohio, and he so thor-
oughly familiarized himself with the details of the business
that he won consecutive advancement and finally, in 1912,
was made manager of the company. In 1918 this concern
sold its plant and business to the American Chain Company,
and Mr. Hudson -was transferred to the latter's plant at
Columbus, Ohio, where he held the position of purchasing
agent three months. He then, in November, 1919, resigned
and accepted his present responsible office, that of manager
of the United States Chain & Forging Company.

Mr. Hudson is a thoroughgoing republican, but has had
no desire for political office. He and his wife are members
of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church at Huntington, in
which he is a member of the church orchestra. He is a
past grand of Shawnee Lodge, I. O. O. P., at St. Marys,
Ohio, where he is affiliated also with St. Marys Lodge No.
219, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the West
Side Country Club of Huntington. He gave loyal service
in support of the various patriotic movements in connection
with the World war, and was specially active in advancing
local campaigns in support of the Government bond issues,
he having been responsible for bonds sold to the employes
of the company of which he was an executive.

At Pittsfield, Illinois, in 1917, Mr. Hudson wedded Miss
Cora C. Laugh, who was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, and
who graduated from high school in that city and also from
a training school for nurses. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson have
no children.

Mr. Hudson is a scion of one of the sterling pioneer fami-
lies of the old Buckeye State, his paternal grandfather
having been born in Seneca County, Ohio, in 1817, a date
that indicates the pioneer priority of the family in that
commonwealth. In his native county the grandfather be-
came the owner of a valuable landed estate and was an
extensive and successful farmer, his death having there
occurred in 1897.

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• BIO: Wood Co. OH, LESTER J. HUDSON by Valerie & Tommy Crook <>