Lorena, McLennan County
Herbert James Hudson (1849-1935), son of Philip S. and Ellen (Robertson) Hudson, was born in Cambridge, England, on April 24, 1849. After receiving a classical education in Latin and Greek at a British boarding school, and a customary tour of the continent, Hudson immigrated to the United States in 1870. He briefly lived as a sheep farmer in Nebraska before moving to Philadelphia. While living in Lynchburg, Virginia, Hudson met his future wife, Cora field (1858-1951), daughter of Methodist minister and veteran Staunton Field. When Cora and her widowed mother moved to Lorena in 1877, H.J. Hudson followed. They married on May 20, 1880. In 1881, H.J. and Cora purchased four city lots and began to construct their home. They lived in the single-walled two-story section on the south side of the house, which was constructed first and to which the main house was joined. In 1882, Hudson employed a German carpenter to build the main house. Exterior features include gingerbread trim, cypress siding, and 1880s doors and Sargent & Co. Locks on the west porch. One of the outstanding features of the home is the original leather wall and wainscot trim covering in the hall by the parlor. H.J. Hudson worked in the mercantile business as well as opening and serving as president of the private bank of Lorena (1894) and Lorena State Bank (1909). He was also a founding member of the masonic lodge in Lorena and assisted in building the Lorena United Methodist Church. The home remained in the Hudson family for more than 80 years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2017