Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 838 - 839

WILLIAM HODSON, a prominent real-estate dealer of Wichita, was born in Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio, April 28, 1815. Zachariah and Tacy (Stafford) Hodson were his father and mother, the former from North Carolina, and the latter from Randolph County, S. C. Zachariah Hodson was born in 1787, and died July 15, 1850. The mother, who was born in 1789, died in 1829. They were parents of six children, namely: Catherine, John, William, James, Carrie (1st) and Carrie (2d.) The first of this name died, and another was called the same.

             The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and received a fair education in the common schools. Upon reaching manhood he left his native State, and was married in Newtown, Fountain Co., Ind., Jan. 21, 1844, to Miss Eliza Atchison. Mrs. H. was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, March 3, 1826, and is the daughter of Edward and Lydia (Hedrick) Atchison, who were Pennsylvanians by birth, and of German extraction. Fountain County, Ind., continued the home of William Hodson for several years, and until 1852. Mercer County, Ill., then attracting him as the place for the growing of grain and stock, he finally sold out and invested the proceeds in a farm there. He finally set out for Oregon with his family, where he remained five years. At the expiration of this time Mr. Hodson returned to Illinois, and lived again in Mercer County until 1876. Thence he came to Wichita, and purchased a tract of land, a part of which he afterward sold, but retained twenty-two acres, from which he sold four lots at the boom in prices, for $10,000. His remaining ground is a fortune to any ordinary man, or will be whenever sold at its present value. Buying, selling and getting gain in real estate, has been the special business of Mr. Hodson since locating in Wichita.

             Four children came to the household of our subject and his wife, one of whom died in infancy. Miss Laura married Zachariah Howe; Florence became the wife of William Stancer; James married Miss Sophia Filbrick. Mr. and Mrs. Hodson are proud over the fact that they have ten grandchildren. Mrs. H. is a most estimable lady, and in religious belief a Presbyterian. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and liberal in his religious views.

             The attention of Mr. Hodson was some time since attracted to the gold and silver mines of Colorado, in which he obtained an interest on Swan River in Summit County, eight years ago. He took up his abode in Colorado in 1844, where he remained three years. He has made thirty trips over the Rocky Range, three of them with teams, besides many trips to Denver in the interval.

             Mr. Hodson is deeply rooted in the conviction that he has never defrauded his neighbor, or obtained any of his worldly goods wrongfully. He is liberal-spirited, and is said to be kind to the poor. Reared as a Quaker, a kindly spirit would naturally be his second nature. When he came to the West, passing through Chicago, that now famous city was then in its swaddling clothes. He tells of encounters with rattlesnakes, barefoot experiences, breaking prairie in Illinois, at which he cleared a little money, and invested it in land in Shelby County, that State, which, however, proved a poor investment.

             As a business man Mr. Hodson has been successful, and as a citizen and the father of a family, above reproach. He has spent few idle hours during his long and useful life, for when his hands have not been employed, his fertile brain has been devising some project which, while probably of profit to himself, has frequently affected favorably the interests of those about him - perhaps in giving some man needed employment or increasing the circulating medium and the movements of real estate.

             As one of the important factors in the building up and the development of the city of Wichita, we deem it just to present the portrait of Mr. Hodson, which is given on another page in this volume. It can scarcely fail to be an object of interest to all who consider who the moving spirits are, through whom the advancement of a great section of the country has been effected, and to whose efforts is due the present position of Wichita among the communities of the West.

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