Life History

Notes

• In all the census records Robert is reported as Robert or Robert C.  This surely indicates he went by the name Robert.  But this was actually his middle name.  His full name was Charlie Robert, reported on his death certificate by his daughter Veda Nail.  The Texas Death Index thus lists him not as Charles, but Charlie.  And it is likely this was his original name, not Charles, as we find in many other cases from this period through the 20th century.  Another clue to the proper order of his names is found on the gravestone of his infant son, Oscar.  Oscar's epitaph on his grave in Johnson Cemetery, Stonewall County, Texas, reads:
  "Infant son of Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Hudson"
  
  The death certificate of Charlie Robert Hudson reports that his father was Bill Hudson, which matches the reports in censuses. His mother is reported as Laura Buford, who would be his step mother.  We find his father was a widow with Robert and the other children in 1910, then in 1920 is married to the much younger "Lara."
  
  Charlie was a Railroad worker, his responsibilities not further specified in the death certificate.  His birth date is given there as 15 July 1895.  This differs form the date reported on his WWI registration, 13 July 1895.  Since he himself would have reported the date on the Draft registration record, I am using that as his date of birth.
  
  In the 1910 census, 14-year-old Robert is in the household of his grandparents along with his widowed father Will (William, also known as Bill L) and all his siblings.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Walker County, Texas, 5 May, Justice Precinct 2, District 160, page 5B, Calhoun Ferry Rd, Hse/Fam #90
  Hudson, Robert  Grandson M W 14 TX TX TX;  in home of grandparents James and Elisabeth Hudson
  
  Robert's WWI Draft Registration record gives us some information about his origins.
  
  Robert Hudson, born 13 Jul 1895 Fort Stockton, Texas, residence Aspermont, Stonewall County, Texas; Occupation Farming; Family: wife and one child [names not given];  Registration 5 June 1917 in Precinct 4, Stonewall County, Texas
  
  In 1920, Robert is recorded with his new wife Nora, Elnorah Ethyl Barnett, a month after the birth of their first child in Stonewall County, Texas.  They are sharing a household with Nora's invalid father Francis and her older sister Mollie Priscilla, who never married.
  
  1920 Federal Census, Stonewall County, Texas, 7 March, Commissioner's Precinct 4, District 229, Page 2A, Hse/Fam #26
  Barnett,  Francis M  Head  Owns M W 79 Widowed NC SC SC Invalid
  Barnett, Priscilla M  Dau  F W 43 Single TX NC IL No Occupation
  
  Hudson, Robert C  Head  Rents M W 24 Married TX TX TX [Occupation Unstated]
  Hudson, Nora E  Wife F W 29 Married TX IL NC No Occupation
  Hudson, Veda M  Dau  F W 1 month TX TX TX
  
  Beauford, Ervin J  Head  [Status of home/farm not stated]  M W 24 Married TX TX TX  General Laborer
  Beauford, Alma C  Wife F W 18 Married MO IL KY ("Contucky") No Occupation
  
  From the information on his step mother, we can figure that the name Beauford is a spelling for Buford, indicating this Ervin is probably his step brother or cousin.  Beauford (pronounced Bow-ford) is likely the original name of Laura's family, which as other French names, came to be changed in Buford (as in beautiful).
  
  Also in their household in 1920 is another couple Ervin (Irvin) and Alma C Beauford.  These two couples later move together to Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, and are living next door to each other while both men work in a lime quarry.  This move occurred after about 1925, when Charlie Robert's son R B was born in Texas.
  
  In 1930, Robert has moved his family to Cochise County, Arizona, near Douglas.  Robert and all the neighbors on this census page are working at a lime quarry.  Since their son Clint Lamont, age 8 in the 1930 census, was born in Texas, they moved to Arizona in late 1922 or later.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Cochise County, Arizona, 29 April, Precinct 1 (outside Douglas), District 35, Page 3A, Hse #57, Fam #73
  Hudson, Robert Head  Rents M W 35 Married at age 19 TX TX TX Laborer, Lime Quarry [b abt 1895]
  Hudson, Nora E  Wife F W 38 Married OK OK OK No Occupation [b abt 1892]
  Hudson, Vida M  Dau  F W 11 TX TX OK [b abt 1919]
  Hudson, La Mont  Son M W 8 TX TX OK No Occupation [b abt 1922]
  Hudson, R B  Son M W 5 TX TX OK No Occupation [b abt 1925]
  
  See more notes for this family in the Notes for Elnorah Ethyl Barnett (Hudson).
  
  Charlie Robert died in the Aspermont Memorial Hospital in Aspermont, Stonewall County, Texas, on 4 December 1969, of congestive heart failure, emphysema and chronic obstructive lung disease.

Sources

• 1. 1920 Federal Census, Stonewall County, Texas
  • 7 March, Commissioner's Precinct 4, District 229, Page 2A, Hse/Fam #26
• 2. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 3. 1910 Federal Census, Walker County, Texas
  • 5 May, Justice Precinct 2, District 160, page 5B, Calhoun Ferry Rd, Hse/Fam #90
• 4. 1930 Federal Census, Cochise County, Arizona
  • 29 April, Precinct 1 (outside Douglas), District 35, Page 3A, Hse #57, Fam #73
• 5. 1940 Federal Census, Stonewall County, Texas
  • 19 April, Precinct 4, District 217-7, page 4B, Hse #130, Owns, $500
• 6. Texas Death Certificate
• 7. Email Sources
• 8. Gravestone of Oscar Hudson, Johnson Cemetery, Stonewall County, Texas
• 9. Gravestone of Clint Lamont Hudson, Johnson Cemetery, Stonewall County, Texas
  • Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GScid=4531&GRid=14832507