Biography of D T Hudgens, Fulton Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown <michael@grnco.net>
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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page 288

Dr. D. T. Hudgens, of Elizabeth. Ark., has been successful as both
druggist and practicing physician, and is one of the prominent business men of
the place. He was born in Pulaski County, Mo., March 27, 1850, and received his
rudimentary education in the common schools, supplementing the same by a two
years' course in the high school at Rolls. When about twenty years of age he
engaged in farming, and two years later entered the ministry, being licensed in
August, 1872. He was a traveling preacher for five years and held all the
offices in the Free Will Baptist Church. He has been an ordained elder since
1872 and occasionally occupies the pulpit now, thus administering to the
spiritual wants of his fellow man as well as to their physical needs. He is
popular with all, kind and courteous in his intercourse with his acquaintances,
and is always to the front in aiding any enterprise which tends to the
advancement of the county. In December, 1869, he selected a wife in the person
of Miss Martha Ousley, a native of Osage County, Mo., and the daughter of
William and Martha Ousley, the father one of the wealthiest farmers of Pulaski
County, Mo. This union resulted in the birth of five children, one son and
three daughters living. While practicing he was studying medicine in Pulaski
County, and in 1878 he came to Fulton County and was the first settler at
Elizabeth, becoming one of the most successful and prominent physicians of the
county. When first entering upon the practice of his profession he was in poor
circumstances, but his true worth soon became apparent and a large patronage
was the result. He never attended medical college, but in 1882 he passed the
best examination before the medical examiners of any physician in Fulton
County. For three years he has been in the drug business in connection with his
practice. He was the first postmaster at Elizabeth and held the position for
several years. A Democrat in his political preferences, his first presidential
vote was cast for Tilden in 1876. He was a charter member of Wild Cherry Lodge
No. 443, A. F. & A. M., and has held nearly all the offices. He is also a
member of Eastern Star Chapter, at Wild Cherry. His wife has been a member of
the church for many years, and he has been a member since 1869. His parents,
Robert and Mahala C. (Dodd) Hudgens, were born in Kentucky and Tennessee,
respectively. They were married in Missouri, where they were early settlers,
and there the father was a successful attorney for twenty years. He died in
Rolla in October, 1864, and at the time of his death was one of the leading
lawyers of Southern Missouri, then holding, also, the position of provost
marshal. He was also treasurer of Pulaski County at one time. After his death
his widow married again and moved to Elizabeth, where she died in [p.288] 1885.
She was a member of the Baptist Church for seventeen years.