HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                              83

June 15, 1846, when he was twenty-three years of age, he enlisted in the
Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry to help fight Uncle Sam’s battles in
Mexico. He first walked to New Albany, Indiana, where be took boat
for New Orleans, and thence to the Mexican border. While on ship
board, at the last stage of the journey, both he and his hrother were
attacked by the measles, the latter dying of the disease. Jacob reached
the scene of operations, participated in the battle of Buena Vista, and
saw other active service before his return to Clay county.
    When Mr. Hudson returned to Clay county at the end of the Mexi-
can war he bought fifty-seven acres of land in section 36, Washington
township, which he rented until 1849. On January 10 of that year he
married Margaret Luther, his second cousin, who was a native of Clay
county and a daughter of William and Patience (Long) Luther. His
wife’s family is of English origin, her parents being natives of North
Carolina. Ever since his marriage. he has resided in Washington town-
ship, and has been chiefly identified with the progress of its agriculture.
At his marriage he moved on the farm which he purchased after his
return from Mexico, this tract comprising ninety-seven acres. After he
had farmed and improved that piece of property for three years, he
moved his family to the homestead occupied by his mother-in-law, and
started on a prospecting tour through Iowa, with the expectation of per-
manently locating in that state, But he found the climate of the region
too cold, and, returning to Clay county, settled with the family on one
hundred acres of land which he had purchased some time prior to his
western trip. In 1863 he located on the farm,on which he now resides,
and which he had purchased in the fall of 1862. The property embraces
forty-five and a half acres, of which forty are in section 3, Harrison town-
ship, and the balance in section 34 of Washington township. Later he
bought another “forty” adjoining the Harrison township piece; and as
he also owns thirty-six acres in section 35, Washington township, he is
now the proprietor of about two hundred and twenty acres of well
improved land in Clay county, which is now operated by the younger
generation of farmers. Ten children were born to Mr, and Mrs. Jacob
Hudson, of whom the following six are alive: John E., the oldest son;
Mary Ann, now the wife of David Loncer, of Harrison township;
Maria J., wife of Frank Steiner, of Sugar Ridge township; Nancy E., wife
of John Zurcher, Harrison township; Allie D., wife of Noah Mulberger,
of Washington township; and Joseph N., who operates a farm adjoining
his father’s homestead in Washington township.

    JAMES L. BOOTHE.—One of the best known agriculturists of Jackson
township is James L. Boothe, who has been identified with its farming
interests for many years. He was born in Washington township of Clay
county, December 20, 1833, a son of one of that township’s earliest pio-
neers, Thompson Boothe, who was born in Harrison county, Indiana, in
January, 1808, and came with his mother and stepfather, Thomas Wheeler,
to Washington township, Clay county; during his boyhood days. He was
there married to Hulda Thomas, who was born in Kentucky in April of
1808, and was five years of age when she came with her parents to Clay
county. Her father, David Thomas, entered and cleared a farm in Wash-
ington township. After his marriage, Thompson Boothe entered eighty
acres of land in Washington township, and at the time of his death
he owned an estate of three hundred acres, the most of which he had