HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                95

    Joseph N.Hudson a leading farmer located in section 35. Wash—
ngton township. Clay county is by birth and marriage connected with
perhaps the best known pioneer families of that locality—the Luthers
and the Hudsons. His maternal grandfather. William Luther, as early
as 1827 entered a farm which Mr.Hudson now rents. and his father.
Jacob Hudson , was brought to a locality near Bowling Green from
North Carolina about the same time. The elder Mr. Hudson was then
but four years of age, but is still alive and in fair health and his career
is so notable that a full review of it is presented in other pages.
    Joseph N. Hudson who is the son of this oldest living pioneer of
Washington township and Margaret J. (Luther) Hudson, his second
cousin, was born in the township mentioned. On May 3. 1896, he mar—
ried Miss Clara M. Orman, of Owen county Indiana, who was born
January 2, 1878, daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Loncer) Orman,
of Marion township, that county. The year following his marriage he
removed from the parental homestead to the farm owned by his sister,
Nancy Zurcher, and after spending a like period there bought thirty-
four and a half acres in section 35, Washington township, adjoining
his fathers property. He also rents eighty acres of a farm belonging
to his parents The property was entered by William Luther, his ma-
ternal grandfather, in 1827, and has never been alienated from the
family possessions. At the time of renting the land was cleared but
unimproved, and since then Mr. Hudson has erected on it a substantial
dwelling house and commodious barns and granaries, transforming it
into a fine homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph N. Hudson have become
the parents of four children—Harvey H., Herschell L., Kenneth B., and
an infant deceased. Mr. Hudson is a member of the Church of Christ
of Bellair, and in politics adheres to the Democracy.
    James L.BURNS, present county auditor of Clay county, Indiana,
was born in Putnam county, Indiana, September 18, 1870, son of Thomas
B. and Sarah C. (Carrithers) Burns. The father was born in Illinois
and is now a resident of Clay county, Indiana. His boyhood days were
spent in Coles county, Illinois, and Putnam county, Indiana. He has
been a farmer in Cass township, Clay county, and at one time owned
two hundred acres and about the same amount in Putnam county. He
carried on general farming operations and was a trustee of Cass town-
ship four years. Politically, he is a Democrat and in church faith ad-
heres to that of the Christian denomination. The subject’s mother was
a native of Clay county, Indiana, and they were united in marriage in
the county of her birth. The children born of this union were nine in
number, eight of whom still survive and are as follows Hardy W.;
James L. (subject); Lucretia E., wife of Emery Jenkins; William C.;
Susan B., wife of John M. Fisher; Candace; Annice; Sarah A.
    James L. Burns remained at home with his parents until he was
seventeen years of age and then went to work for D. N. Barnett in a
general merchandising store, at Hoosierville, Clay county, during the
summer months, and attended school in the winter season for two
years.When about eighteen years old he commenced school teaching,
which he followed one year and then attended school at Danville, after
which he taught another year. He next attended school one year at
Valparaiso College. He was appointed county surveyor, on account

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