CORRESPONDENCE: Tom Cochran to Charles Harker Hudson, Sr., 2 May 1925, Bullitt Co. ********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net Transcribed by: Dorothy des Lauriers (DDeslaurie@aol.com) Submitted: 4 May 2003 *********************************************************************** In 1925 Charles Harker. Hudson, Sr. worked at a farm implement company and apparently had written to Cochran on a business matter. Cochran had been a friend of Judge William R. Thompson. In this letter, Cochran is attempting to describe people and places that C.H. might find familiar if he were to come back to Shepherdsville for a visit. *********************************************************************** Longview Stock Farm Shepherdsville, Ky. May 2, 1925 C H Hudson Bradley Ill My dear sir Am I addressing Charley or Clay Hudson grandson of Judge WR Thompson - whichever it is - I am glad to meet you - The Judge was the best friend I had in this County (among the older men) when I came here in 1881 - The Hudson boys were tots the elder not yet in his teens. I left in 1884 & located in Russellville Ky & returned in 1887 & married George Simmons daughter Lulu. Charles Carroll & I were associated in the practice of law, having office in the old brick on the corner that in early days was the clerks office - Having introduced myself to you - I picture to you briefly the present surroundings of your old home as that of your Grandfather - it is now a part of the old Kalfus _?_ tan [?] yard property on the north, immediately across the street is a solid block of residences - Beautiful Brick Structures in place of the old Methodist Church - & the same for the Babtist on opposite side of street & same for the Christian where the negro Bill Shaffer lived and for the Catholic where Tight Jones your old negro lived - & _?_itable Boulevard is in process of construction from Louisville to Elizabethtown moving down through Main Street & crossing the beautiful big iron bridge that soars [?] Salt River 50 yards from the railroad bridge 2 by Aug 1st it will be open to trafic from Louisville here so I am inviting you to come back to the County fair in Aug when you will find many of your age as heads of families and but few of those of my age you will remember -- You will find from 2000 to 4000 people & a 1st class ˝ mile trotting track. Buck Thompson & wife & his father & mother are daily attendants -- I live ˝ mile from town on the McKay farm, make that your home as long as you are here, (Go see everbody) but your headquarters are with me -- Jack Rickerson, Bill Marran, Mae Marman & June bug McCormick will be I believe all you will find in Shepherdsville yes Nat Maraman & Bennett [?] Bowman, & may be 4 or 5 more. There is 11 stores & Banks 3 Garages here & as good High School & Auditorium in Memory of the County dead in the war with 12 teachers & 2 music teachers as can be found in any town its size in the U.S. - How different to the old Brick school house you went to - Ben Pope & his sister Miss Sue & Patty - Bill Morrow Sim [?] Means & many other active men you knew have grown old & have moved to town to close their activities & [?] I could continue this much longer - But it is enough to assume there is still one man here that counts the Grandsons of Judge Thompson among those he loves best of the old towns illustrious men found from Ocean to Ocean. I find them everywhere, ___ ___ met them in Cal in Oregon, Nevada & Montana - I have got him back here now, He is a veritable George Simmons - Answering your letter. Jim Collings buys from the Olivers & John Deere, (He is the old Sheriff Smith & Smith composed of Noah Smith & Son from Belmont (formerly good farmers them They represent the International Harvester Co. 3 The remaining implement dealers of the county are similarly situated - I come to Chicago 2 & 3 times a year Charley have for the past 30 years - I a___ at Union Stock Yards - in sales of Aberdeen [?] Angus cattle for breeders only. I hope to have you meet me there sometime --Among other things I might get a dealers trade for you __ Ky for Bradley lines that will rival all others. As a boy on my fathers farm in the 70s I held the handles of a Bradley plow. My fathers Bro was associated with Tom Brinly[?] f & founder of (The Brinly Hardy plow Co Louisville - This accounts for my partiality for the Bradley Plow & am ordering through Sears & Roebuck Co a 6 ft mover with the 2 Gang Tractor Plow - Send me (all the Illustrations) you give dealers on these two tools) for my individual benefit as a user. All my farming operations are done by machinery - This I learned from the big fields of the Pacific Slope and all that level strip lying between the Railroad & Salt River from Shepherdsville to the McDowell land at Gap in the Knobb - I am managing it with fine cattle & power from Tractors both steam & gasoline - with Concrete Silos 44 ft high-- My letter is growing long Charley - But I am entertaining a Shepherdsville lad (I hope) that still wanders back in mind & spirit - hence this accounts for this fragmentary writing - Old Billy Phelps the honest plain old farmer from Connecticut Just before he died expressed is desire to see his boyhood romping grounds - a valued friend & neighbor of your Grandfathers family passed away several years ago & only 3 [?] or 4 of his dozen or more children are living - used to say “once in Shepherdsville always there” Your reference to living here -- & your further mention [?] of Bob Smith “Jay Gould” as he is called by his friends caused a crowd of pleasing recollections to rush upon me - of the 43 years I have left behind me here. And I am happy to find you Charly & heres to you my dear sir, with the hope of Earths best for you yours and that I may see & hear from you often. Yours very truly Tom Cochran [The following is on the reverse of page 3:] Charley see that my order through Sears & Robuck starts on 1st freight. I will soon need them clover is blooming TC