BIO: Richard W. HUDSON, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, page 403.
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  R. W. HUDSON, Saltillo, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born March 14, 
1846, in Clay township, Huntingdon county, son of George D. and Ruth 
(Chilcott) Hudson. The father of George D. Hudson was a native of 
England.
  R. W. Hudson received his early education in the public school of his 
native place. It was at Three Springs, where his father conducted a 
hotel. On June 24, 1863, at the time of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. R. W. Hudson responded to Governor Curtin's call, and enlisted in 
Captain Wallace's company of Emergency Men, and participated in the 
engagement on the Mercersburg road, in which the rebels suffered a loss 
of five killed and about thirty wounded. This was the first blood shed 
on Pennsylvania soil during the Rebellion. He re-enlisted, February 27, 
1864, in Company H, Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry, Colonel 
Higgins, Captain Harman. With this regiment, Mr. Hudson saw much active 
service, principally in the Shenandoah valley, and became inured to 
hardships. The regiment formed a part of Sheridan's command, and Mr. 
Hudson, who was with Sheridan at the time, well remembers the famous 
"ride" of that brilliant commander, when with an oath, he rallied his 
straggling and demoralized troops, and save the day for the Union 
cause, at Cedar Creek. Other engagements in which Mr. Hudson took part 
were: in 1864, Leetown, July 3; Maryland Heights, July 5, 6 and 7; 
Snicker's Gap, Va., July 17; Winchester, August 17; Opequan Creek, 
August 18; Berrysville, August 21; Charlestown, August 22; Halltown, 
August 24; Martinsburg, August 31; Martinsburg, September 18; 
Winchester, September 19; Fisher's Hill, September 23; Brown's Gap, 
September 26; and the battle of Cedar Creek, already mentioned, October 
19. During the latter part of 1864, and a great part of 1865, this 
valiant regiment was kept in continual and severe service, against 
Mosby's guerillas, who kept up their lawless, irregular warfare among 
the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, even after the actual 
close of the war. Mr. Hudson did not receive his discharge until 
October 21, 1865. Returning home, Mr. Hudson for some time engaged in 
farming. In 1878, in partnership with David S. Shope, he entered into 
mercantile business. This firm continued in operation for two years, at 
the end of which time Mr. Hudson bought out James Brewster, and carried 
on business until 1894, since which time he has lived retired. Besides 
this mercantile enterprise, he has cultivated a farm. In 1892, he built 
a large brick house, the most elegant and convenient residence in town. 
Mr. Hudson adheres to the Republican party, believing firmly in the 
expediency of a gold standard. He is a member of Cromwell Lodge, No. 
572, F. and A.M., at Orbisonia; also of the Colonel Albright Post, No. 
483, G. A. R., at Three Springs.
  R. W. Hudson was married in 1870 to Emma McVitty, who died August 13, 
1895. he has been for thirty years a member of the Baptist church, and 
is a deacon. He has superintended the Sunday-school of his congregation 
for twelve years.