James M. Hodgson Biography


	This biography appears on page 251 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JUDGE JAMES M. HODGSON. 

	The members of the legal profession occupy an important place in 
society, and the interests of life, liberty and justice are largely 
entrusted to their care. A community therefore is to be congratulated 
when the members of its bench or bar are men not only of ability but 
also of integrity. Such a man is Judge James M. Hodgson, who for a 
number of years has practiced his profession at Deadwood. He was born 
at Leeds, England, on the 3d of June, 1870, a son of Joseph and Hannah 
(Brown) Hodgson. The mother was born in Leeds in 1836 and the father in 
the same locality in 1831. He accompanied his parents to America when 
he was about twelve years of age and the family located near 
Winchester, Illinois, where they remained for about eight years. At the 
end of that time they returned to England, excepting an older brother, 
John Hodgson, who remained in Brooklyn. In 1881 Joseph Hodgson came 
again to America, locating in Butte county, South Dakota. in July of 
that year. He settled upon a ranch and there remained until his death, 
which occurred on the 7th of December, 1884, his widow surviving until 
January 12, 1892. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the 
subject of this review was the sixth in order of birth. 

	James M. Hodgson after coming to this country lived for several 
years upon farms about thirty-five miles from Deadwood. He then went 
into the law office of Charles W. Brown, remaining there for two years 
as an assistant, reading law in the meantime. He next went to Omaha, 
where he was employed in the states attorney's office of Douglas county 
for two years. In 1898 he returned to Deadwood and became connected 
with the law firm of Temple & McLaughlin, with whom he remained for a 
year. In 1899 he went to Colorado and practiced his profession for 
three years, after which he was so engaged for four years in Omaha. In 
1906 he returned to Deadwood and in the intervening years has acquired 
an extensive and representative clientage, as he prepares his cases 
with great care, providing for all possible contingencies, and is 
forcible in the presentation of his cause before the court. He has 
invested quite heavily in real estate and owns a large stock ranch in 
Butte county, South Dakota. 

	Mr. Hodgson was married in January, 1902, to Margaret Rogers, a 
native of Perthshire, Scotland, and a daughter of Frank and Margaret 
(McGregor) Rogers both natives of Scotland. They came to the United 
States many years ago and located in Ogdensburg, New York. The father 
was a farmer and passed away in that state. The family subsequently 
removed to Missouri and the mother passed away in Trenton, Missouri. 
Mrs. Hodgson is the youngest of two children born to her parents and 
was but three years of age when her father died. Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson 
have two children: Ellen Adelaide Clifford and Joseph Beresford 
Hodgson. Fraternally Judge Hodgson belongs to the Elks and the Masons. 
On November 3, 1914, he was elected county judge of Lawrence county on 
the republican ticket, having been a lifelong republican.