Henry Hodson Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 829-830

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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HENRY HODSON, the efficient and popular postmaster at Powell, South 
Dakota, and proprietor of a grocery and general supply store, is one of 
the best known and highly-respected citizens of Edmunds county. He is a 
gentleman of scrupulous honesty and by precept and example aids 
materially in raising the standard of citizenship of his community. Mr. 
Hodson is not one of the first to locate in that region, but no man 
could do more for the advancement I of the community than he has done 
since taking up his abode in Powell township. He is one of the land 
owners of Edmunds county, and is proprietor of a fine estate, modern 
improvements enhancing the value of the property. 

Our subject was born May 28, 1845, at Hadfield, in Derbyshire, England, 
and was the second in a family of four children born to Joseph and 
Ellen (Straw) Hodson. His paternal grandfather, George Hodson, was a 
block-printer in Lancashire, England, and the maternal grandfather, 
Joseph Shaw, was a farmer. Our subject's parents both worked in 
factories in England, and were married August 21, 1842. Our subject was 
reared in the town of Glossop, in Derbyshire, England, and worked in 
the factories from eleven to fourteen years of age. 

Mr. Hodson was accorded a common school education and emigrated to 
America with his parents in 1860 and located in Nicollet, Minnesota, 
where the father engaged in farming. Our subject remained at home and 
assisted on his father's farm, and purchased land for himself, adding 
more land to his possessions about 1874. He and his father farmed in 
common for five years after the marriage of our subject, and then our 
subject purchased another tract of land and began farming for himself. 
The farm then consisted of one hundred and sixty acres and with the 
improvements placed on it by Mr. Hodson became a model farm. He had 
eighty acres under cultivation, with the balance of his land in pasture 
and meadow and a small orchard of apple and plum trees and' small 
fruits. He continued farming in Minnesota until 1890 and then disposed 
of his interests and went to Edmunds county, South Dakota, and 
purchased three hundred and twenty acres in Powell township. There were 
some improvements on the land at the time he purchased it, but he has 
added other improvements, including a wind mill and feed mill, good 
barn, granary and other outbuildings. The farm affords excellent 
pasture and spring water for stock. The average crop of wheat is eight 
bushels per acre, but has yielded as high as ten bushels per acre. The 
entire property evidences rood management and thrift. In the fall of 
1897 our subject established a general supply and grocery store on his 
home farm. 

Mr. Hodson was married in 1874 to Miss Anne Ainsworth, of Beaverdam, 
Wisconsin, a native of England. Mrs. Hodson was the daughter of Jethro 
Ainsworth, a farmer by occupation, and emigrated to America with her 
parents when she was but nine years of age. Eleven children have been 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Hodson, as follows: James H.; Charles E.; Thomas, 
deceased; Helen M.; William A.; Joseph E.; John W.; Willard M. and 
Walter B., twins; Mary E.; and Ethel M., deceased. 

Our subject was appointed postmaster of Powell in the fall of 1897. He 
is a public spirited man and is prominent in matters of local import. 
He has held various offices of trust both in his present location and 
when residing in Minnesota, and is now justice of the peace and has 
been county justice. He is a stanch Republican and many times has 
served as a delegate to county conventions in Minnesota and Dakota. He 
is an exemplary member of the Free Methodist church and is a gentleman 
of true Christian principles. In his business he refuses to handle 
tobacco, cigars and other injurious commodities and aids in every way 
possible to raise the standard of morality.