Generation ten: Joshua Francis Hodson

After the Civil War, which interrupted both his childhood and his elementary schooling, Joshua Francis Hodson moved north, following both Quaker and family connections first to Indiana, where his brother would also relocate, and then, apparently through the encouragement of his future in-laws, to northwest Ohio. There he formally joined the Society of Friends and married into a respected Quaker family. After the death of his first wife, from complications of childbirth with their second child, Joshua remarried into a family that, despite its Irish surname and Roman Catholic roots, essentially continued a Pennsylvania Dutch culture in Ohio. Through his second wife’s connections, he relocated to Montgomery County, Ohio, before returning once again to Indiana.

Spousal lines by the first wife: Jones, Coate, Pearson, Tucker, Coppock, Miles, Haskett, Evans, Rodgers.

By the second wife: McSherry, Gartland, Bayhill/Bahill, Litrle/Klein, Shively/Schriver/Schauben/Schaublein, Spitler, Swope/Schwab, Wolfhardt/Wohlfahrt, Graff/Groff/Grove, Grabill, Long, Straumann, Gottschin.

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Joshua Francis Hodson was born November 23, 1857, in Guilford County, North Carolina, the son of Pleasant and Eunice (Ozbun) Hodson. He married first, December 25, 1888, Josephine Jane Jones, (November 15, 1867-May 13, 1891), daughter of Samuel B. and Rhoda (Coate) Jones; they had two sons. She is buried at or near Ludlow Falls, Ohio. He married second, June 8, 1893, Alice McSherry (September 12, 1865-November 2, 1944), daughter of Amos and Mary Magdalene (Bayhill) McSherry; they had eight children. He died September 25, 1930, in Spiceland, Indiana. They are buried at Parrish Cemetery in the village of Arlington on U.S. Route 40 near Brookville, Ohio. (Most of their children and their children’s spouses are buried in the newer Arlington Cemetery across the road.)

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He had two children by Josephine Jones:

1. Samuel Pleasant, born November 30, 1889, Van Wert County, Ohio; died November 13, 1961, Montgomery County, Ohio; he and his wife are buried at Arlington Cemetery near Brookville. He married, March 14, 1914, Grace Mae Binkley (November 21, 1889-February 24, 1963), daughter of William W. and Alice (Koontz) Binkley, an ancient Brethren and Mennonite family. (Grace’s grandparents were Aaron and Sarah [Koonz] Binkley.) Five children: Harold Francis, Wilma Alice Bantz, Doyt B., Josephine Katherine Feiss, and Floyd Samuel. [Floyd had remembered some distant stories about two Kunz brothers who brought the family line to Ohio: in tracing Alice McSherry’s Shively ancestry, I found brothers George and Jacob Kunz from Berks County, Pennsylvania., arriving in 1804, according to Abstracts From Beers & Co.; they are among the earliest Brethren pioneers in Montgomery County, Ohio.]

2. Kyle Jones, born April 2, 1891, Van Wert, Ohio; died May 23, 1891, Van Wert, Ohio.

He had seven children by Alice McSherry:

3. Vera Lafern, born May 17, 1894, Van Wert, Ohio; died January 15, 1986, Springfield, Ohio; married, February 12, 1919, Ralph Emerson Haddix, (January 24, 1898-January 28, 1977). Four children: Lois Price, Charlotte King, Janet Cordell (all married), and James Emerson.

4. Leroy Amos, born November 19, 1895, Van Wert, Ohio; died, September 29, 1971, and married, October 11, 1924, Anna Catharine Lyon (June 5, 1899- June 15, 1986). Two sons: Joseph Leroy and David Lyon Hodson.

5. Grace Mary, born August 4, 1898, Van Wert, Ohio; died June 21, 1901, Van Wert, Ohio. [Diptheria?]

6. James Franklin, born January 28, 1900, Van Wert, Ohio; died April 1, 1982, Lewisburg, Ohio; married, February 12, 1921, Erma Olive Ehrstine (December 31, 1900-June 21, 1972), daughter of Henry and Susan (Rasor) Erstine/Ehrstine. Four children: Marion James Hodson, Myrl Yvonne Fitzpatrick, Donna Durham, and Thelma Orr. He married second, Edna (Hefelfinger) Huffman (January 1, 1902-1994), daughter of [Fawre?] Heflefinger and Cora Alice Holsinger; she was a widow.

7-8. Twins, born February 21, 1903:

Ruth Anna; died September 4, 1970; married February 10, 1922, William Emerson Jones (April 12, 1895-February 24, 1973), son of a Quaker family from Rich Square Meeting in Indiana. Two daughters: Alice Jeannette Hagerman and Martha L. Hill.

Ruby Althea; died 1994 at Knightstown, Indiana; married November 6, 1926, Golay Meek (July 22, 1906-February 6, 1962). Five children: Gerald, Miles, Golay G., Myron, and Carolyn.

9. Alice Margaret, born April 9, 1908; died July 20, 1912.

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Joshua Hodson’s letter

This letter to his first mother-in-law, Rhoda Coates Jones, reveals something of Joshua Hodson’s character and spirit, especially considering the very rudimentary education he received before the Civil War disrupted life in his native North Carolina.

 

 

 

 

Alice McSherry Hodson’s letter

Here is Alice’s letter to her grandson, Floyd Hodson, during World War II.

 

Samuel Pleasant Hodson’s album

As the only surviving child of Joshua and Josephine Jones Hodson, Samuel’s life followed a somewhat different course from those of his two younger half-brothers, Leroy and James (my grandfather).

Although he moved to the city early in his married life, he and his wife, Grace Binkley, eventually returned to farming. In addition, he joined in her Old German Baptist Brethren practice, with its religious discipline and strictures.

Here are some images from that life.

From left, my grandmother, Erma Ehrstine Hodson, and grandfather, James Hodson, visit the farm of Samuel and Grace Binkley Hodson. Note the shocks of corn in the field behind them. Hard work, as cousin Floyd once told me.

Their wedding portrait, March 4, 1914

Their children, Floyd, Jo, Doyt, Wilma, and Harold

Samuel, age 4

Grace, undated photo

Grace?

Written on the back: Were those roasting ears good! did they take work!

My dad visited them on furlough.

A portrait of their son, Floyd, sits on the mantel during World War II. As a U.S. Marine, Floyd participated in most of the amphibious assaults in the Pacific — and survived.