H. J. and Cora Hudson House

Herbert James Hudson (1849-1935), son of Philip S. and Ellen (Robertson) Hudson, was born in Cambridge, England, on April 24, 1849. After receiving a classical education in Latin and Greek at a British boarding school, and a customary tour of the continent, Hudson immigrated to the United States in 1870. He briefly lived as a sheep farmer in Nebraska before moving to Philadelphia. While living in Lynchburg, Virginia, Hudson met his future wife, Cora field (1858-1951), daughter of Methodist minister and veteran Staunton Field. When Cora and her widowed mother moved to Lorena in 1877, H.J. Hudson followed. They married on May 20, 1880. In 1881, H.J. and Cora purchased four city lots and began to construct their home. They lived in the single-walled two-story section on the south side of the house, which was constructed first and to which the main house was joined. In 1882, Hudson employed a German carpenter to build the main house. Exterior features include gingerbread trim, cypress siding, and 1880s doors and Sargent & Co. Locks on the west porch. One of the outstanding features of the home is the original leather wall and wainscot trim covering in the hall by the parlor. H.J. Hudson worked in the mercantile business as well as opening and serving as president of the private bank of Lorena (1894) and Lorena State Bank (1909). He was also a founding member of the masonic lodge in Lorena and assisted in building the Lorena United Methodist Church. The home remained in the Hudson family for more than 80 years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2017

H. J. and Cora Hudson House is a historical marker in Lorena, McLennan County, dedicated in 2017. It is one of 198 historical markers documented in McLennan County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 224 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.3835, -97.2154 near Lorena. The nearest cataloged historic site is Lorena United Methodist Church, The (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Lorena Cemetery, Westbrook, Charles A., Plantation, and Cox.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507018674. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.