Hudsons of the 1790 Census of Sampson County, North Carolina .....
Miles Hudson -- Males: one 16-up; Females: two 16-up
Job Hudson -- Males: one 16-up, one 1-16;
Joseph Hudson -- Males: one 16-up, one 1-16; Females: one 16-up
Lewis Hudson -- Males: one 16-up, two 1-16; Females: five 16-up
Rachel Hudson -- Females: two 16-up

Hudsons of the 1800 Census of Sampson County, North Carolina .....
Joel Hudson -- Males: four 1-10, one 26-45; Females: one 1-10, one 26-45
James Hudson -- Males: one 1-10, one 26-45; Females: four 1-10, one 10-16, one 26-45
Joseph Hudson -- Males: one 1-10, one 45-up; Females: one 1-10, one 45-up
Thomas Hudson -- Males: one 45-up

Miles, Job, Lewis, and Rachel do not appear on Sampson County Census records after 1790. Joseph Hudson is the only one of the 1790 Sampson County Hudsons to be recorded in the 1800 Sampson County Census. Job, however, appears in another record about 1802, for selling land to Thomas Hudson of Brunswick County, North Carolina. Joseph witnessed this transaction.

"Joseph" was a favorite name. The name "Joseph Hudson" was recorded at the following places:
1702 Perquimans County, NC
1722 & 1728 Bertie County, NC;
1742 Tyrrell County, NC
1745 Joseph Hudson made a Will naming two sons: Lewis & Joseph
1746 Martin County, NC
1763 Tyrrell County, NC
1780 Martin County, NC
1783-1786 Joseph was in Duplin County with Lewis & Miles
1790 Sampson County, NC
1800 Sampson County, NC
1802 Sampson County, NC
[Note: No Hudsons were recorded in Martin or Duplin Counties in 1790]

In all Probability, the Joseph of 1780 Martin County, NC; 1783-1786 Duplin County with Lewis & Miles; 1790 Sampson County, NC; 1800 Sampson County, NC; 1802 Sampson County, NC are the same person.

However, there is a bit of guesswork to take into consideration .....
The census data of 1786 Duplin County, NC lists two males 21-60, one male under 21, and three females --while the 1790 Sampson County Census data notes three males, in which two are under 16, and just one female. This means that one male over 21 and two females are unaccounted for by 1790. Possibilities include: marriage, death, education, service, etc.

By 1800 the males listed as "under 16" in the 1790 Sampson County Census, are not recorded as part of the household. Instead, one male and one female (both under 16), have been added. Joseph and his wife, however, are recorded as being older than 45 years. If he is the same Joseph named with Lewis in the Joseph Hudson Will of 1745, he would have been 57 or more years old by 1800.

Thus, Joseph Hudson was born no later than 1754. He was more than 35 years old in 1790, more than 45 years old in 1800, and not less than 47 in 1802. His wife was born no later than 1754. He had at least 3 sons (maybe five) and 3 daughters.

In 1786 he had a son 21 years old, a son under 21, plus two daughters.
In 1790 he had two sons under 16 years old, and no daughters at home. His wife was probably not over 36.
In 1800 he reported one son under 10 years old, and one daughter under 10 years old, while Joseph and his wife were recorded as being over 45 years old.

[Note: Early census data only indicates the number of males and females in a household, only. Ages were fitted into rather broad brackets. The only name given, is the head of the household]

About 1800 Thomas Hudson (45 or more years old) and his wife (45 or more years old) came to Sampson County from Brunswick County, NC. James and Joel are probably Joseph's sons. Both are recorded as being over 26 years old.

Hudsons of the 1810 Census of Sampson County, North Carolina .....
Joel Hudson -- Males: six 1-10, one 10-16, one 26-45; Females: one 1-10, one 26-45
Rodey (Rhoda) Hudson -- Males: two 1-10, one 10-16; Females: three 1-10, two 10-16, one 45-up

It's assumed that Rodey (Rhoda) is a 45 year-old widow. Census data indicates three males under 16 and six females lived within her household. According to the 1850 Sampson County Census, she remained in Sampson County. She is listed as the 75 year-old head of the household. Also listed is the 43 year-old, Jane (probably an unmarried daughter).

Joel also remained in Sampson County. In 1800 he is listed as being 26 or more years-old. He also appears in the census records for the years 1810, 1820, and 1830. He was 56 or more years-old by 1830. His wife was probably about the same age. He was recorded as owning land in Sampson County as early as 1796.

In 1800, Joel had four boys under the age of 10 and one girl. His wife was listed as being between 26-45 years-old. By 1810, he had seven boys under the age of 16 and one daughter between 10-16 years-old. In 1820, at the age of 46, Joel had one son under the age of 10, three under 16, two under 18, two under 26, one 26-45 years old. He also had two daughters under the age of 10 and one 16-26. His wife is listed as being between 26 and 45. In 1830, one son between 15 and 20, two sons 20-30, a daughter 1-5 years old and one 15-20 years old. Records suggest that Joel married Edith Holly.

James Hudson was not listed in the Sampson County Census of 1810 or 1820. It's possible that he may be the James Hudson who served in the Revolutionary War. This James Hudson was said to be "living on the Noose River at its outbreak". He went to Wilson County, Tennessee in 1808. Later, he petitioned for a pension as an old soldier.

It's probable that Miles, Job, Lewis, Joseph and Thomas were related, since they lived about the same time and lived near each other. For whatever reason, though, all of them left the county except for Joseph and Thomas. Eight Hudson families disappeared from Sampson County between 1790 & 1810. It's possible, however, that other Hudson families may have moved in and out between the census years and just weren't recorded, but by 1810 Joel and Rodey (Rhoda) are the only recorded heads of Hudson families in Sampson County. It may be assumed that they are the forebears of the Sampson/Johnston/Harnett Hudsons.

[Note: In 1810 upper Sampson County wasn't a very desirable place to live, as it was with most of the eastern part of North Carolina. Land was covered by dense flat forest of Pecosins, ponds, and creeks. There were few roads, most of which were in poor condition. Corn Meals were widely scattered. There were no newspapers, no screens to keep out the flies and mosquitoes, and only a few could read. Doctors were few and far removed. Houses were no comfort.

Rev Elijah Parrish of Massachusetts wrote: "Early marriages were common; there are grandmothers, not 27 years old." He also noted: "Intermittent fevers prevail, and near the sea are often fatal. When not immediately fatal, they often bring on other diseases, which impair the mind, ruin the constitution, and end in death. In the winter, pleurisies; and in the summer bilious complaints, are common; but the consumption, whose name is terror in the northern states, is hardly known here. Not more than one person in ten reaches the age of 45. In New England fifteen in one hundred live to 45. Wheat is ripe in early June, and the Indian corn in the beginning of September," compared to "near Raleigh is a mine of black lead; they use it in painting the roofs of houses to guard them against fire. Cotton and hemp are raised. In the middle of the state, the cultivation of cotton generally prevails; in the west part, wheat and tobacco; near the sea, tar and lumber are the principal exports. In the winter, their cattle require nothing but the husks and stalks of their corn. They are sold in large numbers to the northern drovers."]

According to the census information, Joel Sr. had eleven males and eight females living in his household between 1800 and 1830, making up a family of nineteen children?? Possibly, but doubtful. We do know, however, that Joel Sr. had a son Joel Jr. ( Joel Sr. sold land to Joel Jr.). Joel Jr.'s son Benajah (Benjamin) married his Uncle William's daughter Dicy, which makes Joel Jr. and William brothers, along with Holly, Reden, and John.

Reden Hudson had at least six children, including Doctor William Lee Hudson who practiced medicine in Sampson and Harnett County. William Lee was also a large land owner.

Holly Hudson had seven children. He died in 1849, leaving a Will. Holly married Auxy Jane Coats. Children: Phebe Hudson married Lloyd West, Civil Hudson never married, Willia R. Hudson never married, Mary Marinda Hudson married George Barefoot, Coleman Jart Hudson married Mary Warrick, Nana (Nancy) Jean Hudson married James Barnhill, and Martha Hudson married Duck Gainey.

Joel (Boss) Hudson, Jr. married Elizabeth Denning. She died in 1849. Joel Jr. then, married the widow, Peggy Bass. Joel's children were: William Henry Hudson married Mary (Polly) Jackson; Lucinda Hudson married Crawford Wooten; Thomas Isaiah Hudson never married; Benajah Hudson married Dicy Hudson; Joel Hudson III married Elizabeth Westbrook; Holly Hudson II married (1) female Hill, (2) female Barnhill, (3) female Coats; Edith Ann Hudson married Wiley Hargrove. Remaining children cannot be listed at this time. No records to support them are available.

There were two John's listed. John Sr. bought land near the Little Coharie from Andrew Bass in 1826. He sold it in 1828 to Robert Wilson and bought land from Asher Bizzell on Kill Swamp (across Big Coharie). William Hudson witnessed this transaction. This John Hudson married Sarah Mariah and had about six children. Children include: John Thomas Hudson who lived in Johnston County, and Joseph Haywood Hudson who lived near Goshen Swamp in Sampson County.

John, the younger (by only two years), Hudson married Elizabeth. He sold land east of Calvary Baptist Church in Johnston County (near the Sampson County line, probably less than three miles from Joel's home in Sampson County) to Joel Jr. in 1828. Elizabeth must have died because John went up the road to Barzilla Black man's and married his daughter Daryan (17 years younger). John and Daryan lived most of their lives west of Seven Mile Swamp, near where Highway 13 crosses. Children: Spicy Hudson married Levi Bass; and Nancy Hudson married Pharaoh Hudson (kinsman).

William Hudson married Anna Lee. William died about 1829, a young man, leaving a Will. Children: Nana (Nancy) Hudson married Ellis Jackson. They had four children. Nana died young. Dicy Hudson married her Uncle Joel's son, Benajah (Benjamin). Dicy died in 1900. They had nine children. Samuel Hudson married Sarah Ann Raynor about 1852. They had a large family. Samuel died in 1900.