VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
1097
Association, and the Newport News Bar
Association. He is affiliated with the local
Presbyterian church. By inheritance Judge
Robinson holds membership in the Order
of the Cincinnati, of which he may justly be
proud. He married, October 21, 1896, Lila
Perle Stearnes, daughter of Hon. L. P.
Stearnes. of Newport News. Children:
Mary Bentley, Julia Jackson, Ellen Lewis,
Clarence W'elmore Jr., Mary Patton and
Lewis Stearnes.
Kenneth Worsham Hudgins ; Ashley Cooper Hudgins ; Henry Clay Marrow. Ken- neth Worsham Hudgins, of Hampton, \ir- ginia, a leading merchant of that city, rep- resents one of the old families of \'irginia. which has been distinguished for moral worth, business energy and fidelity to stand- ards. The Hudgins family is an ancient one in Wales, and is traced to William Hudgins, whose wife, Charlotte (Houlder) Hudgins, was a representative of an ancient Welsh family, a daughter of Lady Charlotte How- ard, with a Norse connection in the Houlder family. William Hudgins left an estate of one hundred thousand pounds, divided cciually among his four children, Thomas, Charlotte, Mary and Houlder. The first three removed to Nova Scotia, whence Thomas Hudgins returned to Wales. His children remained in Canada, and some of them found their way to \'irginia after the Revolutionary war.
Houlder Hudgins, youngest son of \\'il- liam Hudgins, founder of the family in Vir- ginia, was devotedly attached to his grand- mother. Lady Charlotte Howard, through whom he was related to some of the noblest families of England. His father, William Hudgins. was associated with the Houlders ir. the construction and operation of trading vessels that sailed about the world, and aid- ed in establishing the British maritime su- premac}". Houlder Hudgins came to New York in the spring of 1 866, and after visit- ing his brother and sisters in Nova Scotia, ht proceeded shortly after to Virginia, where he arrived in the autumn of that year. He selected a home site on the Piankitank river, in what was then Gloucester county, and this homestead he named "Clinton," after his father's home in Wales. Here he built a manor house in colonial style, which became the scene of many notable gather- ings. The section was inhabited by many
of the most notalile families of Tidewater
\'irginia, including the Washington family.
It was a splendid colony in which the best
strains of English, Welsh, Irish and Scotch
blood were blended. Houlder Hudgins in-
vested his patrimony in land and slaves and
l)rought from Liverpool the artisans who
were needed to develop the resources of the
country. He built and operated ships to
and from the West Indies and British ports,
sailing from Westville. now known as
Mathews Courthouse. Of these vessels, the
l.ady Charlotte figured in the historical naval
engagement in Milford Haven, which ended
British rule in Virginia. This vessel was
laid down and launched near the present
site of the Newport News Shipbuilding
plant, and named by Houlder Hudgins in
honor of his grandmother. Lady Charlotte
Howard. After the Revolutionary war Mat-
hews county was set ofl.' from Gloucester,
and Houlder Hudgins was chosen as magis-
trate. He also represented the tidewater
district in the legislature during practically
the remainder of his life. He was born in
South Wales, not far from Liverpool, Eng-
land, in the year 1740, and died at his home
in Elizabeth City county, Virginia, in 1814.
He purchased twenty-two hundred acres of
land near Old Point Comfort, on the Chesa-
peake Ba)', upon which he built a manor
house, which he called "Lamington," and
which is still a show place in that section.
Every brick and timber came from England
or Wales, and the house remains in an excel-
lent state of preservation. After the Civil
v.ar it passed out of possession of the family.
Besides this plantation, Houlder Hudgins
owned several others in Elizabeth City coun-
ty, and at the time of his death held about
seven thousand five hundred acres of land.
He left two hundred adult Negro slaves, to-
gether with their progeny, which were
divided among his children. His will ex-
pressed his displeasure with members of his
family who did not marry to please him,
but he nevertheless provided bountifully for
them. In affectionate language he referred
to his slaves, and provided for their mainte-
nance and disposition. Houlder Hudgins
married (first) Anne Cluverius, of Rich-
mond, Virginia, who was the mother of
three children. The second wife. Nancy
(Valentine) Hudgins, was also a native of
Richmond, and was the mother of four chil-
dren, of whom a record of two is found. The
