Research Note: One approach to analyzing records like this is to use what is known as "Occam's Razor." Using this approach, we make tentative assumptions using what is the "most-likely" or "simplest" explanation. In the analysis below, I will use Occam's Razor to speculate when I feel it appropriate. Each reader can make his or her own conclusions based on the available evidence. Please contact me if you find errors or take issue with some of these speculations.

Hudsons and Hutsons in the 1790 SC Census (selected counties)

Notice John and Benjamin Hutison below from the 1790 census. The 1790 census shows these two men living very-close to eachother, and very-close to John Benton. In Evelyn Bryan's book "Cemeteries of Upper Colleton County", she quotes Mrs. Gertrude Hudson Goodwin as saying that "the Hudsons and Bentons came from England together." We have not found any evidence that the Hudsons came directly to Colleton county from England, but we believe that they were close to the Bentons from an early time (perhaps even from Chowan/Darlington District where a John, John Jr., and Elijah Benton served in the militia before the Revolution). John Benton married Martha Hudson (b1792) and produced Edward Heyward Benton, and George Benton who owned the land where the Isham Hudson graveyard is now located.

We have the will of William Hudson the surveyor. He appears to have known he was dying in 1788, when he left everything to Mrs. Elizabeth Moore and her children William Hudson and Mary Hudson. We have not yet determined an explanation for this, but some ideas have been speculated in the Chad Milliner Puzzler. More than one researcher have determined that Mary Hudson marries Edward Harper, and that they move to Mississippi. In the surveyor's will, he mentions his "close and trusted friend" Paul Hamilton. Paul Hamilton was a large land owner in the area, and a P. Hamilton appears in the roster on the ship Prosper (where a John and Benjamin Hudson also served, perhaps in the historically-significant battle of Sullivan's Island.)

We know tha Sharod Hudson was detained in a Revolutionary War prison in 1779. It appears that he was a Patriot, but he might have been a Loyalist. Sharod appears in the census near "Mrs. Hutison", who might be the widow of William the surveyor, and also near Jacob Carter, some of whose descendants share our DNA (via George Carter b. ca. 1840). Another clue is that William mentions his close friendship with Paul Hamilton. Isham Hudson named his third son J Hamilton Hudson (b1834), and Isham's middle initial was "H." No other families in the area appear to have named their children Hamilton.I believe that this is a strong tie between William the surveyor, his son William Jr. (possibly Willis), and Isham Hudson.

Hudsons and Hutsons in the 1800 SC Census (selected counties)

Later land records from Colleton county show Shared (or Sharod) Hudson with land on Willow Swamp, which was immediately across the Little Salkahatchie from where Hudson Mill is. There is a man named Hardy Goodwin who will be near some Hudsons in the 1820 census on p. 8. Note the age of the head-of-household for the three Hudson men below. It appears that John could be the senior or father, while Hardy and Shared could simply be his sons. Martha Hudson, wife to John Benton, should be eight years old here, suggesting she is in the house of Hardy or John.

The green shaded area is male Hud(t)sons who COULD be our ancestors. If Isham or Abner's William are in this group, then they would HAVE to be the sons of Shared (or a second family living with Shared), since they would be three years old and none of the other families have a three-year-old son. Using Occam's Razor, we can speculate that Shared is a blood-relative to Isham and John, and possibly to Abner's William. This also ties us to John and Benjamin from the 1790 census, since they are living next door to John Benton who lives near the Padgett-Benton cemetary.

Hutsons and Hudsons in 1810 Census (Colleton County only)

I believe that the 1810 census contains a variety of errors, and that it should be considered with careful suspicion. If William Hudson (of Hudson Mill) and Isham were each born around 1797, then why does neither of them appear here? The 1810 and 1820 censes were "copied" so that the names would appear in alphabetical order. The person copying the census might have simply put these two boys into the wrong column. This would fit with the 1820 census, and in fact offers one of the few possible explanations.

Hudsons in 1820 Census (Colleton County only)

Note that Willis went from having 2 boys under 10 in 1810 to having at least three boys between 10-18, and two boys that COULD be Isham or William (18-26 range, as Isham and William would be 23 if they were born around 1797). If Isham or William are in this census, then they are with Willis or "J". In 1825, Willis, Isham, and Sharrod will file tax returns for slaves. Does this suggest that they are related, and that the old man living with Willis below is Sharrod? Perhaps in 1820 there were three generations of our ancestors living with Willis. Note that James is less-likely to be the father of Isham, because James is more-likely the James in 1830, who has his own family that fits (assuming that one of the boys died or left the area).

Hudsons in 1830 Census (Colleton County unless otherwise stated)