WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETY
Newsletter
July2016
TheHudsonfamilycameherein1878
IntheearlydayssmalltownsinFloridaobtainedtheirnames
whenthepostofficewasestablished,typicallyinthe
residenceofanearlysettler.Thefirstpostmastercould
usuallyselectthenameofthepostoffice.Thefirst
postmasterofHudsonwasJohnWilliamHudson(18591927),butpresumablyhechosethenametohonorhisfamily
orhisfather.HisfatherwasIsaacWashingtonHudsonSr.
(1825-1892),picturedherewithAmandaLuvernaCobb
(1831-1922).TheymarriedinGeorgiain1848.
Accordingtoonesource,theyweretheparentsof11
children,9ofwhomreachedadulthood.TheyleftAlabamain1868,locatingfirstinMadisonCounty,
Florida.In1870theymovedfarthersouthtoChipco,inwhatisnoweasternPascoCounty.Thefamily
thenmovedtowhatwouldbecomeHudson,believingthesaltairoftheGulfimproveIsaac’shealth.Itis
believedthattheyarrivedhereinFebruary1878.
AdvertisementsforParker’sTonicfoundinseveralnewspapersin1887includeatestimonialbyJoseph
B.Hudson,oneofIsaac’ssons.
“For20yearsmyfatherwasaninvalid,withCoughandBronchitis,andtriedeverythinghecouldhearof
withoutobtainingmorethantemporaryrelief.BeingadvisedofParker’sTonic,hebegantouseit,and
beforehehadtakenfivedollarsworthwascured.Heis57yearsold,andhasbeenwellnowovera
year.”—Jos.B.HUDSON,Hudson,Fla.
I.W.HudsonSr.prosperedthroughashippingtradetoCedarKeysandwasabletobuy200acresofland
fromthestateat$1.25peracre.HeemployedHenryClayBushtosurveyandplotthetownsite.
Accordingtoalocalhistory,inabout1890sonsJosephByrdHudsonandWilliamHudsonestablishedthe
firstmercantilebusinessinHudson.
Arecently-discovereddocumentwrittenbyJ.A.Hendley,animportantearlyresidentofPascoCounty
whoknewIsaacW.Hudson,includesadescriptionofhim:
“IsaacW.Hudsonwasamanoftheoldschool.Hishousewasopentoallwithoutcharge.Wecandidates
runningfordifferentofficestraveledinbuggiesandonhorse,draggingthroughsandandmudwould
campoutuntilwereachedMr.Hudson’s.Hewouldhouseadozenofusinsomeway,feedusonfish,
cornbread,andcoffee,andwouldnottakeacentfromanyofus.”
ProbablythetwomostnotablesonsofIsaacW.HudsonwereIsaacJr.andJosephByrdHudson.
IsaacW.HudsonJr.(1870-1972)recalledattendingschoolthreemonthsoftheyearinaloghouse.He
recalledthathisfatherandbrothersplantedcorn,sweetpotatoes,sugarcane,peasandpeanuts,notonly
tofeedthefamilybuttoproducegoodhogmeat,whichwastheirmaincrop.
Atage20IsaacJr.wasattendingFortDadeAcademynearDadeCity,buthewalkedallthewaybackto
HudsontocourtMissNettieElizabethHay,carryinghisshoesinhandtopreventthemfromwearingout.
Hemarriedheratage25.
IsaacJr.servedasaPascoCountycommissionerandwastwiceelectedsheriff.In1917hecarriedoutthe
secondoftwolegalhangingsinPascoCountyhistory.Inhisfirstsixmonthsinoffice,heraided164
moonshinestillsinPascoCounty.
JosephByrdHudson(1856-1950)wasoneoftheoriginalmembersofthePascoCountyCommissionin
1887.
ManydescendantsoftheI.W.HudsonSr.familystillliveinPascoCounty.Weweresaddenedtolearnof
thedeathofClaudeHudsonJr.onApril2ofthisyear.HewasbornonMay10,1924,andwas91yearsold.
HewasamemberoftheGulfHighSchoolClassof1941.HewasoneoftheyoungestpilotsinWorldWar
II.
Shirley(Casper)HudsonandClaudeW.HudsonJr.atthemuseumin2010.
WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETYNEWSLETTER
MaxineClayton,WPHSchartermember
MaxineClayton,alifememberandchartermemberofthe
WestPascoHistoricalSociety,diedonApril24.Shewas92
yearsold.Shewasagreatsupporterofmanyprojectsatour
museum.HerhusbandColliefundedtheprintingofour1975
hardcoverhistoryWestPasco’sHeritage.
MaxineClaytonwasaPascoCounty4-HFoundationmember
andwasnamedtotheFlorida4-HHallofFame.Eachyear
sheshowedhersupportbypurchasingatleastoneproject
animalraisedbya4-Hmember.
CollieClayton,aformerpresidentofthePascoCountyFair
Association,diedin1991.ThePascoCountyAgricultureAuditoriumwasrenamedClaytonHallinhis
honor.
Hereareexcerptsfromtheeulogyreadathermemorialservicefollows.Theentireeulogycanbefound
onourwebsite.
WegathertodaytocelebratethelifeofMaxineClayton,whoweknewasadearfriendorfamilymember.
Maxinetouchedourheartsandwastheexampleofwhatacaring,dedicatedChristianshouldbe.Maxine
wasborninraisedintheNorwoodParkareaofChicago.SheandherbrotherBudMertamovedtoSt.
Petersburgwiththeirparentsin1945,followingotherfamilymemberswhohadahomeinSt.Pete.
MaxinewenttoworkasareceptionistintheofficeofDr.Bradley.ItwasthereshemetCaldwellClayton,
Collietoeveryone.Theydatedforatimeandthenmarriedin1951.Colliehadpurchasedsomelandin
Pascocountybeginningin1949,andtheymovedtotheruralHudson,BayonetPointareaandhadaone
bedroomwhitehouseon52.Theybeganfirstraisingbeefcattle,andthenswitchedtohavingadairy,At
onetimetheyhad150-175cows.
TheniecesallremembergoingtostaywithAuntMaxineandUncleCollieinthesummerandmilkingthe
cows.Maxinetoldmethattheyhadinventedanewwaytomilkthecowsthathadbeenatrueinnovation
atthetime.Shespokeofthe7dayaweekworkofthedairyandworkingwiththehiredmenmilkingthe
cows.InthoseyearstheywereveryinvolvedwitheverythingrelatedtothePascoCountyFair.Maxine
wasparticularlyinvolvedinprocuringitemseachyearforthewomen’sbuildingatthefair.Shewasvery
involvedintheHomeExtension,andencouragingyoungpeoplein4H.
MaxineandCollieneverhadanychildrenbuttheywereveryinvolvedinthelivesoftheirniecesand
nephews,andwithotherfamiliesaswell,DianeHillerspeaksofMaxineandColliebeinglikeparentsto
herandgrandparentstoherfourchildrenOthersexperiencedthesameaswell.
In1991ColliehadbeenworkinginamanufacturedhomebusinessinLakeCity,whenhediedsuddenlyof
aheartattackatage74,ItwasashocktoeveryoneandcertainlyforMaxine.Inhertypicalfaithful
fashion,Maxinecontinuedonwithherlife,pursuingthethingsthatsheloved,buildingalifethat
continuedtheirjointlegacyofservicetothecommunity,andherowninterestsaswell.
WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETYNEWSLETTER
Museumvisitor
JackMalarkeywasavisitortothemuseumonMay
21,drivingherefromCrystalSprings.Wewere
pleasedthathebroughtwithhimhiscollectionof
PascoCountypostalcovers.Theseareenvelopes,
usuallyoldandusuallywithapostagestampthat
hasbeencanceled.Manystampcollectorscollect
postalcovers.Hiscollectionincludesacover
postmarkedinDadeCityin1888andanother
postmarkedinFortDadein1882,beforeDadeCity
existed.AnothercoverispostmarkedFivayin
1911.Fivaywasanincorporatedtownwithapost
officeintheearlypartofthe20thcentury.He
allowedustophotographhiscollection,andyou
canviewitonline.Thelinkisinthepostabouthis
visitintherollingblogonourwebsite.Mr.Malarkeyistheauthorofanarticleonthepostalhistoryof
Trilby,ineasternPascoCounty.
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Variousnewsitemsfromthemuseum
OurStagedoorCanteenheldattheSpartanManoronMay1wasagreatsuccessandenjoyedbyallwho
attended.Thankstooursponsors!TheywereDr.RaoMusunuru,AlmaScheuer,theAfrican-American
ClubofWestPasco,GeraldandColetteRobbins,theRotaryClubofNewPortRichey,OlympusLimousine,
HyundaiofNewPortRichey,Rose’sBistro,MikeCurrieElectric,CharlesandCarolLobdell,andJimmy
Ferraro.ThanksalsotoJ.DavidWright,whotookmanywonderfulphotosattheevent.Youcanseethem
onhisFacebookpage.
Weenjoyedhaving17browniesinBrownietroop723visitourmuseumforatouronMay21.Ifyour
groupwouldliketoarrangeatourofthemuseum,thereisnochargeandwecanusuallyarrangeitat
yourconvenience.Emailourmuseumadministrator,TerryKline,[email protected],orcallhim
at846-0157,toarrangeatour.
TheClaytonWoodsQuestershadaKentuckyderbyluncheonatthemuseumonMay17.Theyalsotoured
theHaciendaHotel.
Ifyouhaven’trenewedyourmembership,pleasedosoassoonaspossible.TheformisaPDFfilewhich
canbedownloadedfromourwebsite,under“AboutUs.”
We’realwayslookingforvolunteersatthemuseum.Ifyou’reinterested,contactTerryKline,at
[email protected],orcallhimat846-0157.
WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETYNEWSLETTER
Memberprofile:BobLangford
ThesubjectofthememberprofileinthisnewsletteristheWPHS
President,Robert(Bob)Langford.
BobwasborninLouisville,Kentucky,onMay31,1942.Hestudied
classicalmusicandsanginthegleeclub,winningsuperiorratingsat
statecontestsinhissophomore,junior,andsenioryearsofhighschool.
Hisveryfirstrealgigwassingingduringhissenioryearasoneoffour
backgroundsingersinaLouisvilleband.
Bob’sfamily,whichincludedhismotherLillianPeak,stepfatherJoseph
Peak,andyoungerbrotherLannyLangford,movedtoFloramar(now
GulfHarbors)in1960.Bobfollowedthemdownaftergraduatingfrom
highschoolin1961.LannygraduatedfromGulfHighSchoolin1963.Bobbeganplayinginbandssoon
afterhearrivedinFloridaandsincetherewasverylittlegoingoninmusicintheTampaBayareaatthat
time,theywerelargelyinvolvedincreatingtheirownmusicscene.
LannyeventuallywentontoplaywithTommyRoeandTheRoemans.HisbandwasoriginallyLannyand
TheImpressions.TheRoemans,whoalsofeaturedBertieHigginsondrumsandBerryOakleyasbass
player,touredwidelyintheU.S.andwenttotheUKontourin1965.LannymanagedtogettheBeatles’
autographforBob,whohaskeptitinaverysafeplace.Lilliansangandplayedmusictothemduringboth
herpregnanciesandfeelsthatiswhytheybothhadsuchaloveofthemusicindustry.Tragically,Lanny
waskilledbyadrunkdriverin1969whileworkingasapoliceofficerinTarponSprings.
Bob’sfirstbandinNewPortRicheywasTheIntruders.BobbecametheleadsingerandBertieHiggins
wasondrums.ThebandlaterbecametheCapris,andthenevolvedintoTheMovers.ThelateMike
Olson,PascoCounty’staxcollector,andBobGoluba,ourlongtimedentist,wereothermembersofBob’s
bands.LastbutnotleastwereCarltonSummers,SteveUzzle,RogerHale,andDonReynolds,moreofour
NewPortRicheyhomeboys.
Bobwas21whentheBeatlesappearedontheEdSullivanShow.AccordingtoBob,“NotonlytheBeatles,
butthewholeBritishInvasion,waslikearevivalofmusic-afreshstart.”PaulCochran,Clearwater’s
ParksandRecreationdirector,becametheirmanager.TheydidgigsalloverFloridaandendedupin
GreenBay,Wisconsin,whichBobcalledthe“FrozenTundra.”WhenthatgigwasoverBobwasdonein
thetouringscene.
BobmovedtoAtlantain1966tofindotheravenuesforhismusicexpertiseandstayedthereuntil1998.
HejoinedPaulCochran,whobeganabookingandmanagementagencyinAtlanta.Theythengot
involvedwiththefabledBillLowery.HealsoworkedwithBuddyBuieandmanagedTheJamesGang,the
Candymen,BobbyGoldsboro,RayStevens,TheTams,TommyRoeandhisgoodfriendBillyJoeRoyal,Joe
South,andothers.
Bobworkedextensivelyon“GamesPeoplePlay,”sungbyJoeSouth,whichwonBestContemporarySong
andSongoftheYearGrammysin1969.JoeSouthwentoutonhisownandhiredBobashisengineeras
wellasasingeronhisalbums.BobproducedanalbumforJoethathasneverbeenreleasedcalledOne
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LinersandRoadStories.Sincehewasneverpaidforithehasthemastertothisdayandhopestorelease
itsomedayafterheremastersitinaCDformat.
BobwentbackworkingforBillLoweryat“StudioOne”withRodneyMills.Tothisday,Rodneymasters
everythingthatBobrecords.ThisiswhenBobmetAlKooperandtheyworkedonLynyrdSkynyrdand
BloodSweatandTears,amongothers.BobactuallydevelopedthespellingofLynyrdSkynyrdwhenhe
shortenedthenametowriteitonthetapesanditcaughttheband’sfancy.Hemetand/orworkedwith
manybignamesatthattime,includingJerryLeeLewis,AlKooper,LittleFeat,DeepPurple,Atlanta
RhythmSection,andmanyothers.Inthemid-seventiesBobgavePaulCochranthenicknameof“TheOld
Man,”andPaulreciprocatedwith“Tub.”
In1977BobinventedanAudioSignalProcessingSystem(USPatent#4,184,047),adeviceforguitarsthat
justabouteveryguitarplayerintheworldusestothisday.Healsotrainedhimselftobeoneoftwelve
voiceprintexpertsintheU.S,workingmainlyforlawyersandpolicedepartments,andoftenappearing
incourtasanexpertwitness.
In1982hestartedhisownrecordingstudioinAtlantacalledtheCrystalPalace,whichlatermorphedinto
TheRobertLangfordGroup,whichstillexists.HerecordedDougKershaw,PaulDavis,andothers.Inthe
80’shegotmoreinvolvedinelectronicdesignworkaroundAtlantaandcontinueduntilhemovedbackto
NewPortRicheyin1998.HealsoownedandoperatedarestaurantinAtlantafrom1993to1997.
BackinNewPortRichey,Bobwaselectedtothecitycouncilin2003.HewasthenelectedDeputyMayor
bythecouncil.Heranformayorin2004,andlostby40votes.Heservedatotalofnineyearsoncity
council.HegraduatedfromtheInstituteofElectedandAdvancedMunicipalOfficials,LeadershipPasco,
LeadershipFloridaLocalGovernmentLeadershipClass,FloridaInstituteofGovernment,andtheNational
LeagueofCities-LeadershipTrainingInstitute.
BobistheChairmanoftheBoardforAMIKidsPascoandthePascoFineArtsCouncil.Heservesas
PresidentoftheWestPascoHistoricalSociety,ViceChairmanoftheNewPortRicheyFirefighters’
PensionFund,VicePresidentoftheRicheySuncoastTheaterboard,andTreasureroftheFriendsofthe
Hacienda.HehasservedonFriendsoftheNewPortRicheyLibraryandRedAppleAdultTraining
Center-BoardofTrustees.HeisagubernatorialappointedmemberoftheTampaBayRegionalPlanning
Council,AgencyonBayManagement.
InNewPortRicheyBobownstwohouses,sidebyside,onehisdomicileandtheotherhismusicstudio.
Everyspringheandhisneighborsthrowthefamedblockparty.Heisaveryhappyandsatisfiedman
thesedays.HispetmusicproductionprojectatthemomentislocalbluessingerJulieBlack.Shehasan
excellentband,playsaroundFlorida,andespeciallyinNewPortRichey,everychanceshegets.Shehas
madethreeCD’sandovertheyearshasbecomelikeadaughtertoBob.
Afterlosinghisbelovedwifetocancerin2008heestablishedalovingrelationshipwithanoldflamefrom
NewPortRichey,ayearago,afterover50years.Theyareoneofthecouplesthathavereunitedatclass
reunionsinNewPortRichey.TheytraveltoherhomeinOhioandlastyearvisitedtheRockandRollHall
ofFameinCleveland,Ohio.ItwasagreatexperienceforBob,seeingexhibitsandpicturesofsomanyof
hisoldfriends,aswellaslisteningtohisownvoiceonmanyfamoussongs.Hisinvention,theAudio
SignalProcessingSystem,wasevenondisplaybehindglass.
Heismostfortunatetohavehismotherwithhim.At94yearsold,sheisstillasvibrantandbeautifulas
ever.Bobmakessuresheheistherewheneversheneedshisassistanceandhasanythingsheneeds,
especiallyhistime.
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WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETYNEWSLETTER
BobLangfordinPictures
Bobinthe1960s,andaspartofthegrouptheMovers.
Bobasacelebritywaiter,volunteeringforCARES,atBonefishGrill;Bobrelaxing.
WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETY
PicturesfromourStagedoorCanteen(byJ.DavidWright)
WESTPASCOHISTORICALSOCIETY
PicturesfromourStagedoorCanteen(byJ.DavidWright)