Lee Roy Hudgens was born on December 19, 1885 in Hudgens, Illinois to Zachariah Hudgens and Mary J. Cooksey. Nothing remains of Hudgens, Illinois today but it is located app. 5 miles south of Marion on Hudgens Road where railroad tracks cross the road. Lee attended the rural district schools in his area and later attended school in Creal Springs. At the early age of 17 he began working in the clothing business and worked for 9 years in the employ of Manheim Cantor, a Marion clothing merchant. In September of 1902, Lee’s father Zachariah was hit by a train in Marion and killed. His father had established the village of Hudgens, was a banker, active business man and served as Williamson County Sheriff from 1872 to 1874.
Lee married Miss Clara M. Thompson on March 8, 1905. Clara was born in Creal Springs on June 22, 1888 and was the daughter of Robert C. Thompson and Anna Henderson.
By the time the 1910 federal census was taken, Lee 24 and Clara 21 had one daughter Beatrice A. aged 3. Lee was working as a salesman at a clothing store in Marion and the couple were living in a home they owned free of mortgage at 509 S. Madison St.
When Lee filled out his WWI draft card in 1918 he indicated that he was in retail sales working at the Marion Clothing Company located at 205 Public Square and living at 509 S. Madison Street. He was described as medium build, medium height, with grey eyes and dark hair.
In the book “Williamson County in WWI” published in 1919, Lee was mentioned as managing the Marion Clothing Company along with a short article about him and the store. (See attached photo). An article in the Marion Daily Republican from the same year noted the arrival of a daughter named Leora May to the family while living on S. Madison.
In the 1920 census, Lee 34 and Clara 31 had three children in their home at 509 S. Madison. The children were Beatrice 13, Robert Lee 9 and Leora May aged 4 months. They still owned the home free of mortgage and Lee was still a clothing merchant.
A 1922 Marion street directory listed Lee as working at the Hub Clothing Company on the square and living then at 507 S. Madison. An article appearing the same year in the local paper referring to a celebration held by the local David Herrin Lodge No. 1036 of the Odd Fellows included Lee as an active member.
In 1923, Lee was elected city commissioner under Mayor James H. Clarida and filled the position of Accounts & Finance Commissioner until 1927.
In March of 1924 when a number of KKK members, including their leader S. Glenn Young were held for bond involving rioting and conspiracy, Lee was among a number of local citizens who posted bond for them.
Articles in the paper indicated that Lee was working for the Hub Clothing Company at 1205 Public Square in 1926, the same year in which he would serve on a coroner’s jury to determine the outcome of the Potter suicide/murder case that occurred on N. Market Street in October that year.
A 1927 Marion directory reiterated that Lee was the manager of the Hub Clothing Company and was then living at 604 S. Madison. The residence was confirmed by an article from February 1928 announcing the birth of their 5th child named Billie Dean Hudgens as 604 S. Madison. Not long after that, in March, an article noted that the couple had donated an organ to the Goddard Chapel in Rose Hill Cemetery.
When the 1930 census was taken, Lee 43 and Clara 41 were still at 604 S. Madison and had five children in the home. The children were Beatrice 23, Robert Lee 19, Leora May 10, Patricia 3 and Billie Dean 2. Beatrice was working as a bus company accountant and Robert was a laborer doing odd jobs. The couple indicated that they were renting they home they lived in at 604 S. Madison and paying $25 per month in rent. Lee was a clothing salesman and they did not have a radio in the home.
By the time the 1940 census was taken, Lee 54 and Clara 50 were living in another rental at 1311 N. Glendale St. paying $20 a month in rent. Lee indicated that he had worked 52 weeks out of 1939, the previous year in clothing sales. Children in the home were Patricia 14, Billy Dean 12 and Jerry aged 4 who was likely a grandson and not a son.
In 1942, Lee filled out his WWII draft card at the age of 56. He indicated that they were living then at 914 W. Main Street and that he was working for F.E. Powell (Powell’s Clothing) on the west side of the square. He was described as 5’ 8”, 142 lbs., grey eyes, grey hair and light complexion.
In the 1950 census, Lee 64 and Clara 61 were living at 333 S. 4th St. in Marion and still had one child living with them, 31 year old and divorced daughter Leora May. Leora was working as the telephone manager for a retail mail order sales business. Lee was no longer working.
On December 21, 1950 Lee passed away in his home at 333 S. 4th Street in Marion at the age of 65. He was followed six years later on February 20, 1956 by his wife who died at Anna State Hospital at the age of 67. Both of them were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Notes on Children:
Beatrice Ann Hudgens Jolly, born in Marion October 12, 1906, married Paul Jolly in 1935, divorced, and he died in 1959. She died May 8, 1978 in Yorba Linda, California
Dr. Robert Lee “Bob” Hudgens, born in Marion July 17, 1910, married Winifred Bainbridge, daughter of Lawrence Bainbridge in 1938, worked as a Marion dentist, died March 28, 1969
Leora May Hudgens Chapman, born in Marion August 29, 1919, married Al Chapman in 1960, worked at Sears and the Bank of Marion, died September 23, 1980 while living at 604 E. Allen Street in Marion.
Patricia Jean Hudgens Pate, born in Marion September 12, 1925, married Kenneth Pate on March 16, 1946 in Henderson, Ky., died April 20, 2007 at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion.
Billie Dean Hudgens, born in Marion February 4, 1928, married Robbie Travelstead in 1948. She died in 1985 and he remarried Laverne Ripley on June 6, 1987. He died October 6, 1991 at Marion Memorial Hospital.
Jerry Hudgens, listed as a 3 year old son in the 1940 census making him likely born in 1936 but no other record of him was found. He would really have been a late life child so I have doubts about this child belonging to them. This child is likely a grandchild that belongs to one of their children.
(Sources: Federal census records, Marion Street Directories, Marion City Cemetery records, WWI and WWII Draft records, Marion Semi-Weekly Leader, Marion Daily Republican, Herrin News, Marion Evening Post, Johnston City Progress, Ozment Funeral Home records, 1926 Lion’s club celebration book, 1989 Sesquicentennial book, Illinois Marriage records, FindaGrave.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 6/07/2024)