EXTRACT FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT
HUDGIN WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN "MEMORIALS
OF OLD VIRGINIA CLERKS" BY F. JOHNSTON
(LYNCHBURG) 1888.
"In 1817 my mother placed me in the office of John T. Ford,
Clerk of Fredericksburg District Chancery Court, to remain until
I was twenty-one years old. I was then fifteen. I served out the
time and remained in Mr. Ford's employ until his death. I then
entered the employment of his successor, the venerable Isaac H.
Williams and remained with him until 1827.
"At the instance of several leading lawyers of Fredericksburg
I came to Caroline county in 1827 and arranged with John L.
Pendleton, Clerk of the County Court, to take sole charge of the
Clerk's Office for a term of years, and entered upon the duties of
the office at once. I soon put in order and rearranged all of the
old books and papers, which had been entrusted to deputies whose
neglect had caused much complaint, and for this work I received
from the justices of the county, sitting as a court, a vote of thanks.
"In 1831 I was appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court by Judge
John Tayloe Lomax and discharged the duties of this office, in
connection with my duties as Mr. Pendleton's deputy, until 1845,
when I resigned both offices to take up the practice of law.
"In 1860 I moved to Fauquier county and took charge of the
Fauquier White Sulphur Springs, which I had bought, and remained
there until 1863, when my entire property was destroyed
by the Northern Army. From sheer destitution I was compelled
to return to my old home in Caroline and upon my return George
K. Taylor, Clerk of the Circuit, (now Clerk of the Court of
Appeals at Richmond) and George W. Marshall, Clerk of the
County Court, resigned their offices and I was appointed in their
stead and have held the offices ever since. In the last election of
county officers I received, out of a voting list of three thousand,
every vote but three and have good reason to know that two
of these were scratched by mistake.
"I am now eighty-four and a half years old and have been
blessed with good health all my life and am now able to walk to
and from the office, half mile from my house and to discharge
its varied duties."
(Signed) Robert Hudgin."
February 4, 1887."
