California Biographies, Santa Cruz Count A. N. JUDD. Transcribed by Peggy Hooper Source: History of Santa Cruz County, California Pacific Press Publishing Company San Francisco, Cal. 1892 By E. S. Harrison This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm A. N. JUDD. Very early in the colonization of New England, in 1636, the Judd family became established along the bleak Atlantic coast. Authentic annals of the colonial era record that one of the name, who had married a sister of the illustrious Roger Will- iams, suffered banishment and exile from Massachusetts by reason of his religious views. Accompanying Williams through the unsettled country toward the south, he aided in the founding of Providence and Newport. Three hundred years later Williams and Judd were restored to citizenship by the legislature of Massachusetts. Descended in the third generation from this famous pioneer was George B. Judd, who prior to the free-trade act of 1856 operated an iron foundry at Great Barrington, Mass., but closed out the business when a change in the tariff laws made it no longer profit- able. For some years he was engaged in the lumber industry. One of his cousins, Hon. Norman B. Judd, represented Cook county, Ill., in the United States congress for a number of terms and during the period of his public activity he had the honor of nominating Abraham Lincoln for president when that able statesman was as yet comparatively unknown throughout the country. The death of George B. Judd occurred at Loudon, N. H., and there both he and his wife, Mary Ann, were buried. They were the parents of five sons and four daughters, but only two of these ever came to the west, namely: A. N.; and Belinda, who married W. S. Morse and settled at Los Angeles. Mrs. Mary Ann Judd was a sister of Hon. William H. Bissell, the tenth governor of Illinois, born in New England in 1811 and deceased in Springfield, Ill., in 1860, during the period of his service as chief executive of the state. During the Mexican war he had fought with distinction and bravery and at the battle of Buena Vista he was seriously wounded. Later he became one of the leading statesmen of the north and for years represented his district in the United States congress. At one time he was challenged by Jefferson Davis to fight a duel, an altercation having arisen as to the honor due the Second Illinois Infantry for results in the war. Governor Bissell had the privilege of choosing the weapons and he named muskets loaded with buckshot at a distance of forty yards, with permission to walk up to within ten paces. Had the duel been fought with Governor Bissell as winner, the history of the Civil war would have been different, for it would not have contained the name and personality of Jefferson Davis. However, before the time set for the meeting, the father-in-law of General Davis interfered and brought the matter to an amicable settlement, no apology being asked for from Governor Bissell. The story of the affair has since become known and is often told among the members of the Bissell family and their connections. After having risen to prominence solely through his own abilities and sagacious judgment, Governor Bissell died in the midst of his public service and was followed to the grave by tributes of admira- tion and respect. Over his last resting place is a stone erected by the State of Illinois, in 1874, bearing the words, "Hero, Statesman and Patriot." During the residence of the Judd family at North Lee, Berkshire county, Mass., A. N. Judd was born April 26, 1843. At the age of fourteen years he went to Wisconsin and at Rubicon, Dodge county, he served an apprenticeship to the trades of painter and wagon-maker. Later he worked in a sawmill at Whitewater, Wis., and from there he removed to Iowa to work at the painter's trade. August 9, 1861, he enlisted at Anamosa, Iowa, as a private in Company H, Four- teenth Iowa Infantry, and accompanied his regiment to the south, where he took part in the engagements at Springfield and Fort Henry. His third battle was at Fort Donelson, February 15, 1862, and there he was wounded in the neck. While in the "hornet's nest" at Shiloh he was taken by the enemy, together with practically all of Tuttle's brigade, of which he was a member. However, before they had reached Corinth he managed to escape with some other prisoners and made his way to the Federal lines at Crump's Landing on the road to Pittsburg Landing. Soon afterward he was transferred to Company A, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, which received marching orders under General Sully March 16, 1863, and traveled northward, where he served until the close of the Civil war, principally in the Dakotas and along the Canadian border. Among the principal engagements of that part of his service were the battles of White Stone Hill, September 3, 1863; Big Knife river, July 28, 1864; and the Bad Lands, August 7-8-9, 1864, which routed the Indians so that there- after it was safe for immigrant trains to travel without escort. His military service ended under General Sully and he was honorably discharged at Davenport, Iowa, November 27, 1865, after a service of four years and three months. Going to Chicago and taking up work at the painter's trade, Mr. Judd was busily occupied thus for a few years, but when the first railroad was completed across the continent he determined to come to California. During July of 1868 he traveled with the first excursion on the railroad and arriving in the west he settled at Watsonville, where ever since he has made his home. On the present site of the Watsonville Bank he conducted a painter's shop and in addition he followed other lines of work for some years. During 1873 he became interested in farming and in 1886 he began to plant fruit trees, making a specialty of apples. At this writing he owns a fruit farm of fifty-two acres west of the city and he also owns a comfortable residence at No. 263 East Lake street, "Watsonville. Throughout all of his active life he has been interested in public affairs. Strong in his opposition to graft in every form, he believes in electing officials who will give the public clean, pure and faithful service. Concerning the various forms of graft noticeable among many public men throughout the country he does not hesitate to express his views in strong terms. The only office he has held was that of deputy assessor. Had he been chosen for others, he would have given the public the same faithful service that he gave to his country during the four darkest years of its history. Fraternally he is connected with Pajaro Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., and R. L. McCook Post No. 26, G. A. R., in both of which he is warmly interested. The marriage of Mr. Judd and Caroline Williamson was solemnized July 22, 1872, and was blessed with five children. The eldest, Carrie Belle became the wife of Jesse Wood, of Watsonville. Elbert Hayes died at the age of twelve and Ida May at the age of sixteen years. Hugh William, a clerk in the Watsonville postoffice, married Jessie Tinan, of San Jose, member of a pioneer family of the Pajaro valley. Oswald Bissell, a farmer and surveyor, married Franc Turney and resides at Watsonville. The father of Mrs. Judd was William Williamson, a native of Ireland, who came from Illinois to California during 1854 and afterward engaged in lumbering in the Santa Cruz mountains. He aided in the es- tablishment of the Pioneer flour mill and at one time he was interested in mining and merchandising at Forest Hill. At the age of sixty-five years he passed from earth, his death occurring at about the same time as that of his devoted wife, Artimesia (Sands) Williamson, and both were interred in the cemetery at Watsonville near the scenes familiar to them for years. They were respected by all who knew them and he was said among friends everywhere to be one of Nature's noblemen, a man with acute reasoning faculties, warm-hearted to the point of self-sacrifice, kindly toward all, fond of little children and thoughtful toward the aged, possessing the cheerful optimism characteristic of his race blended with the ener- getic temperament of the American.