Joseph Lowthian Hudson
Encyclopedia
Joseph Lowthian Hudson aka J. L. Hudson, was the merchant who founded the Hudson's department store
in Detroit, Michigan
.
Hudson also supplied the seed capital for the establishment, in 1909, of Roy D. Chapin's
automotive venture, which Chapin named the Hudson Motor Car Company
in honor of J.L. Hudson.
Hudson was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England
, and immigrated with his family to Hamilton, Ontario
Canada
when he was nine; by the age of fourteen he and members of his family were residing in Michigan
. His brother William moved to Buffalo, New York
in 1896, to operate a branch of the Hudson's store until his death in 1928.
While Hudson began his career in merchandising with family members and other outside partners, he founded what would provide the basis for Hudson's Department Stores in 1881 inside a shop at the Detroit Opera House
. Hudson at first focused on men' and boy's wear, and succeeded through set low prices and a return policy that favored the customer. As business volume grew, Hudson added sale professionals and additional lines of goods, including women's clothing and housewares. Hudson incorporated his venture in 1891 as the J. L. Hudson Company.
In addition with providing the seed capital for Hudson Motor Car Company
, J.L. Hudson was also involved the American Vapor Stove Company, Dime Savings Bank, American Exchange National Bank, the Detroit City Gas Company, and the Third National Bank of Detroit. When the Third National Bank collapsed in the financial panic of 1893, Hudson felt personally liable for the failure and paid from his personal accounts an amount equal to the balances of record held by each account holder. The move cost Hudson $265,000, however the goodwill that it showed also paid Hudson dividends in the form of increasing market share for his businesses. Hudson was also active in civic causes in greater Detroit area.
Contrary to popular belief, Joseph was almost not a life-long bachelor. Near the time of his death he was engaged to Eida Caroline Schmidt, though he died before they could marry, resulting in his life-long bachelorhood. Hudson went on a business trip and died from a lung problem July 5, 1912. Some sources list his place of death as Worthing, England, while some newspaper accounts list the place of death as Paris
, France
. His remains were returned to Detroit aboard the RMS Oceanic
and he was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery
.
According to biographer Edward L. Lack, Jr., Hudson left no personal papers, and the details outside of his public life are few and mostly unknown.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Hudson also supplied the seed capital for the establishment, in 1909, of Roy D. Chapin's
Roy D. Chapin
Roy Dikeman Chapin was an American industrialist and automaker. He also served as the United States Secretary of Commerce from August 8, 1932, to March 3, 1933, in the last months of the administration of President Herbert Hoover.Chapin was born in 1880 in Lansing, Michigan, and attended the...
automotive venture, which Chapin named the Hudson Motor Car Company
Hudson Motor Car Company
The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation to form American Motors. The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was dropped.- Company strategy...
in honor of J.L. Hudson.
Hudson was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and immigrated with his family to Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
when he was nine; by the age of fourteen he and members of his family were residing in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. His brother William moved to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1896, to operate a branch of the Hudson's store until his death in 1928.
While Hudson began his career in merchandising with family members and other outside partners, he founded what would provide the basis for Hudson's Department Stores in 1881 inside a shop at the Detroit Opera House
Detroit Opera House
The Detroit Opera House is an opera house located in Detroit, Michigan. It is the venue for all Michigan Opera Theatre productions and it hosts a variety of other events. It opened on January 22, 1922....
. Hudson at first focused on men' and boy's wear, and succeeded through set low prices and a return policy that favored the customer. As business volume grew, Hudson added sale professionals and additional lines of goods, including women's clothing and housewares. Hudson incorporated his venture in 1891 as the J. L. Hudson Company.
In addition with providing the seed capital for Hudson Motor Car Company
Hudson Motor Car Company
The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation to form American Motors. The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was dropped.- Company strategy...
, J.L. Hudson was also involved the American Vapor Stove Company, Dime Savings Bank, American Exchange National Bank, the Detroit City Gas Company, and the Third National Bank of Detroit. When the Third National Bank collapsed in the financial panic of 1893, Hudson felt personally liable for the failure and paid from his personal accounts an amount equal to the balances of record held by each account holder. The move cost Hudson $265,000, however the goodwill that it showed also paid Hudson dividends in the form of increasing market share for his businesses. Hudson was also active in civic causes in greater Detroit area.
Contrary to popular belief, Joseph was almost not a life-long bachelor. Near the time of his death he was engaged to Eida Caroline Schmidt, though he died before they could marry, resulting in his life-long bachelorhood. Hudson went on a business trip and died from a lung problem July 5, 1912. Some sources list his place of death as Worthing, England, while some newspaper accounts list the place of death as Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. His remains were returned to Detroit aboard the RMS Oceanic
RMS Oceanic (1899)
RMS Oceanic was a transatlantic ocean liner, built for the White Star Line. She sailed on her maiden voyage on 6 September 1899 and, until 1901, was the largest ship in the world...
and he was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
Woodlawn Cemetery is a cemetery located at 19975 Woodward Avenue, across from the Michigan State Fairgrounds, between 7 Mile Road and 8 Mile Road, in Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the area's most well-known cemeteries.-History:...
.
According to biographer Edward L. Lack, Jr., Hudson left no personal papers, and the details outside of his public life are few and mostly unknown.