Mr. Judson was born in the State of New York, on the 3^rd of June 1845, and was a son of James and Ann (Easterbock) Judson, the former of whom was born in New York State, August 11, 1814, his death having occurred in 1883, and the latter of whom was born in England, on the 9^th of October, 1816, she, like her husband, having been a resident of California at the time of her death, 1877.

Egbert Putnam Judson, an elder brother of James Judson, was the pioneer representative of the family in California, to which state he came in 1850, the year following that of the historic discovery of gold in this state. Egbert P. Judson became successfully identified with gold mining operations, and in 1854 he sent for and was joined by his mother and his brother’s family. Egbert Putnam Judson was born in the State of New York on the 2d of March, 1812, and was there reared and educated. After he had been actively identified with gold mining in California a number of years he here manufactured the first giant powder ever produced in California.

The original manufacturing plant of the Giant Powder Company was established just south of the Twin Peaks, and removal was later made to a location on Nineteenth Avenue, just south of Golden Gate Park. After here continuing successful operations for several years the company removed its manufacturing plant to Alameda County, in North Berkeley, where Mr. Judson continued his active association with the important enterprise until he made an advantageous sale of his interest and the business was afterward continued by the great Du Pont Company, the leading concern in the manufacturing of explosives in the United States. After this sale Mr. Judson formed the Judson Dynamite and Powder Company and engaged independently in the manufacturing of explosives, he having been the owner of this large and important industrial enterprise at the time of his death, and having also been the executive head of the Judson Manufacturing Company, besides being a large stockholder in the Mission Woolen Mills and the San Francisco Candle Company, which latter corporation established the first candle factory west of the Mississippi River. Mr. Judson was connected also with the Auburn Fuse Company at Auburn, Placer County, was one of the largest stockholders in the Kennedy Mining Company and also of the Gwinn Mine and Development Company, besides which he was the principal owner of the old Sierra Gorda mine in Mexico. He became one of the largest landholders in San Francisco and did much to further the civic and material development of the state of his adoption, especially his home city. He remained a bachelor until his death. He was liberal, charitable and progressive. He believed in keeping his money in circulation for the help and betterment of mankind and the advancement of the community, and he was one of the well known and highly honored pioneer citizens of San Francisco at the time of his death, January 9, 1873.

Henry Clay Judson was a boy when he came with his parents and the three older children to California in 1854, the eldest of the children having been Charles C.; Charlotte A., the next younger, became the wife of Michael M. Lynch, and both are now deceased; Sophia C. became the wife of C. S. Benedict, and both are deceased. Henry C. Judson attended a pioneer mission school in California and after leaving school he became identified with the San Francisco Chemical Works with which the family name has been long and conspicuously allied in California. With this line of industry he here continued his connection during practically the entire course of his business career. Mr. Judson was a lover and admirer of fine horses and became a leader in the events on the Pacific Coast. He owned many splendid horses, including the celebrated "Wildidle," an animal that made the first four-mile repeat race in California, on the old Bay district track, which long since passed out of existence and which is remembered only by those who retain recollections of the period of pioneer turf activities in California. Mr. Judson died on November 15, 1894.