 Was born in the year 1825, in the township of Cavan.
His parents were of the sturdy and heroic pioneers who cleared the forests and founded homes in this land of
ours in the early years of this now dying century.
From boyhood days Mr. Hodgson manifested a mind eager for
knowledge, and when but a youth had acquired such an education as fitted him for the position of school-teacher.
All through the years of active toil in the ministry he endeavored faithfully to acquaint himself with the
treasures of good books.
Along with his love of knowledge, Mr. Hodgson very early in
life manifested strong desires for the higher knowledge of God. Under the preaching of a Methodist missionary
who had pushed his way into the settlement, he found Christ as his Saviour and accepted Him as the Lord and Master
of his life.
Blessed with a definite and growing religious experience he soon
felt himself called of God to preach His truth, and so at the age of twenty-three he offered himself to the ministry
of the Bible Christian Church, and in Peterboro' and the surrounding country labored for six years as a
minister of that Church. Resigning from this branch of Methodism he was received into the ministry of the
Wesleyan Methodist Church in the year 1857, under the presidency of the Rev. Enoch Wood. He labored
on the following fields: Amherstburg, Mooretown, Romney, Florence, Stouffville, Brock, Kleinburg, Teviotdale,
Hall's Bridge, Cartwright, Maxwell, Bruce Mines, Silver Islet and Coboconk.
He was superannuated in the year 1883, and after a short stay in the
United States settled in the town of Walkerton. There in the love of home and other superannuated brethern,
he enjoyed for four years well-earned rest. In 1894, so that his family might enjoy its educational advantages,
he moved to Toronto. But shortly after this he was so stricken with paralysis that for two years he walked
in the valley of the shadow of death, until on the 21st day of June, 1897, God called him home to his rest.
The writer, as pastor of the church with which his family was connected, officiated at the funeral, and there were
present Rev. Mr. Bishop, Chairman of the District; Rev. Dr. Dewart and Rev. W. J. Barkwed,
all of whom took part in the service.
Mr. Hodgson was married in 1856 to Miss Elizabeth Gee, sister of the late
Rev. Daniel Gee and the Rev. Thos. Gee. Two sons, one of whom entered our ministry,
but after a short time was compelled by ill health to retire, and two daughters survive their father, and
with their widowed mother cherish his memory.
Minutes of the Toronto Methodist Conference 1898, p. 81
Courtesy of United Church of Canada/Victoria University Archives
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