Our History -- Rodney Hudson,
Napa County District Attorney 1875 - 1877

Rodney Hudson, the son of California pioneers, was the first native Californian to become district attorney.  Born in St. Helena in Napa County, he studied literature at the University of Michigan and attended law school in Tennessee.  Hudson was in private practice in Los Angeles for two years as the partner of Anson Brunson, described by one legal historian as "the leading lawyer in Southern California".  Hudson was elected district attorney in 1875, the year before the Southern Pacific Railroad linked Los Angeles to the rest of the nation.  After his term, poor health took him to Lake County, California, where he served as a superior court judge.

Back to Our History