David Hudson and his group would eventually reach Cleaveland (now Cleveland) on June 9, 1799 where they restocked their supplies before continuing on their way. They traveled along the Cuyahoga River, and finally arrive in Range 10, Town 4 on June 26, 1799 and would later be joined by the rest of the party. Immediately the started surveying the land and establishing shelter. In 1802, the town was named “Hudson” in honor of its founder, who remained a resident until his death in 1836.
David Hudson wrote about his struggles to find his plot of land in his diary: “June 13 [1799] …by our united strength we go the two boats slow along up the rapids and shallow water, I still continuing on land searching for some town lines. In this manner we proceeded until the 17th when, as I had not been able to find my land mark, we returned to take a few days’ provisions and direct our course in a southeast direction until we could find some clew (clue) whereby we could tell in what part of the world we were in. It was at this time I most heartily repented having undertaken the expedition and I must now persevere. I proceeded with my men and Tappan (Judge Tappan was a US Senator from Ohio 1839-1845) and several of his associates and to my great joy found the southwest corner of No. 4 10th Range at about eleven o’clock on the 17th of June, when I immediately when about making a road and getting up our stores from the river.”
David Hudson, Copy of a journal of David Hudson, Esquire, of Goshen, Litchfield County, Connecticut, and the Northwestern Territory now the state of Ohio, in the year of our Lord 1799, Transcribed by J.F. Waring.