Gastineau Channel Memories

Judson/Hollmann

From records kept by Linda Smith Judson Schindler

Great Grandfather Arthur Kenyon Smith was born in March 30, 1851, place unknown, and died in California at the age of 95. He came to work in the Treadwell Mine on Douglas Island in 1905. He ran the stamps at the mine and spent thirty years in the Douglas-Juneau area.

Grandmother Linda Elizabeth Amanda Smith was born August 17, 1891, in California. She accompanied her father Arthur K. Smith to Treadwell in 1905, at age 14. Her mother had died when she was five and because her father was a miner he boarded her out with various people until bringing her to Treadwell. She lived in the Douglas-Juneau area for the remainder of her life. She was a homemaker and active in many organizations in Juneau, and was a life time member of the Pioneers. She died on February 6, 1982 at the age of 90.

Grandfather Thomas Benjamin Judson was born April 10, 1882, in Brant, New York. He arrived at Douglas in March 1902, to work in the Treadwell Mine. He was employed there until 1918. He then became involved in public office. He served one term in the Territorial House of Representatives. He then became Mayor of Juneau along with Director of Public Works, serving from 1927 to 1933 continuously, losing to Mr. Goldstein in 1933. He also worked for Alaska Juneau Mining Co. as a foreman when not serving in public office. He was elected as mayor again in 1937; became ill in 1938, and died of heart problems on March 31, 1938, at the age of 55. He lived in the Juneau area for 36 years. He was a member of the Pioneers of Alaska. John W. Troy was Governor of Alaska at the time of Mayor Judson?s death and paid tribute to him by the following, ?Juneau has lost more than a good mayor and capable official in the death of Tom Judson. The people of Juneau have lost a real friend. Tom Judson was a fine citizen and an efficient public servant-a real public servant in all the term implies.?

Thomas Judson and Linda Smith were married in Treadwell in 1908. They had four children; Evelyn Mina Judson, born September 5, 1909, in Grass Valley, California, where her dad had gone to work for a period of time, returning to Treadwell when she was three months old. Arthur Benjamin Judson was born in 1910, Thomas Judson born in 1914, and Charles E. Judson born in 1919, all in Alaska. All remained in Alaska for their entire lives except Art, who retired to Arizona at age 65. Charles Judson is the only one still alive and he lives in Juneau and is 80.

My mother, Evelyn Mina Judson (Hollmann, Kelly, MacLean), lived first at Treadwell, then at Juneau. She was valedictorian of her Juneau High graduating class in 1927. She then worked as a secretary for lawyer Norman Banfield. She married Henry M. Hollmann who had arrived in Juneau in 1927, as a graduate of Oregon State College in pharmacy. He worked at Juneau Drug and was a part owner of the store. They were married on February 10, 1930, at the home of her parents on 12th Street in Juneau. She became a homemaker and had two daughters Evelyn Claire, born February 22, 1934, and Heather Lynn (Cashen) born August 27, 1936. She and Henry Hollmann were divorced in the 1940?s, and she went to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs where she was employed until she retired in 1970. She was active in many organizations in the Juneau area. She also was noted for her singing voice and was called upon to sing at events in the area. I particularly remember her solo of ?O Holy Night? which she would sing on Christmas Eve during church services. She loved to play the piano and gather people around to sing and laugh. She was a doting mother and a special grandmother to her nine grandchildren. After her retirement, she was able to travel and visit other countries which she enjoyed. She suffered a stroke in May, 1986, which caused her to use a wheelchair and as a result she decided to go to the Sitka Pioneers Home. She moved to the Juneau Home when it opened in 1988, and lived her remaining days there. She died on July 11, 1993. She was a lifetime member of the Pioneers of Alaska.

I am Evelyn Claire Hollmann, born February 22, 1934, at St. Ann?s Hospital. I graduated from Juneau High School and worked for the BIA after graduation. I married a man from Minnesota who worked for the Army Signal Corp in Juneau. We left Juneau in 1955, to move to Minnesota. I returned to Juneau in 1983, and worked for the City and Borough of Juneau, Health and Social Services Division as a chemical dependency counselor. I was blessed to be able to spend time with my mother and sister upon my return to Juneau and to renew old friendships in a place that remains very special to me. I think it was a great place to grow up in the 40?s and 50?s and being an isolated, small town we all seemed to know each other and it felt very safe. I left Juneau in July, 1996, to return to Minnesota to be near adult children and grandchildren. I have been able to visit Juneau since that time and will continue to do so. I am a member of the Pioneers of Alaska.

	Great grandfather Arthur K. Smith, great grandmother Linda Judson Schindler, mother Evelyn Judson Hollmann, baby Evelyn Claire Hollmann, 1934.