John Hodgson

John Hodgson (died December 2, 1881) was an American politician and newspaperman from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Chester County in 1858. He published various newspapers in Pennsylvania, including the Norristown Herald, The Jeffersonian and Democratic Herald, and the Chester Times.

Early life John Hodgson was born to Ann(e) and William Hodgson. He moved with his family from England to America at the age of five or nine. They settled in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and his father was a minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church and his mother sold candy from a store in front of their home on West Gay Street. He learned the printing trade as an apprentice at the Village Record in West Chester under Charles Miner.

Career After learning the trade, Hodgson moved to Doylestown in Bucks County, and was a compositor at the Bucks County Intelligencer there.

In 1842, Hodgson moved back to West Chester. On September 5, 1843, he started publishing the West Chester Herald. After a month, on October 3, it was published as The Jeffersonian and Democratic Herald, a Democratic weekly newspaper. He initially published it with Asher M. Wright. Wright left the paper in February 1845 and he became the sole owner. He later turned the paper over to his sons William and Charles. He worked as editor of the paper until 1865. During the Civil War, The Jeffersonian was known as a Copperhead newspaper, supporting the anti-war movement and slavery. At one point, federal authorities seized the paper.

Hodgson was elected as a Democrat and served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Chester County in 1858. He moved to Chester in the summer of 1876. In September 1876, he established the Chester Times (or Chester Daily Times) in Chester. After failing health, he sold the paper to J. Craig Jr. on March 7, 1877. His son William would start the Daily Local News.

Hodgson died on December 2, 1881, aged 74, in Chester.