Selma and William Randolph Van Ness were both born and raised in Columbia County. Bill’s father, mother and grandparents were all born in this area.  His grandfather was Ruben James Jackson and his wife was Alice Harder Jackson. On his father’s side, his grandmother was Hannah Jane Minisee Van Ness and grandfather, William R. Van Ness. They came from Chatham and Chatham Center. His father worked for the railroad and for a short time for The Columbia Corporation and Payne’s Mill in Chatham. The Payn Home in Chatham for aged was named after Louis F. Payne.

Selma’s family came to Hudson in 1923. Her father, Arthur Whiteside talked about the time before there were sidewalks and inside plumbing. Arthur worked on the water and sewage lines along Warren Street. Although he always worked as a plumber, he could not be licensed in Columbia County because of discrimination. He was the expert on the water and sewer lines and the Hudson Department of Water would call him for information about the original lines. He died at 89 years old. He came north from South Carolina and later his wife joined him at State Street. The family has stayed with the same church that helped them when they first arrived. Selma has two sisters and two brothers still living, but originally there were five girls and five boys. The family lived right in Hudson.  Their church was the center of their social life.

Bill’s father didn’t believe in women working; the place for women was in the home raising the children. Selma’s father believed the same thing. Her mother only worked briefly after her last child was finishing school.