William Hodgson was a native of White Haven, England, born in 1765; emigrated to America, and settled in Alexandria, about the year 1785. In 1790, Hodgson bought a house on Prince Street. After his marriage to Portia Lee in 1799 he used this house both as a drygoods store and dwelling until 1816. For about twenty-five years he was a prominent citizen and merchant of Alexandria. He died at Bellevue, his residence, near Alexandria, November 8, 1820, aged 55 years. For some years prior to his death he was a vestryman of Christ Church, Alexandria, and was interred in the cemetery of that church.

The account book was found in the Columbian Insurance building by William Hodgson's son William L. Hodgson in 1838.

Arlington County was originally named Alexandria County. It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County. By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly passed 16 March 1920, the county's name was changed to Arlington, the name of the Custis family mansion (the home of Robert E. Lee), which is located in the county. An urban county, Arlington contains no incorporated towns or cities.