From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Typed by Laurie Birks Dean

pp. 515-516

Joseph DUDLEY.  This gentleman, whose portrait is presented on the 
opposite page, has been a resident of Wheeling and its vicinity for 
half a century, and has been identified with the Riverside Iron Works 
since 1863.  He is a son of William and Sarah (Round) Dudley.  
William Dudley died in his native country, England, in his eighty-
fourth year.
	Joseph Dudley was born in Staffordshire, England, April 7, 
1827.  He learned his trade, that of engineer, with his father, and 
at the age of twenty-two years came to America.  He first visited St. 
Louis, Pittsburg and several smaller cities, before he located in 
Wheeling, in 1851.  He engaged in work at the Weshington Mill, where 
he remained for over two years, after which time he went to Benwood.  
There he ran the engine, driving machinery which cut the first nails, 
and rolled the first plate, in this plant.  Mr. Dudley, Mr. Culverson 
and J. N. Vance are the only ones now living who assisted in the 
management of that plant.  Mr. Dudley worked at Benwood nine years, 
and in 1864 became assistant to Superintendent O. C. Dewey, but 
returned to his trade of engineering in fifteen months.  After the 
factory was built he was placed in charge of the nail-plate 
department, and retained that position until 1884.  He has a gold-
headed cane which was at that time presented to him by the employes.  
Mr. Dudley was next assigned to the other works at Benwood to look 
after the machinery.  Shortly after this his health failed, and he 
was obliged to spend some time in retirement.  He now spends about 
seven or eight hours at the plant each day, and is deeply interested 
in the business as in former years.
	Mr. Dudley was married at Benwood, in 1854, to Mary Thomas, who 
was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania.  She died in 
March, 1894, aged sixty years.  Ten children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Dudley, namely:  Edgar W., who died at Benwood, aged ten months; 
Samuel, who was drowned at the age of nine years and ten months; 
Maggie Virginia, who died at the age of twenty-two years; William R., 
a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; Eliza and Sarah 
A., both of whom are at home; John J., who is in charge of the 
Steubenville office of the Riverside Iron Works; and Joseph Edward, 
who is a member of the Schreiber & Mabis Company.
	In politics Mr. Dudley is a republican.  He has been a member 
of the Third Presbyterian church for forty-eight years, and has been 
an elder and a trustee of that church for almost thirty years.  He is 
one of the best known men in Wheeling and is held in high esteem by 
all who know him.