My Genealogy Hound

Joseph Dudgeon. There is nothing which adds so much to the prestige of a city in the estimation of a stranger as first-class hotel accommodations, and the Dudgeon House, of which our subject is proprietor, has an excellent reputation both at home and abroad, although it has been in operation only a short time (since February, 1888). His hotel, so recently completed, consists of twenty-three commodious rooms, with a large bath-room, all of which are well furnished, and supplied with modern conveniences, and he is ever courteous and accommodating to his guests. He was born in the “Emerald Isle,” County Monahan, in March, 1833, and is a son of John and Margaret (Mills) Dudgeon, who were of Scotch descent, but were born in Ireland, in which country the father died. In 1844 Joseph, with his mother, went from Belfast to Liverpool, and in the latter city took passage for America on the sailing vessel “Patrick Henry,” and after an ocean voyage of six weeks landed at New York City. Shortly after they went to Sullivan County, N. Y., where Joseph received his education, and was reared to manhood. He started out to battle his own way in the world at the early age of thirteen years, and from earliest boyhood his career has been characterized by hard work, for he was brought up as a farmer, and received such education as could be acquired in the common schools previous to his sixteenth year. About this time he and his mother went to New Orleans, and there he worked as a clerk in a store for about two years, and from that time up to 1865 lived both in Mississippi and Texas. He next located in Saginaw, Mich., where he resided three years, then returning to New York State, and the same year located at AuSable, Mich, being an employee for eleven years of the Loud, Priest & Gay Lumber Company, acting as their foreman; he was held in the highest esteem, and commanded the full confidence of his employers. He became a noted lumberman of that region, and was engaged in the business for himself for some time, continuing successfully until 1882, when he went to Chicago, and was employed in paving the streets for a number of months. In 1883 he moved to Randolph County, Mo., but after a short time sold all his effects, and returned to Michigan. In the spring of 1885 he came to Clay County, Ark., and was engaged in tilling a farm near Corning, which he had purchased, until February, 1888, when he moved to the town, and embarked in his present enterprise. In 1860 he was married to Miss Amanda Tiffany, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Edwin and Joannah (Parks) Tiffany, the former a native of Connecticut, and the latter of New York State. Mr. Tiffany is a second cousin of George Tiffany, the noted New York City jeweler. Mr. and Mrs. Dudgeon became the parents of seven children, of whom five are living: Arthur F., residing in Michigan; Ella, wife of R. G. Gillard, of Ashland, Wis.; John A., Bertha M., wife of J. M. Hawks, of Cotton Plant, Ark., and Pearl A. Mr. Dudgeon is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in his political views is a Republican. His mother was born in Ireland May 5, 1781, and died at the age of 104 years.