Frank A. Dudley

Frank Alonzo Dudley (January 30, 1864 – September 21, 1945) was an American lawyer, politician, hotelier and business owner associated with Niagara Falls, New York. Dudley established the United Hotels Company of America and the "Lewiston Heights" neighborhood in Lewiston, New York. His father was the son of Phineas Dudley Jr. (son of Phineas Dudley (1752–1793) ) and Elizabeth Graves, who was a great-granddaughter of Colonial Connecticut Governor John Webster (1590–1661). His maternal grandparents were lthureal Wright and Candace Gaskill.

During his infancy, his parents moved to the Town of Whitewater, Wisconsin, where he lived on a farm until he was about 14 years old. At that point, he moved to the village, now city, of Whitewater, Wisconsin and for the next four years, he attended the district school and subsequently that State Normal School, which later became the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Career

In 1882, he returned to New York, relocating to Lockport, where he read law with Joshua Gaskill. He was admitted to the bar in June 1886, at the same time as Cuthbert W. Pound.

Political career In politics, he was an active and prominent Republican,

Dudley was one of the founders and served as vice-president of "Niagara Falls Electrical Transmission Company", incorporated February 25, 1905 for the transmission and sale of electricity. The president and treasurer was Frederic Thomas Nicholls and the company was controlled through stock ownership by the Electrical Development Company of Ontario, Ltd. It owned franchises in the towns of Tonawanda, Lockport, Pendleton, Royalton, and Sweden, as well as the cities of Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, and Lockport, including the villages of Medina and Holley. In addition to the franchises, the company had a controlling interest in the "Niagara Falls Gas and Electric Light Company" (Dudley was president and Nicholls was vice-president and treasurer). Its revenues derived from the rental of real estate.

Dudley, along with Paul A. Schoellkopf, a son of Arthur Schoellkopf, and Afred W. Gray, financed the "Lewiston Heights" neighborhood, part of which was transferred to the Niagara Falls Country Club for their move to Lewiston. and Schoellkopf at 583 Mountain View ).

In 1910, Dudley, along with F. W. Rockwell, organized the United Hotels Company of America and Dudley served as its president.

Personal life On December 17, 1890, Dudley married Etta Brown Payne, daughter of Wesley Payne and Harriet Ann Sackett Brown, of Niagara Falls, New York.

Frank A. Dudley died at his home on September 21, 1945. At the time of his death, Frank was the oldest practicing attorney in Niagara County.

Clubs and organizations Dudley was a Knight Templar Mason, holding membership in Niagara Frontier Lodge, No. 132 F. & A.M., a member of the order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Through her involvement with the Niagara Falls chapter, Etta was instrumental in the restoration of Old Fort Niagara between 1926 and 1934.