Joseph Dudley, son of James and Celia Ross Dudley, was born on July 8, 1817, on Wolf Creek, Hardin County, now known as Mead County, Kentucky. He passed many hardships for the gospel's sake.
He married Sarah Derrick Stevens, October 22, 1838, at Far West, MO. She was born March 14, 1816, in the town of Chipway, Upper Canada, the daughter of Roswell and Sibbel Spencer Stevens. They received their endowments at Nauvoo, Illinois, on February 6, 1845.
Joseph and Sarah were the parents of eight children, four boys and four girls. Two girls and a boy passed away before they had reached eight years. Their children: Martha, died as a child; Sarah Ann, married Alexander Williams and secondly, Charles Edward Smith; Andrew, married Mary Ellen Packett and Mary Lucy Markham; Justin Manvill, married Emily Packett; Helen, married Alma Pace; William, died as a child; Joseph, married Sarah King.
Joseph and family were driven out of their home in Colliwell County. On the 14th of February they started for Illinois. They rented a farm fourteen miles from Quincy, here they stopped for one year. In April 1840 they went to Nauvoo, remained there for three years, then moved to Adams County, Illinois, and were living near Warsaw when the Prophet and Patriarch were killed June 27, 1844, at Carthage Jail. Joseph was a prisoner of the mob at Far West at the time.
The jail which Joseph was in was very dark, there was just one little light in it. Joseph was shot in the leg. He couldn't get medical attention, the mob just laughed at him. A fellow prisoner took an old knife, dug out the clothing and slug, then chewed some tobacco and put it into the hole. The wound healed without an ill effects, although it left a scar.
After that event, in the fall of the same year, they moved to Nauvoo, where they remained until the general expulsion in 1846. That year they crossed the Mississippi River and settled on the Des Moines River in the state of Iowa. They remained here until the spring of 1852, then they crossed the plains in the 14th company under Captain Walker. After the company was well on its way, he was called back to assist others. He later caught up with the company, arriving in Salt Lake on October 3, 1852. They spent that winter at Pleasant Grove. In the spring of 1853 they moved to Rose Canyon, west of Utah Lake. They lived here about two years, next moving to Fort Harriman.
On November 19, 1854, he married a second wife, Jane Caroline Petty at Salt Lake City. She was the daughter of Robert Petty of Fort Harriman, Utah, ox team pioneer. She was born July 8, 1835, at Benton County, Tennessee. Joseph and Jane Caroline were married in President Young's office by Jediah M. Grant. They received their endowments February 16, 1886, in the Logan Temple.

Their children:
Percinda Jane, born October 22, 1855, at Alpine, Utah; married Franklin Lawrence Matley.
James Lewis, born 24 July 1857, Alpine, Utah; married Mary Casey at St. Paul, Minn.
Celia, born November 8, 1858, Alpine; married Isaac Rogers Robbins, May 28, 1876, endowed at Logan, June 17, 1925.
Joseph Warren, born September 30, 1860, Provo; married Sarah Ann Jones in Logan Temple.
Marion, born January 13, 1863, Provo; married Louisa Ann McKee at Salt Lake City.
Albert, born December 31, 1866, Spanish Fork; drowned at Spanish Fork on May 4, 1868.
Harriet, born February 23, 1869, Spanish Fork; married (1) Hyrum Hanson, March 5, 1887; (2) John D. Stewart, July 10, 1890, endowed at Salt Lake on November 28, 1894.
Robert, born March 17, 1867, Spanish Fork; married Margaret Evans.
Margaret J., born September 25, 1873; married Reuben Jack Hatch, on June 17, 1889.
Polly, born February 25,1875; married John Evans.

In 1855 they moved to Alpine. They next moved to Provo in 1857, where they lived until 1863 when they moved to Spanish Fork, Utah County, Utah, where he lived until his death on August 24, 1903. He was a farmer. To clear his ground he had to dig up greasewoods and sage brush and burn them. This was done by hand with a grubbing hoe.
In 1857 he was called to go to Nevada to warn the Saints of Johnston's Army coming to Utah. In company with Ervin Wilson, Peter Conover, Moroni Cantfield, Heber Orser, Joseph Hunt, Archie Williams and Frank Weaver he stood guard at Spanish Fork during the Black Hawk Indian trouble of 1866 and 1867.
An interesting story as told by his granddaughter, Vera Dudley Francom: At Christmas time all of Joseph's children with their families would come home. A bed was made on the floor in the large room in front of the fireplace for the children. Ticks were filled with straw and beds were everywhere.
Before going to bed, each child would hang up his stocking. There was a nail on the mantle above the fireplace for each one. Joseph always had to have one there also; his was the largest sock. When it was time for the children to go to bed, Joseph would have to go to bed with the children. He would get in the center and tell Christmas stories, stories of the Christ Child, etc…, until every one was asleep.
He was always up before any one else. On awakening, the children would find their stockings full; there would be homemade dolls, screw cakes (something like doughnuts-instead of round the dough was stretched and twisted), oranges, and molasses candy. Christmas at Grandpa's was looked forward to with great anticipation.
(author unknown)