Dudley Walsh
by
Stefan Bielinski

Albany resident Dudley Walsh was born about 1761. He is said to have been a native of Dublin, Ireland. He probably came to Albany during the 1780s.

In 1790, he was living in an Albany house on Market Street. At that time, a boy under sixteen lived with him. Following his marriage to Sarah Stevenson in September 1793, the household grew to include children and servants. That property was assessed substantially on the city tax rolls. His marriage to the daughter of a prominent merchant helped ease his entry into elite business circles.

He was known as a merchant who was involved with a number of partners. He traded with other merchants in Cazenovia and elsewhere in New York State. He owned a branch store in Geneva, New York. Albany native Abraham Dox worked for him there and then purchased the store about 1804. He also supplied chemical reagents to Dupont munitions in Delaware. In 1801, he held a grocer's license.

After making a number of adjustments to his holdings on Market Street, he purchased lots and a row of houses on lower Lydius Street. Those properties extended west along the "Turnpike" and were sold off during the last years of his life. In January 1800, he purchased eight, 50-100-acre tracts in the town of Schoharie. He owned properties elsewhere in upstate New York and also traded in bounty rights.

Although he appears to not have held any municipal positions or to be connected to any of Albany's churches, he was a prominent member of the boards of a number of Albany enterprises and organizations including the Albany Bank and Union College.

The first city directory in 1813 showed the home and business of "Dudley Walsh & Co., merchant" at 77 and 78 Market Street

Dudley Walsh died on May 24, 1816 at the age of fifty-five. His will passed probate at the end of August.

biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Dudley Walsh is CAP biography number 6798. This sketch is derived chiefly from community-based resources. Although substantial, this sketch is sketchier than most due to the current lack of family-based resources!




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first posted 3/15/05; revised 11/20/09; last updated 1/24/17