Dudley Gatewood was born in Essex County, Virginia in December 1747. In 1771 he moved to present-day Caswell County, North Carolina and later enlisted as a private in the Orange County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia in 1776. Later in 1780 he served an additional tour in the Caswell County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia. During the later end of this tour he served unofficially as a lieutenant for the unit. He died in Caswell County on July 9, 1836.