Joseph York Hodsdon (October 20, 1836 – February 24, 1901) was an American businessman and politician from Maine. A resident of Yarmouth, he was a Republican state senator from 1899 to 1901 and a shoe manufacturer.

Hodsdon was born on October 20, 1836, in Portland, Maine,^[1] to Andrew Hodsdon and Rachel May York.

Between 1869 and 1880, Hodsdon operated Caldwell & Hodsdon, a shoe factory in Portland.^[2] In 1880, he relocated to Yarmouth, taking over the former Farris tannery,^[3] where he established Hodsdon Brothers & Company by the town's Fourth Falls, at the western end of today's Royal River Park.

Hodsdon was one of the six founders of Pumgustuk Water Company in 1887.^[4]

In 1888, he built a large, modern factory building in the town.^[2] Hodsdon renamed his business as the Hodsdon Shoe Company in 1896.^[3]

He was also a director of the Yarmouth Manufacturing Company.^[2]

In 1899, he was elected to the Maine Senate for Cumberland County.^[5] He was re-elected shortly before his death.^[2]

Hodsdon was married to Georgia Anna Small, with whom he had one son, Grenville Andrew, in 1864. He was named for Georgia's brother, who died five years earlier.^[1]

Hodsdon was a member of Yarmouth's First Universalist Church on the town's Main Street, and was also a freemason.^[1]

Hodsdon died on February 24, 1901, aged 64, while in Augusta, Maine, attending the Maine Legislature.^[6] He had been ill with appendicitis for around ten days, although his condition had been improving immediately prior to his death.^[2] His body was brought south to Yarmouth in a special train carriage arranged by Maine Central Railroad.^[1]

His funeral was held on February 27 – a service at his family home, followed by burial in Yarmouth's Riverside Cemetery.^[2]

His business closed upon his death.^[3]