Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian

If a curious person meets a brick wall in her family history research, there is no telling at the beginning where that might lead. Not immediately finding the historical record that would answer this question: “Who was Dr. John1 Stewart?” resulted in one question leading to another, until I found myself immersed in the fascinating world of seventeenth century Long Island culture, full of interesting characters including the Scudder family and with unexpected plot twists to enrich appreciation for my roots and this segment of the history of America’s foundation.

This version of the Scudder Family Historical and Biographical Journal continues the series about descendants of JOHN2 SCUDDER I (THOMAS1 (T)) and Mary2 King (William1). In this issue we give a female Scudder descendant line a turn in the spotlight.

Memorabilia for Scudder Falls, New Jersey from the Scudder Association Archives

Deborah6 Scudder was born in 1721, Hunterdon Co., N.J. She is the only known child of Richard5 Scudder II, who died in 1731 when Deborah6 was age ten. (The name of Deborah6’s mother is unknown.) After her father’s death, Deborah6 apparently was raised by her grandfather, Richard4 (Betts) Scudder, in his home at Scudder’s Falls, Hopewell Twp, Hunterdon.

The American army was in precarious condition in Pennsylvania, just across the Delaware River from New Jersey. Its numbers were estimated to have dwindled from 30,000 in the summer to 3,000. Washington\’s soldiers were not well furnished, having had to leave supplies as they fled New York

There were at least eighteen grandchildren of Richard4 (Betts) Scudder and Hannah Reeder—9 girls and 9 boys. Most of the boys took active roles in the Revolutionary War and their service will be the subject of another article. Richard4 (Betts) Scudder’s oldest granddaughter was Deborah6, daughter of Richard5 II Scudder, and was born in 1721 in Hunterdon, NJ.

Transcribed from a copy of the original obtained from the NJ State Archives: Probate File 354J.
This copy has Richard Scudder’s mark, witness and executor signatures, the Judge’s signature, and indications of seals. There is another hand copied version labeled Probate Recorded Vol 7 p. 443. Transcribed by Clive Connor on March 11, 2023. Original capitalization and spellings were used with corrections in brackets as needed for clarification.

Richard4 Scudder was born 1670/71 in Maspeth Kills, one of several villages in the town of Newtown, Long Island, the son of John3 Scudder and Joanna2 Betts (Richard1). In 1691, he married Hannah Reeder, daughter of John Reeder and Joanna Burroughs of Newtown. Rev. Eli F. Cooley nicknamed him Richard “Betts” Scudder in Genealogy of Early Settlers of Trenton and Ewing, “Old Hunterdon County,” New Jersey.

John3 Scudder II was born at Salem, Massachusetts in 1645. His parents were John2 Scudder (Thomas1 (T) and Mary2 King (William1), both of whom were teenagers when they arrived at Boston Harbor with their parents and siblings.