Scudder Family History from Horton Kirby to Massachusetts Bay Colony
Scudder Ancestral Home: Horton Kirby, Kent, England
Source: “Horton Kirby Village Sign,” Wikimedia Commons.
Scudders Immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1635–1644
Source: Fitz Hugh Lane, “Salem Harbor,” 1853, Public domain.
Dedicated to continuing the vision and work of the Scudder Association of America founded in 1912.
To build community & connection among Scudders we work together to:
- Gather, verify, preserve, and publish accurate history and genealogy of ancestors and descendants of: Thomas Scudder (T), John Scudder (J), Elizabeth (Scudder) (E) Lathrop and of our English ancestors and cousins.
- Memorialize 400 years of Scudder contributions to history.
- Build family history skills in youth & adults.
- Foster belonging and the Scudder heritage of Service.
Don't Miss
- Our Purpose
- Learn about the Scudder History Association.
- Panels to our three immigrant ancestors’ pages
- Scudder Family History Resources
- 250th Anniverary Celebration
- Fun with Family History
The Scudder Family
Historical & Biographical Journal
Dedicated to educating, preserving history and promoting the Scudder heritage of service.
Latest Issue of the Journal, Volume 8, no. 1, (Winter 2026)
Why Is Family History Beneficial?
Psychologists at Emory University “studied the role of family history knowledge in adolescent development and identity formation [and found] “…irrespective of race or ethnic background, adolescents who know more about their family histories have ‘higher self-esteem, better family functioning, greater family cohesiveness, lower levels of anxiety, and lower incidence of behavior problems.’ Furthermore, having this family information positively correlates with overcoming psychological and educational challenges.” Also true for adults, benefits can include ‘promoting lifelong learning and fostering civic pride and responsibility by placing forbears in context of world, national and local history
—From Daniel Webster, “The Enduring Power and Promise of Family History,” American Ancestors, volume 24, no. 4, (Winter 2024), and Carol Clark, “How family stories help children weather hard times,” Emory University, April 29, 2020,
The Scudder History Association encourages these outcomes! We invite you to utilize our Youth Page & Family Activities Page to help younger generations learn more about their family heritage and their nation, including how Scudders helped to build the United States.
U.S. 250th celebration
Read about Scudders in the Cause of Independence
“Nathaniel5 Scudder, John Hart, and the New Jersey and Continental Congresses Prepare”
The Second Continental Congress voting independence
Nathaniel5 Scudder & his cousin Deborah Scudder’s husband
>Signer John Hart were in the 2nd Continental Congress.
“General William Scudder Stryker Made History and Wrote History”
General William Scudder Stryker is a classic example of a child who eagerly learned about his family history which inspired him to “lifelong learning” and “civic responsibility.” As a boy, after interviewing his relatives and taking notes, Stryker made history and wrote history. He served in the Civil War, and as Adjutant General of New Jersey, 1867–1900 and wrote histories about his family, and about the Battles of Trenton, Princeton and Monmouth, New Jersey, and about Scudders who fought in cause of American independence.
Learn more about the Scudder immigrant ancestors and their families through these featured ancestors’ information panels
John2 Scudder (J) family
Of Barnstable, Plymouth Colony
Elizabeth2 Scudder (E) family
Barnstable, New London, Norwich
Overview of three generations beginning with common ancestor in England for the three American Scudder lines (T, J & E)
More detailed and sourced diagram accessible here
Scudder Family History Resources
Our Online Journal articles move through 400 years of Scudder family history, beginning with the 1500s in Kent County, England and through American history from the time of the arrival of the first Scudders who came with the Puritan migration to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635, 1637 and 1644 to the present.
We also provide access via Contact Forms to our Historian, our Genealogy Committee, our Journal Editor, and our DNA Committee. We also provide our Scudder Ancestral Lineage form for you to send to our Genealogy Committee.
We have Family History Activities ideas for all ages. Want to learn ‘How to do’ Family History Research? We have a section with ideas for you.
We offer a list of other Family History Websites to help you with your research, both free and paid memberships. We also offer Links to Allied Ancestral Family Organization websites that are allied with Scudders, primarily through marriage, who share history and some descendants in common with Scudders.
Resources for SHA Members:
As a member of the Scudder History Association, you will have access to many additional features that are not available to the general public. Our Members Portal provides opportunities to join our SHA team through committees to contribute to the Scudder History Association goals to continue to gather, verify, research, preserve and publish accurate history of our three American Scudder lines and of our English ancestors and cousins.
Members will have access to our Members Portal that includes our Youth Page for children and teens. This Youth Page will include stories about Scudders for children and by children and teens. It can also be a resource for parents and grandparents to engage the rising generation in family history. See also our member Activities Page with family history activities.
Members will have access to our Genealogical Databases and a link to submit your lineage or your family information or questions to our Genealogy Committee.
Through our Scudder Family Branches Subcommittees, including our English Research with Other Scudders Who Descend from Kent, England Subcommittee, we offer socializing with cousins online and opportunities for collaborative research and to share family history information.
Members will receive each copy of the Newsletter by personal email.
Members will have opportunities to build community and connection and to get to know your Scudder cousins through member meetings & committee meetings online and through socializing in person at reunions.
Our Members Portal will soon include a growing Members Library, currently under construction. Perhaps you have Scudder digitized family history items and photos that you would like preserved in our library.
Scudder Library Research Section
Topical Resource Pages
Scudders in the Puritan Migration includes the three Scudder immigrant ancestors to America, Thomas1 Scudder (T) and his children, his nephew John2 Scudder (J) and niece Elizabeth2 Scudder (E) Lathrop and their mother Elizabeth1 (Stoughton) (Scudder) Chamberlayne and 2 her Chamberlain children.
Scudders in Religious History, and who contributed to the advance of religion, religious liberty & religious institutions.
Scudders in the Cause of Independence, American Revolutionary War & Continental Congress & Provincial & State Congresses of that era.
Fun with Family History
Family History Activities Page – ideas for families and individuals.
Idea of the month: Host family gatherings:
Get multiple family members involved, such as by having an ice cream “Sunday” where everyone is invited to share
family stories. Or, if your family is geographically scattered, meet online.
Help us celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence by honoring American Scudder Patriots
by sharing your ancestor’s American Independence story. Click here to submit or for ideas about how to involve
your relatives in the fun or to find historical resources to document your ancestor’s story.
If you are DAR, SAR or Colonial Dames, Holland Dames, etc., is your ancestor a Scudder? If so, please contact us here.
Service Activity Ideas for Individuals and Families.
Be part of the 250th volunteer effort in honor of America’s 250th celebration.
Activities for members-
Youth Page– Scudder family history for Youth. Stories for children and by children, Activities for children and families.
Idea of the month: Look on your family tree to find if you have an American Revolutionary War Soldier.
Or do you have an ancestor who served in the military? What did you learn? Write their story. Submit your story to the Youth Page.
SHA Research Activities. Family Branches Subcommittees for Online Collaboration Groups
Share, collaborate, identify areas that need further research on your family branch and collaborate in research.
Submit findings to the Journal.
Let us know if you want to be in a Scudder family branch group.
Meetings and Reunions.
