Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal
‘Dedicated to informing, preserving and promoting the Scudder family heritage of service and philanthropy’
Cutting-edge Scudders, Building Bridges to People Who Were Different
The early immigrant Scudders and missionary-minded Scudders featured in this issue had unique opportunities to engage with people of other races, ethnicities, cultures, religions and politics that were different than their own. They moved to different countries or colonies where they were considered the strangers by those who were already present.
Research Links
Journal Vol 3, no 2 Spring 2021
John Scudder, Son of Thomas Scudder (T) of Horton Kirby, Kent and Salem, MA: And Early Settler of Southold, Huntington, and Maspeth/Newtown, Long Island
John Scudder grew up in western Kent, England, between the power centers of British political and ecclesiastical might at London and Canterbury. In America, John was an early settler of four communities that were within five to ten years of establishment or less. By being in the right places to observe key figures in the struggle for basic religious and civil rights in both countries
Samuel Scudder, b. 1643, Grandson of Thomas Scudder (T) by His Son John
Not much is known about Samuel3 Scudder, (known hereafter as Samuel I), oldest son of John2 and grandson of Thomas1 (T). He does not appear in the baptismal records of the Salem Church so he must have been born about 1643 in Salem, Massachusetts because his younger brother John3 was born in 1645 according to his marriage record, and his parents joined the church in 1647. His three sisters’ baptismal records are after that date.
Dr. Doremus Scudder and Rev. Frank Scudder, Missionaries to Japan and Hawaii:
In the 1880s, there were so many Scudder missionaries in India, that family members began being sent to mission fields elsewhere. Doremus Scudder M.D., D.D., 1858–1942, was in Niigata, Japan from 1885 to 1889
Missionary Frank Scudder in Japan and Hawaii
Frank Scudder, 1862–1956. Frank grew up with Dr. Doremus Scudder as children of the Arcot Mission in India. By the third generation of Scudders in India there were so many Scudders in the Arcot Mission that the mission board declined to send any more, suggesting that they should serve in other mission fields.
The Different Man In Rural Japan: Frank Scudder’s Recollection at age 90 about Being a “Foreigner” in Western Japan in the 1880s
The Different Man In Rural Japan: Frank Scudder’s Recollection at age 90 about Being a “Foreigner” in Western Japan in the 1880s Rev. Frank Seymour Scudder By Rev. Frank Scudder, © by Jack Scudder Gillmar, Scudder Association Foundation Board Member, by...
FOUNDING OF VELLORE MEDICAL SCHOOL Excerpt #2 from A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT: THE STORY OF THE SCUDDER MISSIONARIES OF INDIA
FOUNDING OF VELLORE MEDICAL SCHOOL Excerpt #2 from A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT: THE STORY OF THE SCUDDER MISSIONARIES OF INDIA [1] By Dorothy Jealous Scudder ©Scudder Association Foundation This article is the continuation of the story of Dr. Ida Scudder and...
Journal Vol 3, no 1 Winter 2021
“The Missionary Scudder Family, 1819–1970,” the progenitors Dr. John and Harriet Waterbury Scudder
The Missionary Scudder Family 1819-1970 by Susan Swanson, Scudder Association Foundation Board Member and Family History Committee member © Scudder Association Foundation, all rights reserved MISSIONARY SCUDDER FAMILY Dr. Silas Scudder Susan Swanson noted, “I was...
Who Was Miron Winslow’s Second Wife? Did Dr. John and Harriet (Waterbury) Scudder Recruit Their New Brother-in-law?
One little known story is the tender reunion of Harriet (Waterbury) Scudder with her sister Catherine (Waterbury) (Carman) Winslow who came to India as Miron Winslow’s second wife. This account also shines the spotlight on Harriet (Waterbury) Scudder whose contribution to the mission effort and to the family deserves more notice.
DR. IDA S. SCUDDER, (1870—1960), EXCERPT #ONE FROM A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT
Dr. Ida S. Scudder, (1870—1960), Excerpt #One from A Thousand Years in Thy Sight, The Story of the Scudder Missionaries of India[1] By Dorothy Jealous Scudder ©Scudder Association Foundation [2] ‘’Illay,* Amma,’ the brahmin replied proudly. ‘I would not think...
Dr. Ida Newspaper Clippings from the 100th birthday celebration
We include a separate artifacts article with newspaper clippings to show honors paid to Dr. Ida on the 100th anniversary of her birth, fifty years ago.
What Can We Learn from Dr. John Scudder’s Most Difficult Trials That May Inspire Us to Greater Courage in the Challenges of 2021?
There is much to consider about the preparation and trials that were required of the Scudder missionaries to India, and other missionaries in the family to other mission locations around the globe. Dr. John Scudder’s brother-in-law Jared Bell Waterbury and Dr. John’s son Henry Martyn Scudder have preserved some of these.
The Haystack Monument
What does a monument to a haystack have to do with members of the Scudder family offering over a thousand years of service (in a total of combined years served) to the people of India, Hawaii, Japan, China, South Africa and Arabia?
Journal Vol 2, no 2 Fall 2020
The Enduring Work of Mrs. Elizabeth Scudder Lathrop (Lothrop)
The Enduring Work of Mrs. Elizabeth Scudder Lathrop” outlines her roles as a 17th century New England woman and the cultural and religious environment experienced by her family.
Elizabeth Scudder, born 1625, Strood, Kent, wife of Samuel Lathrop (Lothrop): A Genteel Hand That Rocked a Remarkable Cradle
The old saying, “The hand that rocks the cradle is that hand that rules the world,” seems particularly fitting for Elizabeth (Scudder) Lathrop. Many in her posterity have been motivated by a strong desire to make the world a better place.
Elizabeth Scudder, Wife of Samuel Lathrop (Lothrop), Was the Immigrant Ancestress of These Remarkable Descendants
Among the many thousands of descendants of Elizabeth2 (Scudder) Lathrop[2], there were public servants and ministers and missionaries who have served throughout the globe.
Elizabeth Scudder, wife of Samuel Lathrop: Early Life of Elizabeth (Scudder) Lathrop, Ancestress of the Scudder (E) Line
Elizabeth Scudder, born 1625 at Strood, Kent, wife of Samuel Lathrop: Early Life of Elizabeth (Scudder) Lathrop, Ancestress of the Scudder (E) Line The truth that Elizabeth2 Scudder (E) was born in 1625 at Strood near Rochester, Kent has been in print for over thirty years, correcting at least one hundred years of errors ..
Journal Vol 2, no 1 Spring 2020
Thomas Scudder, b. 1587, Ancestor of the American Scudder (T) Line
The first document to prove that Thomas Scudder (T) of Horton Kirby, Kent, England was in America is dated 25 December 1637 and is found on the Salem, Massachusetts Town Records under Land Grants, B. Records in England show that Thomas Scudder…
John Scudder of Barnstable
John2 Scudder (J) was the first of the family to arrive in the western hemisphere. The early life story of John2 Scudder (J) of Barnstable would be incomplete without mentioning the extraordinary times in which he lived and his extended family relationships of historical interest.
The Trail of Clues to John Scudder
Many years ago John2 Scudder received the designation John (J) by the Scudder Association for being the immigrant ancestor of an extensive line of Scudder descendants in America referred to as the Scudder (J) line. He has a great posterity but until the 1990s his true English origins were obscured.
If You Are an American Scudder,
Which Is Your Courageous Immigrant Ancestor? John Scudder, b. 1618 or his sister Elizabeth Scudder, b. 1625 or Their Uncle Thomas Scudder, 1587? From the beginning of the history of the American Scudder family, one family trait stands out strong. Scudders are willing and able to do hard things to better their circumstances.
Dr. John Scudder’s First Hospital in Ceylon
An “island” oasis of Palmyra palms in the middle of rice fields is reached by a single lane road raised about six feet above the fields. It was on that virtual “island” that Dr. John situated his first hospital. A twenty-minute walk from the hospital takes you to the Panditeripu mission station
IF HARRIET SCUDDER’S FAITH COULD TAME WILD TIGERS
If Harriet Scudder’s Faith Could Tame Wild Tigers and Elephants in an Indian Jungle, We Too Can Receive Strength to Confront Trials in Our World Crisis from COVID-19 Messages of Courage from the Pen of Harriet (Waterbury) Scudder, Missionary, 1819–1849 . Dr. John and...
Journal Vol 1, no 3 December 2019
Who Was Joanna (Leffingwell) Lathrop
Who Was Joanna (Leffingwell) Lathrop, “Missionary Mother”of the Other “Scudder” Missionary Family to Ceylon?Who Was Deacon Charles Lathrop? Dr. John Scudder’s fellow missionary and distant cousin on board the Indus in 1819 was Harriet Wadsworth (Lathrop) Winslow....
The American Lathrop Story Begins
The American Lothrop/Lathrop Story Begins with Rev. John1 Lothrop’s Escape from the Clink The Lathrop sisters’ parents’ heritage begins with Rev. John1 Lothrop who fled from England’s persecutors and from his incarceration for his religion, arriving in Massachusetts...
Samuel Lathrop and Elizabeth (Scudder) Lathrop of Barnstable, New London and Norwich
Some character traits of five generations to their great-great grandson Charles5 LathropDescriptions primarily drawn from E. B. Huntington’s Memoirs of the Lathrop and Huntington families [1] E. B. Huntington, who gives an insider view of the Lothrop/Lathrop families...
Three Sons of Henry Scudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent continued: Correction #2.
In this issue of our online Journal, we continue our series of articles to clarify and correct the history of the three sons of Henry Scudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent (read Our Story begins with Henry Skudder (Scudder) Yeoman). This is necessary due to frequent...
Thomas Scudder Did Not Marry Elizabeth Lowers! She was Another Man’s Wife! – Correction #2.
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Horton Kirby, Kent, England[1] (click images to enlarge) “Thomas1 Scudder (T)” is the way the Scudder Association Foundation refers to the original immigrant ancestor of the Scudder (T) line in America. This designation serves to...
Christmas at Vellore Medical School
Christmas at the Vellore Medical School, circa 1939 Excerpts from a letter written by Dr. Ida B. Scudder soon after her return. Reprinted from Scudder Bulletin, volume VII, (March 1940): 7. “Well, Christmas is over and the New Year almost upon us. I had my celebration...
Journal Vol 1, no 2 June 2019
Did Dr. John Scudder Know He Had Two Scudder Missionary Cousins Aboard the Indus, 1819?
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian. To begin their amazing multi-generational saga of providing more than 40 Scudder missionaries to Ceylon and India, Dr. John Scudder and his wife Harriet (Waterbury) Scudder had to go through the formal...
Harriet Wadsworth (Lathrop) Winslow: the Third “Scudder” Cousin on the Indus
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian.It is well known to history that the Scudders and Winslows commenced their missions to Ceylon together. What is not well advertized is that Rev. Miron Winslow’s wife, Harriet Wadsworth (Lathrop) Winslow, of...
The Three Sons of Henry Scudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent: A Season of Political Upheaval with Effects on Life Circumstances of Each Son
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian.This is the first in a series of articles to appear in the next few issues of Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal about the sons of Henry Scudder [i], yeoman, of Horton Kirby, Kent. This...
Wills of William & Margerie Scudder (Scooder) of Darenth, Kent
Will of William Scudder[1] Dated 27 July 1607; proved 4 November 1607, Reprinted from ©Scudder Searches, volume IV, no. 3, (Summer 1992): 4, 11–12; with 2019 addendum.“My bodie to be buried solemely according to the custom of the church of England, within the parish...
Will of Rev. Henry Scudder of Collingbourne Ducis 1651
dated 20 February 1651[1] Reprinted from ©Scudder Searches, v. V, no. 1, (Winter 1993) 7-9. For centuries, Rev. Henry Scudder has been the most famous Scudder in England because of his book, The Christian’s Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace. For two hundred...
English Yeomen in the 16th Century
Social and Economic Status, Compiled by D. B. Scudder, Reprinted from Scudder Searches, volume V, no. 2, (Summer 1993)[1] Note: [This article] was inspired by recurring questions about the significance of the term ‘yeoman’ that regularly pop up in Scudder family...
Journal Vol 1, no 1 April 2019
Scudder Association Foundation Announces New Online Journal
“The Foundation journal is dedicated to preserving and sharing the remarkable 385-year Scudder family heritage in America. While our primary focus is on our philanthropic endeavors, we also have stewardship over many family records collected for more than 100 years....
Straight From The Horse’s Mouth
"Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: Time Again to Separate Scudder Facts from Fiction," by ©Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian,Thirty years ago, in an earnest effort to call attention to significant errors to be found in numerous Scudder...
Our Story Begins with Henry Skudder (Scudder), Yeoman
"Henry Skudder (Scudder), yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent: Reprinted from Scudder Searches, 1992," by ©Scudder Association Foundation Historian,The strong ROOT of the American Scudder Family Tree was a yeoman in England named Henry but it took more than 100 years of...
The 400-year-old Will of Henry Skudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent
The Will of Henry Skudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent Dated 29 September 1594; probated 5 November 1595,"[1] Reprint from ©Scudder Searches, v. IV, no. 3, (Summer 1992), The 29th daye of September beinge the Feast of St. Micaell the archangell in the yeere...
No Greater Love
No Greater Love The Scudders of India have a long family tradition of devoting their lives to the assistance of others. But what if you were not a Scudder? When a Scudder took a bride, planning to return to India, did their vow include," ...to have and to hold from...
Who Was Mabel J. Scudder?
Connecting to the Past when Samuel Asked, 'Who Was Mabel J. Scudder?' Find the Answer in This True 130-Year-old Love Story from India, by ©Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian, On the Scudder Association’s Foundation’s 2019 bicentennial...
A Story 200 Years in the Making . . .
In Appreciation for a Unique Life of Service: Love and Strength of Character Motivated Dr. John Scudder to Labor in India, with selected quotations[1] Bicentennial Tribute compiled by Margery Boyden, Historian for the Scudder Association Foundation[2] Rev. John...
Journey to India
An Indian Chronicle by Charles S. K. Scudder President of the Scudder Association Foundation, Inc. This Chronicle is a record of the trip to India by members of The Scudder Association Foundation in January 2019 to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of John and...