Scudder Research Led to New Perspectives about Samuel and Lydia Stewart:
Long Island Roots and Relationships for Stewart, Scudder, and Harrison, in New York, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina; and add Potter et al. in Delaware
© Margery Boyden, Spring 2022, Scudder Association Foundation Historian

^{Map of Oyster Bay [1]}

Most of us want to know who our ancestors are and from whence they came. For some, this means a family history mystery that requires gathering enough clues to put the puzzle pieces together accurately. This is especially true for those who feel a gnawing skepticism about speculations others have published. For more than 100 years, Samuel and Lydia Stewart/Stuart of Long Island, New York, Sussex County, Delaware, Augusta County, Virginia and Rowan County, North Carolina have presented their very large posterity with opportunities for interesting family history adventures—and misadventures for those who have chased speculations that are errors. A definition of speculation is “the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.” This suggests that one’s theory needs thorough testing to prove or disprove it before claiming it as valid. Samuel² and Lydia Stewart and their ancestors now have thousands of descendants and not all have the same opinions about them and what constitutes their true history.^[2] This issue of the Journal continues the story of the Stewart branch of the Scudder family from the Summer/Fall 2021 issue, volume 3, no. 3 tests a few speculations by detailing Samuel² and Lydia Stewart’s roots and family relationships at Long Island and that also pertain to their relationships in Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina. Samuel² Stewart was a great-grandson of John² and Mary² (King) Scudder of Newtown and a great-great grandson of Thomas¹ Scudder, immigrant ancestor of the Scudder (T) line. The theory that Samuel²’s wife Lydia Stewart was a daughter of Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr. has stood the test of time and a serious review of their records in New York, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina. These Stewart and Harrison families had initial points of contact at Oyster Bay and Smithtown, Long Island and environs, and multiple points of contact through a large extended family network as Scudder research helped open to view. After twenty plus years of research by this author, and a review of many records of various types in five colonies, and their continuing associations in those colonies, no conflicting evidence has been found to suggest otherwise. In addition to constructing their thorough timelines with primary sources in these colonies, and even integrating these timelines between the families, writing their history in narrative format with the goal to reveal inconsistencies or conflicting data has only solidified the theory. This is a very different approach than speculation based on little or no sound evidence.

These articles in the Spring 2022 issue of the Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal are from chapters in A Guidebook to the Records for Samuel and Lydia (Harrison) Stewart: New Perspectives from New Data and from Reviewing 100 Years of Collaborative Research, Part I, Long Island Roots and Relationships.^[3] This work cross references to their earlier detailed ancestral family history that can be found in its predecessor, this author’s narrative history From Conscience to Liberty: Early Long Island Families in a Crucible that Gave Rise to Religious Freedom, 1526–1664,^[4] volume 1, Parts A & B, that documents Samuel² Stewart’s maternal ancestral roots in the Old World and New England and New York. Scudder material in From Conscience to Liberty applies to descendants of Henry^A Scudder of Horton Kirby, Kent, England who died there sometime between 29 September 1594, when he made his will, and 5 November 1595 when his will was proved.^[5] His son, Thomas¹ Scudder (T), was the Stewart’s immigrant ancestor on their maternal Scudder line. His famous brother, Rev. Henry¹ Scudder, remained in England but his remarkable history is included in the book. The founding branches of the other two Scudder family lines in America were Thomas¹ (T’s) nephew John² Scudder (J), and niece Elizabeth² Scudder (E), who were children of Thomas¹ (T)’s brother John¹ who died in England.^[6]

Similarly, From Conscience to Liberty also includes the history of the ancestral roots of families allied by marriage to Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr.’s first wife, Elizabeth¹ Wright (Gideon², Peter¹) and to Isaiah¹, Sr.’s supposed second wife, Abigail___?Smith, proposed for him by J. Houston Harrison in Settlers by the Long Grey Trail^[7] and numerous other associated families. Significant evidence to the contrary has been published since Long Grey Trail was written that indicates it is time to revisit some of his speculations which will be done from various perspectives in this issue.

Samuel² and Lydia Stewart’s history begins where all our histories do, within the context of our birth family or the family that raised us, and within the context of our extended family who also welcomed us as babes: such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and so forth. Family, social, historical and geographical situations influence us and are all part of one’s history. By studying in-depth, Samuel² and Lydia Stewart’s Long Island roots and relationships from their nuclear, ancestral and extended families, this approach has added valuable perspective to the history of Samuel² and Lydia (Harrison) Stewart that had already been founded on more than 100 years of collaborative research by their descendants and by professionals.

While recognizing that challenging some deeply held traditions may meet resistance, if one finds additional historical evidence that calls some old traditions or claims into question, there is an obligation to share it. Such is the case with Samuel² Stewart and his wife Lydia² Harrison and with their ancestral histories. Not to suggest infallibility, this work is a sincere effort to offer new findings from historical records, professional journal articles, and professional experts consulted, that expose discrepancies found in some previous published conclusions. Traditions and speculations that have no basis in historical or primary source records can be contradicted by historical facts or by additional records that lead to different conclusions. More recent articles published in well regarded journals, after Edson and J. Houston Harrison published their works, correct misinformation to enable a more accurate picture of some Harrison and Scudder family relationships. These have also revealed previously unknown or unappreciated extended family relationships. Reviewing an individual’s records while considering their geographical, social, cultural and religious contexts, has aided in solving family history mysteries, or debunking errors.

The work of many people has made possible this survey and report of the Stewart, Scudder, King, Townsend, Wright, Ludlam and Harrison families and allied families. This includes multi-generational research specific to these families and work by numerous historical societies and individuals who have transcribed and compiled other invaluable resources. Special thanks go to generations of immediate relatives and to generations of Scudder Association historians, to the Townsend Society of America newsletters and journals and their Townsend Y DNA Study, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record articles, The New England Historic Genealogical Society’s Great Migration Project and its New England Historical and Genealogical Register, The American Genealogist, and countless persons who have transcribed centuries’ worth of town records, land records, probate records, wills and more in New England, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina to make them available. Y DNA studies for Stewarts and Harrisons has also eliminated speculative claims. Also important was the work of local historians in the areas of interest. Two resources initially were useful for basic histories of these Long Island Stewarts and Harrisons and served as finding aids to records for these families: George Edson in Stewart Clan Magazine and J. Houston Harrison in Settlers by the Long Grey Trail, both of whom dedicated a lifetime to their work. While this Spring 2022 issue of the Scudder Family Historical and Biographical Journal challenges some of their speculations, there is so much they did give us that would probably not be known otherwise. Without all this prior work by many to draw upon, this project to gather, research and review and report the data pertinent to the history of Samuel² and Lydia² (Harrison) Stewart and their children, progenitors and associates, would have been impossible. As it is, it has taken over twenty years to review data collected and to begin publishing the results. More than anticipated, this intriguing journey has revealed personal and family identity, and early American history. The same could be a rewarding activity for you.

This Spring 2022 issue of the Scudder Family Historical and Biographical Journal introduces new research to promote discussions about J. Houston Harrison’s claims that the identity of Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr.’s 2^nd wife, and, from a new-found court record, adds the correct relationship to Isaiah¹ Sr. and Abigail Harrison, of a son Joseph² Harrison who died in 1748 in Augusta County, Virginia, and a daughter Lydia²—if she is different than Isaiah¹, Sr.’s daughter Elizabeth² by his first wife.^[8] As this court record proves, J. Houston Harrison erred on page 114 in assuming that the Isaiah who was Joseph²’s executor was his brother Isaiah², Jr. and that Joseph² was Isaiah², Jr.’s “son.” This court record found specifies that Joseph²’s administrator was Joseph²’s son Isaiah³. His descendants are 100% matches to the rest of Isaiah¹’s clan.^[9] Just as with the others of Isaiah¹’s second family, identification of Joseph² and Lydia² Harrison is from probate, court and land records, and from various other sources, including the invaluable “Harrison Y DNA Study” at FamilyTreeDNA that also exposes some of the false relationship claims to other, unrelated Harrison families.^[10] We briefly call into question speculation about the identity of Isaiah¹’s father.

This history of Samuel² and Lydia² (Harrison) Stewart begins with their important roots and surprising relationships at Long Island within the context of their large extended family network that began three decades before Samuel and Lydia Stewart married in Delaware and includes some new perspectives about them and about their parents’ Scudder connections at Long Island. These ties were to family members from all three sons of Thomas¹ Scudder (T), the immigrant ancestor of the America Scudder (T) line: John², Thomas², Jr. and Henry² Scudder. Samuel² Stewart’s grandmother was Elizabeth³ Scudder (John², Thomas¹ (T)). Henry² Scudder’s son David³ Scudder intersected with Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr. at Huntington/Smithtown. His son, David⁴ Scudder, was at Smithtown, and later in Delaware with Harrisons and Stewarts, to be covered in a future issue.

Table of Contents

Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr., the Enigmatic Blacksmith, and His Long Island Roots:
Why Was He at Smithtown in 1684, with Scudders from Huntington, Long Island, 
Three Years before His Supposed Arrival in America at Oyster Bay?

Dr. John Stewart ‘s First Record in America at Oyster Bay, 1686, Finds Him with
Isaiah Harrison, Sr.’s Future In-laws from the Wright and Townsend Families

The Cooper Joseph² Ludlam, and the Blacksmith Isaiah¹ Harrison, Engines of Commerce at 
Early Oyster Bay, Had Early Ties to Scudders and to Dr. John¹ Stewart, the Cooper

Elizabeth² (Townsend) (Wright) Ludlam, the Cooper’s wife and Isaiah Harrison Sr.’s 
Mother-in-law: Her Wide-ranging Long Island Extended Family Network, Scudders Included

Scudders of Ten Farms, Huntington in Disputed Territory on West Side of Nissequogue River,
and a Summary of Huntington’s Land Dispute with Richard¹ Smith, Patentee of Smithtown

Like a Few Other “Traditions” about Isaiah¹ Harrison’s Family Relationships, Speculation that
Abigail, 2^nd Wife of Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr. Was a “Smith” Is Contradicted by Long Island Sources

Why Did Isaiah and Abigail___? Harrison Move from Oyster Bay to Smithtown in 1702?
The Hunt for Abigail among Isaiah, Sr.’s In-laws, including Scudder and Townsend Connections

The William¹ Lawrence Family of Flushing. Did Isaiah¹ Harrison’s In-laws Know Lawrences?
Isaiah¹’s Contemporary, John¹ Harrison of Flushing and Jamaica, L.I. and Oyster Bay

Samuel² & Lydia Stewart of New York, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina:
A Sample of 100 Years of Collaborative and New Research Reviewed. Includes Y DNA Data

The First Record for Samuel² Stewart Is the Will of His Father Dr. John¹ Stewart/Stuart
and This Sussex County, Delaware Will Confirms Samuel² Stewart’s Long Island Roots

Perspectives shared in this issue of the Journal are only a fraction of the history to be made available about Scudder descendants from these Stewart and Delaware branches of the Scudder family and about some “who married in.” A more detailed history of Samuel² Stewart’s parents, Dr. John¹ and Elizabeth³ (Alburtus) Stewart, will be given in a future issue of the Journal when their separate, detailed Guidebook is ready for publication. Their Guidebook will include the other Dr. John¹ and Elizabeth Stewart descendants who remained in Delaware, as well as their David⁴ Scudder family Scudder cousins and other closely allied families from Delaware.

Articles in this issue are excerpts from A Guidebook to the Records for Samuel and Lydia (Harrison) Stewart: New Perspectives from New Data and from Reviewing 100 Years of Collaborative Research, Part I, Long Island Roots and Relationships, (Electronic version, Scudder Family Store, https://scudder.org/product-category/books/.]

The appendices of Part I of Samuel and Lydia Stewart’s Guidebook explore several claims made in Settlers by the Long Grey Trail pertinent to Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr.’s roots, by reviewing them within the context of other historical sources available.

Appendix A. Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr.’s Long Island Timeline with Research Notes.

Appendix B. Research notes: Abridged Timeline for John¹ Harrison of Flushing, Jamaica, Oyster Bay and Harrison, N.Y, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey. (Mentions his ties to Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr.’s in-laws).

Appendix C. Research notes for Rev. Thomas Harrison, 1619–1682. This includes a more than 50 page biography, a timeline and an analysis of claims in Settlers by the Long Grey Trail.

• [1] Oyster Bay, satellite view, Google Maps.
• [2] See the lead article of the Summer/Fall 2021 issue, volume 3, no. 3, Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal that introduces the Stewart branch of the Scudder family at https://scudder.org/john-and-mary-king-scudder-17th-century-pioneers-on-long-island/.
• [3] Margery Boyden, A Guidebook to the Records for Samuel and Lydia (Harrison) Stewart: New Perspectives from New Data and from Reviewing 100 Years of Collaborative Research, Part I, Long Island Roots and Relationships. (Electronic version Coming Soon in the Scudder Family Store, 2022, https://scudder.org/product-category/books/.)
• [4] Margery Boyden, From Conscience to Liberty: Early Long Island Families in a Crucible that Gave Rise to Religious Freedom, 1526–1664, Parts A & B, (By the author: (2020). A list of the primary families featured in volume 1 may be viewed at, a “Look Inside” with Table of Contents and part of the Introduction are available at https://scudder.org/product/from-conscience-to-liberty/, Family Store at scudder.org. 
• [5] “Our Story Begins with Henry Skudder (Scudder), Yeoman, of Horton Kirby, Kent,” Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal, Scudder Association Foundation, volume 1, no. 1, April 2019, https://scudder.org/henry-scudder-yeoman/. Volume 1, no. 1 also contains “The 400-year-old Will of Henry Skudder, Yeoman of Horton Kirby, Kent,” https://scudder.org/the-will-of-henrya-scudder/.
• [6] Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal, volume 2, no. 1, (Spring 2020): “Which Is Your Courageous Immigrant Ancestor? John Scudder, b. 1618 or His Sister Elizabeth Scudder, b. 1625 or Their Uncle Thomas Scudder, 1587?” https://scudder.org/american-scudder/ and “Thomas Scudder, b. 1587, Ancestor of the American Scudder (T) Line,” https://scudder.org/thomas-scudder-t-line/ and “Early Life and Times of John Scudder (J), b. 1618, Strood, Kent, England, 1635 Immigrant to New England, Later Known as John Scudder of Barnstable,” https://scudder.org/john-scudder-of-barnstable/ and Scudder Family Historical & Biographical Journal,” volume 2, no. 2, (Fall 2020), “Elizabeth (Scudder) Lathrop, Ancestress of the Scudder (E) Line,” https://scudder.org/elizabeth-scudder-born-1625-biography/.
• [7] Harrison, LGT, 37.
• [8] Chapter 1, “Isaiah¹ Harrison, Sr., the Enigmatic Blacksmith, and His Long Island Roots: Why Was He at Smithtown in 1684, with Scudders from Huntington, Long Island, Three Years before His Supposed Arrival in America at Oyster Bay? A Guidebook to the Records for Samuel and Lydia (Harrison) Stewart, Part I, 12.
• [9] Ibid.
• [10] Chapter 7, “Samuel & Lydia Stewart of New York, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina: A Sample of 100 Years of Collaborative and Non-collaborative Research Reviewed. Includes Y DNA Data.”