by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian | Apr 13, 2023 | Journal 5 no 1
John3 Scudder II was in the first generation of both sides of his family to be born in America. John3 Scudder’s father, John2 Scudder I was a teenager when he immigrated with his father, Thomas1 Scudder (T), the immigrant ancestor of the Scudder (T) Line in America, and his wife Elizabeth ___? whose maiden name is not known. (Thomas (T)’s wife’s name is not Lowers or Somers as corrected by Scudder Association publications for over fifty years). John3 Scudder,
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian | Apr 13, 2023 | Journal 5 no 1
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.
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian | Apr 13, 2023 | Journal 5 no 1
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.
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian | Apr 13, 2023 | Journal 5 no 1
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.
by Margery Boyden, Scudder Association Foundation Historian | Apr 13, 2023 | Journal 5 no 1
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
