Elizabeth Scudder, A Christian Influence

The Scudder family has continued to show a strong Christian faith throughout the centuries even to the Twenty-first century. While there isn’t a whole lot of paperwork on Elizabeth Scudder, she comes from a family that continues to influence and expand the Christian community in the United States and the world even up into the Twenty-First Century.

Elizabeth Scudder was born 1623 in Strood, Kent, England the daughter of John Scudder and his wife Elizabeth  Stoughton and younger sister of John Scudder who came to the colonies at about the same time as Elizabeth

Married Samuel Lathrop, son of the Rev. John Lathrop, 28 November 1644, Barnstable, MA

Died about 1690 in New London, New London, CT

Children by his first wife:

1.   John Lathrop born 1645 in Barnstable, Barnstable, MA, died 25 August 1688 Wallingford, New Haven, CT and married Ruth Royce

2.   Elizabeth Lathrop born March 1647/48 in New London, New London, CT, died 1689 Wallingford, New Haven, CT married Isaac  Royce

3.   Samuel Lathrop born May 1650 New London, New London, CT, died 09 December 1732 Norwich, New London, CT married Hannah  Adgate

4.   Sarah Lathrop born October 1655 New London, New London, CT, died 09 December 1732 Norwich, New London, CT married Nathaniel  Royce

5.   Martha Lathrop born January 1656/7 Wallingford, New London, CT and died there on 21 September 1719. She married John Moss 12 December 1676 in Wallingford. They are my ancestors

6.   Isreal Lathrop born October 1659 in New London, New London, CT, died 28 March 1733 Norwich, New London, CT married Rebecca  Bliss

7.   Joseph Lathrop born October 1661 New London, New London, CT died 05 July 1740 married Mary Scudder. I am unsure if she was related to Elizabeth Scudder.

8.   Abigail Lathrop born 11 May 1665 New London, New London, CT, died 09 December 1696 Norwich, New London, CT. She married John Huntington

9.   Anne Lathrop born 07 August 1667 New London, New London, CT, died 19 November 1745 married William Hough 10 October 1700 in New London.

The Scudder family has had a nicely organized family society for many years which focuses not just on family but on the ministries so many of them have been a part of. The lean toward ministry began early in the Scudder history.

Elizabeth was the daughter of John Scudder, the youngest of a large family. He married Elizabeth Stoughton who was the mother of his five known children, three who died young and two, Elizabeth Jr. and her brother John, who immigrated to the colony of Massachusetts. Elizabeth Stoughton was the daughter of Thomas Stoughton who was vicar of a church in Coggesthall, Essex where he was removed in 1606 because of his “puritan” views. He also pastored churches in Naughton in Suffolk, as well as Cambridge and Ash, tutored at Emmanuel College in Cambridge and worked as a chaplain at the St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in Sandwich, Kent. It is said by some that he and his two sons, Thomas Jr. and Israel came to New England on the Mary and John in 1630.

Elizabeth and John’s Uncle the Reverent Henry Scudder probably knew John Lathrop, the father of Elizabeth’s future husband when they attended Cambridge University. Henry received an MA in theology from Christ’s College and pastored St. Andrew’s Parish of Collingbourne Ducis, Wiltshire Co., England. There is some indication that the Reverend Scudder and the Reverend Lathrop corresponded with one another when Rev. Lathrop went to Massachusetts. Henry, also, may have watched over the two young Scudder siblings, who were left fatherless when John was about eight and Elizabeth less then two. Elizabeth Stoughton, mother of Elizabeth and John, remarried in 1627. A marriage record found at Strood, England reads “Robt Chamberlyne, Pastor of Strood, to Elizabeth Scudder, widow, dau. of Mr. Thomas Stoughton, 30 Apr 1627.” It is not known when Robert Chamberlain died. Young John Scudder may have traveled without family on the James to the New World in 1635. Among the passengers on the James were Thomas Ewer and his young wife, Sarah Larned who would later married Thomas Lathrop and thus become a sister-in-law to Elizabeth the younger. Elizabeth Scudder Chamberlain came to New England with her children, Elizabeth Scudder Jr. and Samuel and Joanna Chamberlain. It is also possible that they along with Elizabeth’s brothers Thomas and Isreal Stoughton, as well as her father, all came together on the James, as the whole bunch were defiantly in New England by 1635. The widow Chamberlain died in 1647 when her estate, by order of the courts, was divided between her two Chamberlain children, leaving out the Scudder children. The younger Elizabeth’s half-brother, Samuel Chamberlain, died there or in New York 1648. Her half-sister married Richard Betts and became the mother to three daughters.

 

Elizabeth Scudder’s full-brother, John Scudder was admitted a freeman of Charlestown but by 1640 he was in Barnstable where he was admitted as freeman in 1654. John married a woman named Hannah of which all is known of her is that she survived John and was the mother of his five children. Elizabeth was in Barnstable before 1644, where she married Samuel Lathrop, son of her Uncle’s old friend, John Lathrop, on 28 November of that year. The Rev. Lathrop recorded that: “My sonn Samuel & Elizabeth Scudder Marryed at my house by Mr Freeman Nov 28, 1644.”

My guess is that Elizabeth and Samuel Lathrop’s marriage was a successful one. They had nine children and both of Elizabeth and Samuel lived long lives, Elizabeth dieing in her seventies and Samuel dieing just short of his 88^th birthday. The moved to New London, Connecticut by 1647 where Samuel became a prominent citizen, owning many acres of land. The Rev. E. B. Huntington in his history of the Lathrop/Lothrop family wrote: "His house lot in the new plantation was the third in order from that of John Winthrop Jr. Esq. and his name was one of the first eighteen to whom were assigned lands on the east side of the 'great river' of Pequot, and for these the lots were drawn on the 17th and 31st of January, 1648/9" Samuel was a constable in New London and a judge in the General Court of the State of Connecticut.

After Elizabeth died, Samuel in his seventies married Abigail Doane, age 67, as his second wife. While Samuel died in 28 February 1699/00, Abigail went on to live the ripe old age of 104.

Elizabeth’s Uncle Thomas Scudder and her brother, John Scudder both married and had many children. The Scudder name fills Massachusetts and Connecticut history books. Many of their descendants went on to become Missionaries in foreign countries including Ida Scudder who was a pioneer in bringing medical care to women in India. A hospital and medical school for women is still run and continues to serve the women of India. She was only one of the many Scudders who have served either in the pulpit at home or abroad, brining the good news to the world. There is a very good possibility that Elizabeth Scudder took good care in passing on her faith to her children and grandchildren.

My Scudder Line:

Henry Skudder of Horton, 1560 – 1504 m. Agnes (surname unknown)

John Skudder died about 1541

John Skudder of Little Brook, died 1566 m. Joan

Thomas Skudder of Darenth

Henry Scudder of Horton m. Elizabeth

John Scudder m. Elizabeth Stoughton daughter of Thomas Stoughton and Katherine Motnpesson

Elizabeth Scudder m. Samuel Lathrop

***SOURCES***

1.  Olive Connary, 1987

2.  B. J. Clement, 1987

3.      Scudder Searches, Vo. I, No. 2, Summer 1989

4.    Scudder Searches, Vo. III, No. 4, Fall 1991

5.  Scudder Searches, Vo. IV, No. 1

6.  Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families from the papers of Amos Otis

7.  Scudder Searches, Vo. IV, No. 2

8.  Scudder Searches, Vo. V, No. 1

9.  Scudder Searches, Vo. V, No. 2

10.  "Lo-Lathrop Family Memorial" by Rev. E. B. Huntington, pub. 1884

11.  "New England Marriages Prior to 1700" by Clarence Almon Torrey, Genealogy Publishing Co., 1987; 929.3 T694

12.  "History of the Colony of New Haven to its Absorption into Connecticut"  by Edward E. Atwater

13.  "Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of   Connecticut" by R.R. Hinman, 1968