SCUDDER
The information concerning the Scudder family is almost exclusively from a manuscript titled "A Scudder Genealogy", Douglas A. Hall. OtisField, Me. Ms. draft, 1994. Sent to me by Mr. Hall
JESSE SCUDDER was born in England probably between 1755 and 1760. and died in Sidney/Vasselboro, ME. He married JOANNA ROBINSON in 1787 or 1789.
Oral history handed down by Scudder descendants is reflected in the following two paragraphs.
"Jesse Scudder was born in England (or Edinburough, Scotland) and joined the British Army or Navy with his brother, John Scudder. Some say that he (Jesse) deserted a wife, who he believed had comitted adultry, when he joined the service. Upon arrival in America, Jesse and John reportedly jumped ship. Some say that they deserted off the coast of Nova Scotia and others say it was at the mouth of the Kennebec River in Maine. Both versions say that the brothers went to Virginia and hid with a tobacco planter until they joined Washington's Army. They were reportedly among the troops who crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Eve, 1776. Jesse reportedly froze his feet on that night."[1]
"Ater discharge from the continental army, John Scudder reportedly stayed in the south or possibly Pennsylvania; while Jesse went to the Sidney or Vassalboro area of Maine (and some say the Albion or Ripley area of Maine as well)." [1]
"Jesse Scudder did have a marriage recorded to Joanna Robinson in Sidney, Kennebec Co., Maine[2] which was entered and published on January 24, 1787. Vassalboro vital records suggest that both Jesse and Joanna were of that town when they intended to wed on January 24, 1789".[3][1]
Doug Hall indicates that Jesse Scudder died in the area and was reportedly buried in Oakland, Kennebec Co., Me. in a grave that is maintained by the DAR.; that the town of Sidney, Maine, formerly part of the town of Vassalboro, is now part of Kennebec county, but was previously part of Lincoln County Maine until 20 Jan 1792.[1]
Other facts known
On 2 Feb. 1795, recorded 11 Nov. 1795 - - Jesse Scudder and Samuel Ballentine of Sidney sold their interest in lot 62, Sidney, west side of the Kennebec River. to John or Jonathan David. Witnesses included William Roberts Jr. and Richard Moore.[4][1]
On the 1790 U.S. Census of Vassalboro, Me. was Samuel Ballingtine. [6:1276][1]
1800 U.S. Census was Samuel Ballingtine.[7] He does not apparently appear on the 1810 census of the area
Jesse Scudder is not on the 1790 U.S. Census of Vassalboro, Me.[6][1]
Jesse and Joanna appear on the 1800 U.S. Census of Kennebec Co., Me. as between 26-45 years old, with 2 sons under age 10, 1son 10-16, 2 daughters under age 10.[8][1]
In 1810 Jesse Scudder was in Sidney, Kennebec Co., Maine.[5:814] [1]
He doesn't appear on the 1820 census of Maine.
Timothy and Winthrop Robinson were in Vassalboro, Maine in 1790.[6][1]
Of the several Robinson families in the Vassalboro/Sidney area it is not known which if any were the parents of Jesse's wife Joanna Robinson. Doug's best guess is that she was the daughter of Timothy and Joanna (Marche) Robinson. Timothy, born 1753 in Falmouth, Ma., married Joanna Marche on Martha's Vinyard. The family removing to Nova Scotia or to Burton on the St. Johns River. Later they and/or some of their children came to the vicinity comprising Sidney & Vassalboro, Me.[1]
CHILDREN OF JESSE SCUDDER AND JOANNA ROBINSON:
1. Jesse. Rem. to Virginia when young, not heard from again.[1]
2. John, b. 31 Mar. 1789, Winslow, Kennebec Co., Me.[1]
3. Joanna, b. 11 Apr. 1791 Vassalboro, Kennebec Co., Me.[1]
4. William, b. 26 Jan. 1793/4 Sidney, Kennebec Co., Me. Also went south.[1]
5. Betsey, b. 21/28 Dec. 1794, d. 4 Jan. 1795.[1]
6. Thankful, b. 21 Dec. 1795, Sidney, Me. m. Joseph Rollins. Entered & Published 15 June 1823 Sidney, Me.[1]
7. Cyrena/Cyrenia Scudder of Sidney who m. James Emory of Concord, published 16 Mar. 1824.[1]
JOHN SCUDDER was born on 31 Mar 1789 at Windsor[1] or Waterville, Kennebec Co., ME,[10] and died on 8 Mar 1879 at Sherman, Aroostook Co., ME.[10]
"Family legend indicates that John was first married to a woman from Canada and had a son, William by her. While he was away on an extended leave, she had another child and upon learning this when he returned, he left her."[1]
John married (2) LOIS HAMILTON on 10 Sep 1832 in Mattanawcook, ME.[1] She was born about 1804 in Palermo, Waldo Co., ME.[10] The daughter of SILAS HAMILTON and SALLY BRYANT.[1]
John and Lois Scudder were living in Chester, Penobscot Co., ME in 1840. At that time the town had 277 inhabitants.[9:210] The area was formerly T1R8 prior to incorporation in 1834. 35 miles north of Bangor, across the river from Winn and Lincoln, Me.[1]
In Aug. 1843 or 44 John and Lois left Chester and reportedly removed to Sherman, Aroostook Co., Me. The town history of Sherman gives the year 1846, probably a quote from a 1905 history of Sherman by Alfred Cushman.[1] "John brought his fire brand, an axe and household goods on a jumper. He moved into the place that Joseph Dolley had settled and remained there until his death on March 8, 1879."[10][11]
John Scudder is said to have settled in 1845 on "the Ridge", i.e. Golden Ridge, a section of Sherman, Me. and an earlier name for the area . [12:134][1]
On the 1850 Census of Golden Ridge there was John Scudder, 55, Farmer; Lois, 47; Silas, 17; Serene, 15; Hannah/Joanne, 13; Betsy, 10; Pemelia, 8 (f); Lois, 6; James P., 4.[13]
By 1860, John told the Sherman census taker that he was 70, while Lois was 57 and only James P., 16, remained in the home.
For 1870, the Sherman Census notes that John was 80, Lois was 67, and James, at 28, was still with them as well as his two children: Joan, 4 and Mattie, 2."
CHILDREN:
Silas Scudder, b. abt 1833.[1]
Cyrenia Emery Scudder, b. 14 Jan 1835 Chester, Penobscot Co., ME and d. 03 Feb 1899 Gardiner, Kennebec Co., ME. She m. Edwin Ruthen Foster 08 Sep 1853 Sherman, Aroostook Co., ME. He was b. 24 Jan 1830 New Portland, Somerset Co., ME and died during the Civil War at Andersonville Prison in Georgia. They had a daughter, Susan Ruthen.[13][14]
Hannah Scudder, b. abt 1837.[13]
REBECCA SCUDDER
Pemelia Scudder, b. abt Abt 1842.[13]
Lois Scudder, b. abt. 1844.[13]
James P. Scudder, b. abt. 1846.[13]
REBECCA SCUDDER was born on 3 Jan 1838 at Chester, Penobscot Co., ME. m. (1) NATHAN E. MORRISON about 1855, the son of SAMUEL MORRISON, III and CHARITY MUDGETT.
Rebecca m. (2) Samuel Gould
SOURCES:
"A Scudder Genealogy", by Douglas A. Hall. OtisField, Me. Ms. draft, 1994
"Vital Records of Sidney, Kennebec Co., Maine"
"Vital Records of Vassalboro, Kennebec Co., Maine"
Book 4, p. 232, Lincoln Co., Reg. of Deeds
U.S. Census, 1810, Sidney, Kennebec Co., Me.
U.S. Census, 1790, Vassalboro, Kennebec Co., ME.
U.S. Census, 1800, Vassalboro, Kennebec Co., ME
U.S. Census, 1810, Kennebec Co., ME.
U.S. Census, 1840, Chester, Penobscot Co., Maine
Vital Records of Sherman, Aroostook Co., ME
A history of Sherman, Aroostook Co., ME, by Alfred Cushman, 1905
"The History Of Aroostook"; Edward Wiggin, (Presque Isle, Me., 1922)
1850 U.S. Census, Golden Ridge Plantation, Aroostook Co., Maine
Home page maintained by Deb Silva a descendant of Cyrenia Emery Scudder
U.S. Census, 1 June 1879-31 May 1880, Sherman, Maine; Aroostook, Co. p. 22, households 167-178