Scudder Family History from Horton Kirby to Massachusetts Bay Colony

Continuing the vision of the Scudder Association of America (1912)

Preserve what’s true. Share what matters.

We continue the work begun in 1912 by gathering, verifying, preserving, and publishing Scudder family history—especially the lines of Thomas (T), John (J), and Elizabeth (E) Lathrop, along with our English roots and cousins from Kent, England.

Honor 400 years of Scudder contributions.

Across four centuries, Scudder ancestors and descendants have helped shape their communities through faith, work, leadership, and service—and we exist to memorialize those stories so they aren’t lost.

Grow skills and strengthen connections.

Through education, collaborative research, and shared resources, we help members build confidence in family history while fostering a sense of belonging and a heritage of service that connects generations.

Why join?

Membership helps you connect with relatives, learn from experienced researchers, and contribute to an accurate family record. Member benefits include:

• Access to the Member Portal (including Youth & Activities)
• Genealogical databases and tools to support your research
• The ability to submit lineage information to strengthen the shared family database
• Committees and collaboration groups for research, projects, and community support
• An email newsletter with updates, announcements, and Journal news
• Reunions, meetings, and community events that build connection across generations
• A growing Members Library as new resources are added

Ready to begin?

Join today to stay connected, preserve Scudder history, and help pass our heritage to future generations.

Why Is Family History Beneficial?

Psychologists at Emory University “studied the role of family history knowledge in adolescent development and identity formation [and found] “…irrespective of race or ethnic background, adolescents who know more about their family histories have ‘higher self-esteem, better family functioning, greater family cohesiveness, lower levels of anxiety, and lower incidence of behavior problems.’ Furthermore, having this family information positively correlates with overcoming psychological and educational challenges.” Also true for adults, benefits can include ‘promoting lifelong learning and fostering civic pride and responsibility by placing forbears in context of world, national and local history.’

—From Daniel Webster, “The Enduring Power and Promise of Family History,” American Ancestors, volume 24, no. 4, (Winter 2024), https://www.americanancestors.org   and Carol Clark, “How family stories help children weather hard times,” Emory University, April 29, 2020, https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html.

The Scudder History Association encourages these outcomes!  We invite you to utilize our Youth Page & Family Activities Page to help younger generations learn more about their family heritage and their nation, including how Scudders helped to build the United States.