Hentland

The Scudamore family had a prominent presence in 19th century Hentland. This family was distantly related to the better-known Scudamore branches of Kentchurch and Holme Lacy, having common ancestors in the high medieval Welsh Marches. Alice - Alys ferch Owain Glyndŵr - the wife of Sir John (VI) Scudamore, who was at Agincourt, was the daughter of Owain Glyndŵr. It tells something of the character of the Medieval Welsh Marches that several of the Welsh who rebelled in the years between 1400 and 1410 fought on the English side at Agincourt in 1415.

The Hentland Scudamores originated with Richard Scudamore who had been born in January 1758 at Mitcheldean in the Forest of Dean. Richard married Sarah Nelmes on 13 February 1784 when he was 26 years old. The couple settled in the Sarah' home village of Abenhall just outside Mitcheldean. Confusingly Abenhall is sometimes called 'Abinghall'. Richard and Sarah had ten children. The third son, Thomas, the fifth George, and the sixth, Philip resettled in Illinois. The fourth son, Joseph married Elizabeth Hale on 5 June 1821 in Mitcheldean. The couple moved to Hentland, where their daughter Elizabeth was born on 15 June 1823.

On the night of the 1841 census, 6th June, Joseph and Elizabeth had been at Little Pengethley. At home with their parents at were 15 year-old Elizabeth, 12-year-old Richard, and 5-year-old Mary. Charlotte, then aged 10, was at boarding school in Ross. The elder Elizabeth was eight months pregnant with Sarah, who would be born on 30th July.

Pengethley Manor 700 metres south of St Dubricius Church, is in Sellack parish, but the Scudamore farm, Little Pengethley, on the opposite side of the main Hereford to Ross road (now the A49) is in Hentland.

On that night 16-year-old Godwin Scudamore was also away from home, at the house called 'Little Treaddow', with his sister Ann, 9, and little brother, John aged 6.

The oldest person in Little Treaddow was Mary Hale aged 65, although as is common in the 1841 census, no occupation is given. Ann Hale had been baptised at Longhope in Gloucestershire. Elizabeth Scudamore's maiden name was Hale and her father, James Hale, had been baptised at Longhope Jan 26th 1772 – 'bastard son of Ann'. This is not likely to be the same Ann Hale, as a woman who had given birth 69 years earlier would have been at least in her 80s by 1841, But with illegitamacy such a disgrace a certain lack of candour in reporting is likely. Another entry at Longhope is for Feb 10th 1779, the baptism of 'Maria, natural daughter of Mary Hale, widow'.

All a bit obscure, but the Ann Hale at little Treaddow is likely to be an older relative of Elizabeth Scadamore, associated with some family scandal years before. Placing some of the children with herduring the last stage of Elizabeth's pregnancy might have seemed a very good plan.

on 14th October 1846 Richard Scudamore won a ploughing competition outside Hereford, in the category 'the best ploughman under 25 years of age, being a farmer's son residing with his relatives, and assisting in the management of the farm'.

It is likely that Richard was using a plough of his father's design. Joseph had won the prize for 'the best constructed plough' - described as having a cast-iron share, iron beam and tails, the furrow of which was 11 inches in width and from 8 to 9 inches in depth draught from 2 to 2¾ cwt.

Richard appears to have been no longer living with his parents five years later, when the census shows him, aged 23, and his sisters Charlotte, 22, and Sarah, 10 living at Treaddow. Charlotte was recorded as an unmarried 'housekeeper' while 10-year-old Sarah was a schoolgirl.

Richard Scudamore married Harriett Anne Whittingham in Walford, Herefordshire, on 16 November 1859 when he was 30 years old.

Ten years later Richard was at Pengethley farm in Sellack parish.

Godwin Scudamore emigrated to the United States in 1844, landing in New York that November. In 1849 he married Caroline Augusta Hampton. They were recorded in Sycamore township, Hamilton County, Illinois in the census of 22nd August, 1850. He was a farmer. Godwin's uncles George and Philip had also settled in Illinois. In March 1853 he moved to Randolph County.

In the census of 7th September 1860 he was a farmer with real estate to the value of $15,000, considerably more than his neighbouring farmers

Godwin was 36 when the Civil War began. He joined the Union Army, served as a Private in Company A, 80th Regiment of Illinois Infantry. Captured at Rome, Georgia, on 3 May 1863 by the Confederates, he was imprisoned from 31 August 1863 until 29 February 1864 in Libby Prison at Richmond. Libby was a former warehouse converted to a prison for officer POWs, so it is likely that Godwin had been commissioned by then. Libby had a reputation for the overcrowded and harsh conditions. Prisoners suffered from disease, malnutrition and a high mortality rate. He escaped on 29 February 1864 by tunnelling under the walls. Promoted from 2nd to 1st Lieutenant on 8 April 1863, and to Captain on 16 May 1865, he commanded two companies until the end of the war and his discharge at Camp Harker, Tennessee, on 20 Jun 1865

Caroline died in January 1866 in Rockwood, Illinois, at the age of 40. They had been married 16 years. Godwin married Mary L. Clendenin on 15 October 1866 when he was 41 years old.

By 1870, like so many of their contemporaries, Godwin and Mary had moved West and were settled in Scotts Valley, Lake County, California. In the census of 26th June 1900, 75-year-old Godwin was in the home of his son Dick Scudamore in Lake County, California. Godwin is described as a widower. Dick had been born in Illinois and had settled in California with his Iowan wife Nancy. Their young children were California-born. Godwin might have had a comfortable old age, and there were two servants in the household.

Godwin died on 22 May 1908 in Scotts Valley, California, aged 83.

Godwin had been a forename used by the family for many generations, since great great grandfather James Scudamore had married Mary Godwin in 1684 and they gave their son the forename Godwin. The Hentland Scudamores were descended from that Godwin Scudamore