California Biographies
Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
 
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry
Illustrated, Complete In One Volume
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914


CAPT. GODWIN SCUDAMORE.� The genealogy of the Scudamore 
family reveals Anglo-Saxon lineage. The name was established in America 
by Capt. Godwin Scudamore, who was born in Herefordshire, England, No- 
vember 28, 1824, and landed in New York City in November of 1844. a stranger 
with only a small amount of money, but with an excellent education and the 
qualities of courage and perseverance that make for success. From New 
York he went to New Orleans, where he worked in a tobacco factory for a 
year. A summer in Cincinnati, Ohio, was followed by return to New Orleans 
for the winter, after which he went back to Cincinnati and engaged in farm- 
ing nine miles from the city. In March of 1853 he moved to Randolph county, 
Ill., and there engaged in farm pursuits until his enlistment in the Union army. 
Beginning as second lieutenant in July, 1862, he was promoted to be first lieu- 
tenant in March, 1863, and while thus serving he was captured by the Con- 
federates and placed in the notorious Libby prison at Richmond. Nine months 
were spent in that gloomy place. Meanwhile he and others had worked a 
tunnel through under the walls of the prison and on the night of February 9, 
1864, they managed to pass out and make good their escape. Immediately 
upon rejoining the army he resumed active service and in a short time was 
promoted to the rank of captain, as such commanding two companies until 
the close of the war. Meantime he had participated in many of the most 
desperate battles of the struggle, but out of each he had come uninjured 
and eager for the next engagement. 

Farming and merchandising engaged the attention of Captain Scudamore 
in Randolph county, Ill., from the close of the war until October, 1869, the 
date of his arrival in California. After a month in Napa county he came on 
to Lake county and settled in Scott's valley. Under the firm name of Scuda- 
more, Reynolds & Co., he was interested in the mercantile business at Lake- 
port and met with success, for he was a thorough-going business man. His 
first marriage had occurred September 17, 1849, and united him with Caroline 
A. Hampton Colby, who at her death left four daughters, Charlotte, Sarah J., 
Alice and Mary. October 15, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary 
Clendenin. who was born, reared and married in Randolph county. Ill., and 
died in Lake county, Cal., in 1897 at the age of sixty-four. Twelve years after 
her death the Captain passed away, in 1909, at eighty-three years of age. 
They were the parents of four children by their union, namely : Laura, Mrs. 
Joe Williams, of Los Angeles; Dick, also represented in this work; Nannie, 
wife of W. C. Craig, of Humboldt county, this state; and Joseph H., who died 
at the age of eighteen months. Politically the Captain was a stanch Repub- 
lican and he voted the first Republican ticket in Lake county, an act which 
required considerable courage, for the county was at the time a stronghold 
of old Missouri Democrats, as stanch in their Democracy as he was in his 
Republicanism, while he was absolutely alone as to numbers. Remote as 
was Lake county from the seat of war excitement ruled in all elections and 
it was not until years after the war had closed that contention ceased here 
in regard to the leading issue of that historic struggle. Although the people 
mostly disagreed with the Captain in politics, they respected him as a man, 
confided in his business judgment and trusted to his honesty in every detail, 
realizing that he possessed the sterling attributes that give weight to citizen- 
ship and lend honor to a community.