John Scudder (January 24, 1815 – May 23, 1869)''Architecture of the Old South'', Mills Lane (1993), p. 161 was an American
master builder
A master builder or master mason is a central figure leading construction projects in pre-modern times (a precursor to the modern architect and engineer).
Historically, the term has generally referred to "the head of a construction project in ...
who was prominent in the second half of the 19th century. During his time in
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...
, he became one of the city's "most prolific and successful
antebellum
Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to:
United States history
* Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States
** Antebellum Georgia
** Antebellum South Carolina
** Antebellum Virginia
* Antebellum arc ...
Amos
Amos or AMOS may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Amos Records, an independent record label established in Los Angeles, California, in 1968
* Amos (band), an American Christian rock band
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and Phebe Scudder. He was one of their eleven children, and the eighth in the family's line of Johns. He was baptized on July 2 at the Presbyterian Church in
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States census, the town's population was 30,316,Armstrong State College (1994)
Career
Scudder worked with his younger brother, Ephraim Scudder (1819–1872), for about twenty years.''Savannah in the Old South'', Walter J. Fraser (2005), p. 273 They formed their own practice, J. & E. Scudder, in Savannah.
Between 1847 and 1858, the brothers were owners and part-owners of the
Savannah–Ogeechee Canal
The historic Savannah–Ogeechee Barge Canal is one of the prime relics in the history of southern canals. Beginning with the tidal lock at the Savannah River, the waterway continues through four lift locks as it traverses , before reaching an ...
, which was completed in 1830. More a passion of their father's, their interest in the canal waned after his death in 1856.
In late 1855, Scudder purchased a large amount of Savannah Grey bricks from the McAlpin Brothers.
By 1860, aged 45, his wealth had reached $87,000. He also owned five slaves at that time.
Mary Lane Morrison
Mary Lane Morrison (August 15, 1907 – July 16, 1994) was an American writer, historian and preservationist. She was the curator of the Georgia Historical Society, a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the state o ...
Scudder's Row
Scudder's Row (possibly Scudders Row) is a historic row house in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It comprises the five homes from 1 to 9 East Gordon Street, in the southeastern residential block of Monterey Square, and was completed in 1853. It ...
, 1–9 East Gordon Street, Savannah (1853)
* Quantock Row, 17–31 Jones Street, Savannah (1854)''Historic Savannah'',
Mary Lane Morrison
Mary Lane Morrison (August 15, 1907 – July 16, 1994) was an American writer, historian and preservationist. She was the curator of the Georgia Historical Society, a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the state o ...
(1979), p. 166
File:John_Scudder_House.jpg, 11 East Jones Street, Savannah
File:John_Scudder_Property_(2).jpg, 15 East Jones Street, Savannah
Personal life
In December 1839, Scudder married Sarah Amanda Crawford Wilson at Savannah's First Baptist Church, which his father helped construct six years earlier. They had two children: Mary Elizabeth and Henry Wyler.
Amos Scudder was living in Savannah when daughter Catherine was baptized at the First Baptist Church on October 7, 1853.
Death
Scudder died on May 23, 1869, in Westfield, from acute
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
. He was 54.
Ephraim died in Savannah three years later while visiting Thomas Davis, a friend of his. He had been ill for a period of time, and was visiting Bryan County in the hopes of recuperating. He is buried in Savannah's Laurel Grove North Cemetery. His headstone reads "a beloved brother". His and John's sister, Caroline (1823–1884), is also buried in Laurel Grove North, alongside her husband, Milton Julius Buckner (1809–1875).