John Anderson Scudder

John Anderson Scudder (March 22, 1759 – November 6, 1836) was a U.S. Representative from New Jersey, physician, and Revolutionary War veteran. He was born in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, to Nathaniel Scudder, a physician, Revolutionary leader, and member of the Continental Congress often regarded as a Founding Father, and his wife Isabella (née Anderson). Raised in a family deeply involved in public affairs and professional life, Scudder received a thorough early education that prepared him for advanced study at a young age.

Scudder completed his preparatory studies and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1775, when he was still in his mid-teens. Following his graduation, he pursued the study of medicine, following in his father’s professional footsteps. He established his medical practice in Monmouth County, New Jersey, where he became part of the region’s emerging professional and civic leadership during and after the American Revolution.

During the Revolutionary War, Scudder served in a medical capacity with local forces. In 1777 he was appointed a surgeon’s mate in the First Regiment of Monmouth County, New Jersey, providing medical care to soldiers during a critical period of the conflict. After the war, he continued to build his medical career and became active in professional medical circles. He was elected secretary of the New Jersey Medical Society in 1788 and 1789, a role that reflected his standing among his peers and his involvement in the early organization of the medical profession in the state.

Scudder entered public office in the early nineteenth century as part of New Jersey’s state government. He served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly representing Monmouth County from 1801 through 1807, participating in legislative deliberations during a period of growth and political realignment in the young republic. In 1809 he advanced to the upper house of the state legislature as a member of the New Jersey Legislative Council, the body that later evolved into the New Jersey Senate, thereby extending his influence in state policymaking.

Scudder’s state-level service led to his brief tenure in the national legislature. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Eleventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative James Cox. He took his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on October 31, 1810, and served until March 3, 1811. His service in Congress occurred during the administration of President James Madison, at a time when tensions with Great Britain were mounting in the years leading up to the War of 1812. Scudder did not seek renomination to the Twelfth Congress and thus concluded his federal legislative career after this partial term.

After leaving Congress, Scudder resumed the practice of medicine. In the years following his congressional service, he joined the broader westward movement of Americans seeking new opportunities on the frontier. He moved to Kentucky sometime after 1810, continuing his work as a physician. In 1819 he relocated further west to Daviess County, Indiana, where he settled in the town of Washington. There he lived out his later years, remaining part of the community as an experienced physician and former public official.

John Anderson Scudder died in Washington, Daviess County, Indiana, on November 6, 1836. He was interred in the Old City Cemetery in Washington. His life spanned from the colonial era through the early decades of the United States, and his career combined medical practice, Revolutionary War service, state legislative leadership, and a term in the U.S. House of Representatives.