We honor him as a lover of religious freedom, a brave and able commander, and a true patriot.
General James Cudworth was a humble man of conviction, a man who longed for peace, and a man who longed for tolerance among all people. Because of his beliefs, his kindness towards others, and his own acts of civil disobedience, he was relieved of his civic and military duties for nearly 16 years. However, on July 4, 1673, he was once again reinstated as a freeman, and his life as a public servant and military officer once again took center stage in his life.
James Cudworth was born on August 2, 1612 in Aller, Somsert, England. His father was Reverend Ralph Cudworth, and his mother was Mary Machell. Both of his parents were involved with the royal family of King James I. The Reverend became a personal chaplain to the king while Mary was a nurse to the king’s oldest son, Prince Henry.
James met Mary Parker who was born about 1615 in Axminster, Devon, England. On February 1, 1633, the couple married in Northam, Devonshire, England. Two days after their wedding, the newlyweds sailed to the colonies on the Charles, and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts on April 6, 1633.
In time, the couple settled in Scituate, Massachusetts. During the month of January 1634, James became a freeman, and on January 18, 1634, the two joined the Scituate Massachusetts Church. The couple had seven children: James (1635), Mary (1637), Jonathon (1638-1638), Israel (1641), Joannah (1643), a son (1644), and Jonathon (1648).
For a time, the family moved to Barnstable. During this time, James pursued his interest in raising sheep. In addition, he also became a salter. In later years, he returned to Scituate and continued his professions.
In the fall of 1636, James Cudworth and several other leading citizens were appointed by the Plymouth General Court to serve as a special committee to aid the governor and his assistants in reviewing laws. In 1649, he served as a deputy to the General Court, and in 1652, he was captain of the militia in Scituate. He also served as an assistant to the governor in 1656-1658.
While many of the Puritans left behind their old life in order to maintain religious freedom, many did not offer religious tolerance in return. The colonies handed out harsh punishments to those who did worship as they did, for they did not want other religious groups to live among them. One group in particular, the Quakers, often found themselves at odds with their Puritan neighbors. Some in the colonists pushed for religious freedom for all. My grandfather, James, also believed that religious freedom and acceptance were necessary in the colonies. As he witnessed the intolerable acts against those who did follow the Puritan form of religion, James and several other leaders of the community decided not to enforce such practices on those who worshipped in their own way. He could not tolerate the horrible treatment of the men and the women who were Quakers.
Soon word spread that James was defying the laws. True to his own convictions, he practiced charity and opened his home to the Quakers. Some in the community of Scituate complained, and a petition was sent to the Plymouth Colony Court about 1657/58. The petition stated:
Whereas this Court received a petition from sundry person of the town of Scituate, both of the military company and others, therein expressing sundry grievances relating unto some late carriages of Capt. James Cudworth, a commission officer of the military company of Scituate, in reference to entertaining of some person as are commonly called Quakers, by suffering them to meet in his house, and others with them…do order as followeth, viz: that the said Captain James Cudworth by the court is discharged of his place as captain of the military company of the town of Scituate; the said Capt. James Cudworth also desired the same (The Great Migration 252).
In letters written to England in 1658, James wrote:
The anti-christian, persecuting, spirit is very active. He that will not lash, persecute and punish men that differ in matters of religion, must not sit on the bench, nor sustain any office in the commonwealth…..I signified to the court; but told them withal, that as I was no Quaker, so I would be no persecutor…And give me leave to acquaint you a little with their sufferings, which saddens the hearts of the precious saints of God (Giddings 145).
Although he lost his military position, in 1659, the town of Scituate once again elected him as deputy to the Plymouth Courts. The courts rejected this recruitment and refused to let him serve. On June 6, 1660, my grandfather was stripped of certain freedoms. According to the history of The Great Migration,
Captain Cudworth being found a manifest opposer of the laws of the government, as appears by sundry expressions in a letter directed by him to the Governor and otherwise, is sentenced, according to the law, to be disfranchised of his freedom of the corporation (249).
Overtime, the views of the courts softened towards my grandfather. In 1675, Major James Cudworth was in charge of the Plymouth Colony Militia, and he commanded one hundred men from Plymouth and two hundred men from the Massachusetts Bay Colonies. On October 4, 1675, he was selected as general, and he led troops in King Phillip’s War. By 1681, he served as a Deputy Governor for the Plymouth Colony.
In 1681, the governor, Thomas Hinckley, asked the general to serve again. This time, James was sent on an assignment to the King’s Court in England. The general never appeared before the court, for shortly after his arrival, James contracted smallpox. He died in London sometime after September 15, 1681. Since he died of small pox, he was most likely buried in an unmarked mass grave. However, in the Men of Kent Cemetery in Scituate Massachusetts, a marker was placed to honor General James Cudworth. The memorial reads:
A memorial to General James Cudworth. We honor him as a lover of religious freedom, a brave and able commander, and a true patriot.
After reading about this man, I feel blessed to have him as a grandfather. What a precious legacy this man has left for the generations that follow him.
Family Tree
8th great-grandfather
son of James Cudworth
son of James Cudworth
son of James Cudworth
son of David Cudworth
daughter of Jesse Cudworth
son of Amy Cudworth
daughter of John Andrews
daughter of Amy Andrews
son of Florence Katherine Knacker
daughter of Harold LeRoy Reeder
Works Cited
- Giddings, Edward J. American Christian Rulers, or, Religion and Men of Government:Comprising Sketches in American History of Men of Christian Faith and Experience, Who Have Had Connection with the National and State Governments and the Judicial Department: Embracing Colonial, Revolutionary and Later Periods: Alphabetically Arranged, with Chronological Index of Early State Governors. New York, Bromfield, 1890.
- Shurtleff, Nathaniel Broadstreet, and David Pulsifer. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England. Boston, The Legislature, 1855.
- Stratton, Eugene Aubrey. Plymouth Colony, Its History & People, 1620-1691. Salt Lake City, UT, Ancestry Pub., 1986.
- Walt English. Family. Lulu Press, Inc, 2015.
Tales of a Family 
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Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you enjoy my blog.
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I have recently discovered that James is my 9th great grandfather so it was nice to find this, thanks
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Your Welcome-I’m glad you enjoyed the information.
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Ann Marie! Thanks for adding the ‘pingback’ to my new blog. I had so much to do on my last trip to Boston and the surrounding area. I completely bypassed the Men of Kent cemetery! Oh well, maybe next trip! I was a scout too but I was never PREPARED! Love your website. Enjoy the day!
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I loved your blog! Happy travels!
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James is also my 9th great grandfather. Great history I started researching for my SAR membership and never realized my family’s history. The Whitcomb family in Scituate is very interesting and can’t wait to visit
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I hope to visit there one day too.
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You did a very good job at writing the history of General James Cudworth. His mother, Mary Machell, was a descendant of the Plantagenet family so we have a few kings in our ancestry who were buried at Westminister Abbey. My maiden name is Cudworth, and I’m the 12th generation of American Cudworth’s. When I was a kid, I got to meet Arthur Cudworth, the author of the Cudworth Genealogy Book that was published in the 1970’s.
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Thank you for sharing this with me!
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Arthur Cudworth, who was one of the authors of the Cudworth Genealogy, was my grandfather. I have traveled back to England and Oldham, Aller and Somerset to see where our family came from. There is so much history that is lost.
I have added a printed version of this page to my copy of the Cudworth Genealogy and to all of the paperwork that my Grandfather used in order to pull together the information in the book.
My family hopes that someday we will be able to provide a version of the genealogy that would enable others to fill in their tree after it leaves the Cudworth branch.
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I would love that!
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Diane, if you have anything you could share regarding Mary Machell I would greatly appreciate it. I am currently trying to find what I can regarding her life and lineage. I am trying to compile my many hours of research into a concise book to distribute to my family. We are descended of General James and his grandson Sgt. James who along with his son Lemuel fought in the Revolutionary War. This is a particularly interesting branch of our ancestry! Sending well wishes from Scituate, MA.
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That was my beloved Grandpa!!
He worked very hard on that book and his daughter Nancy helped him
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What a treasure to have from your grandfather! Thank you for sharing!
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Ann, Thank you for such a clear and concise biography of our ancestor General James Cudworth! He is my 10th great grandfather and though my father lives in Scituate, MA, I had no idea I was directly descended from the famous Cudworths until I became in researching my ancestry because I inherited a portrait mini of a Revolutionary War artillery captain. I still can’t prove who is in my portrait mini but I am definitely descended of Sgt James Cudworth through his son Lemuel and granddaughter Azarmy “Susan” Cudworth who married my ancestor William Hull Tourtellotte. On this website, I thought I once found a very interesting tale of how James Cudworth befriended the Pequot Chief (a woman?) and with his militia attended a feast with the Pequots. If on your website, can you direct me to it? I can’t seem to find it now.
Thank you and best regards!
Charles L. Waitt
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Thank you for stopping by, cousin! I love genealogy, and I am glad you found you connection to our xgreat grandfather. I did not write about the Pequots, but when you find it again, could you send me the link? Thank you, Leander.
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Hello Ann and the rest of my kin. I too am a distant grandchild of James Cudworth (and was given the Cudworth name as a middle name). My mother was born to Carl and Donna Cudworth in Colorado. She wrote her thesis on the Cudworth genealogy and was lucky enough to purchase a leather-bound volume of Ralph Cudworth’s True and Complete Intellectual System of the Universe. It is one of our family treasures. I have studied a fair amount on our English ancestors but am not as familiar with our American heritage. I am fascinated by Damaris Cudworth, who had quite an elaborate penmanship with John Locke. Thank you for writing such an interesting and thorough article on the subject. I enjoyed reading it.
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Thank you Gary. I enjoy researching our family tree. How exciting to write a thesis about the Cudworth genealogy! Ralph Cudworth’s book is a treasure. When I find a moment to begin researching again, I want to learn more about Damaris. Her life story and her friendship with John Locke sounds extraordinary. I am glad you enjoyed my article. And it’s amazing to discover distant family that also had roots in Colorado.
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Gary – When was your mother born and what was her first name? Carl is my great-uncle, his brother, Arthur was my grandfather. I would love to be able to add your mothers information to the Cudworth genealogy.
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It was my father’s side of the tree. His name was Harold Reeder; he was born in 1932. Amy Cudworth was his second great grandmother.
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Hi Ann, my mom, Beverly Weisberg (nee Cudworth) was born in Fort Morgan Colorado on September 16, 1930. She passed on September 19, 2014. According to family lore, the circumstances surrounding my mom’s birth were a tad scandalous. Her biological father, Carl Cudworth was the 26-year-old son of the mayor of Fort Morgan. My biological grandmother (Donna Luella Anderson) was 17 when she got pregnant with my mom (must’ve been quite the scandal in 1930). Anyway, given the circumstances at the time, my mom was raised by her grandmother (my great grandma, Marguerite Clatworthy) and was forbidden to see her biological dad (Carl Cudworth) until she was an adult. She and her dad rekindled their relationship when my mom was in her early twenties after the birth of her first son. I don’t recall ever meeting him, as he died at the age of 52. I do have one of his old college yearbooks.
My parents moved to California in 1950 for work opportunities. My mom wrote her thesis on the Cudworth genealogy so I have a great deal of information on the family history. I even went to England several years ago on sort of a genealogical quest. I was granted access to several wills and indentures related to the Cudworth lineage while visiting the British museum. I believe I was granted access because my middle name is Cudworth and it shows up on my driver’s license. So, perhaps it provided me an air of legitimacy when I explained how I was researching the Cudworth family tree. Those documents lead me to churches and grave sites throughout England where learned more about the Cudworth line. My daughter is working on a story (she’s a screen writer) relating to Damaris Cudworth Masham, who, as you know, was a daughter to Ralph Cudworth and a pen-pal to John Locke. Fascinating really.
Have a great day!
Gary
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Thank you for sharing. My mom was born in Colorado and moved to California to find work in th 1950s as well. She was born in Hotchkiss, CO
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I love discovering the Cudworth stories!
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Family lore is always so interesting. I went back to my copy of the Cudworth Genealogy and did find the information about your mother, Beverly and it covers all the information about her marriage to Richard, his parents, how Louis was the son of parents from Austria.
Here is what is known – Carl and Donna were married on Sept. 8, 1929. They had one child, a daughter (your mother), born Sept. 16, 1930. Carl and Donna divorced in June 1931. That was probably the scandal your family talks about and may be why she was raised by her maternal grandmother. Carl remarried in 1938 and he and Helen were together until his death in 1962. Your great-grandfather, George, wasn’t mayor of Ft. Morgan until later in the 30’s and passed away during his first term in 1938. I will add her DOD to the genealogy.
You and your brothers are listed in the genealogy, but as it is with my children, my line ends there, and I too gave my son Cudworth as one of his middle names. Our great-grandmother was Adella, who was Georges’ 3rd wife. She passed away in 1913. He did not remarry, a 4th time, until 1922. Our Grandma Anne, lived until 1973 and is buried in the Ft. Morgan cemetery next to Carl. George, Adella and Jane {your great-great grandmother} are buried in the original plot in the same cemetery. Carl and Helen purchased a plot near her parents, but after Carl died, she left Colorado, remarried but passed away years later in New Mexico.
I hope that this extra bit of information helps fill in some gaps and unfinished stories.
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Hi Cousin! The Cudworth family is so interesting! Thank you for your kind words.
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Thank you for this information! If I’m counting right, James Cudworth was my 8th great grandfather. My great grandmother on my mother’s mother’s side was Mary Aurelia Cudworth Locke, daughter of Joseph Cudworth and Aurelia Frances Todd Cudworth of Chesterfield. Joseph Cudworth was a direct descendant of General James. This is about all I know, but I’m happy to read of his life. I recently finished a book on Roger Williams, as I’m now a RI resident, and the history with the Puritan and Quaker conflict is all the more real to me. I’m proud to have an ancestor who had at least somewhat similar views of Roger Williams. I wonder if they knew one another? Roger Williams did live in Plymouth County for a time as well so maybe!
Less happy to hear of his involvement in King Phillips War, but not all of history is pretty, and here we all are.
I remember hearing as a child that someone had traced the family, and that Cudworths had been on the Mayflower. Obviously not true but close and it’s exciting to learn about. I wish I had the sense to ask my grandmother (Eleanor Locke Barker, Mary Aurelia’s daughter) questions about the family, but she died when I was 9, and I was too young. But I’ve always wanted to learn more and glad I have finally started. Thank you!
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You are welcome. Thank you for stopping by my blog.
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