The American ancestor of the Rudds of Bennington, Vermont, and Hoosick, New York, is Lieutenant Jonathan Rudd, who came from England, settled in New Haven, Connecticut, 1640; was freeman of Saybrook, 1644, took oath of allegiance in Hartford, 1651, was of importance in the town of Saybrook, assistant to Captain Mason in the fort there, 1652, leather sealer, 1656, and held main public offices of trust. He married, 1646-47, the name unknown, but she was one of the principals in the most romantic marriages ever performed in Connecticut. The wedding day was fixed and a magistrate engaged to perform the ceremony, but a great snowstorm prevented his coming. Application was made to Governor Winthrop, but he, deriving authority from Massachusetts, could not legally marry in Massachusetts, but proposed that the contracting parties come to the boundary of the colony, a narrow stream, and he would marry them from the Massachusetts side. This was done, and Winthrop and his friends from Pequot met the bridal party from Saybrook. Here the ceremony was performed "under the shelter of no roof, by no hospitable fireside, without accommodations, but those furnished by the snow covered earth, the over-arching Heaven and perchance the sheltering side of a forest of pines or cedars," never perhaps was the legal rite performed in a situation so wild and solitary and under circumstances so peculiar and interesting. From that day the little stream has been known as Bride Brook. Winthrop in his deposition says: "And at that time, the place had (received) the denomination of Bride Brook." That a considerable party had assembled is evident from the narrative, and he further says, "all were well satisfied with what was done."
(II) Nathaniel, believed to be son of Lieutenant Jonathan Rudd, was born in 1660, died April, 1727. He settled at West Farms, in what is now the town of Franklin, where he was one of the organizers of the first church there. He married (first) April, 1685, Mary Post, died November, 1705; (second) Abigail Hartshorn, January 21, 1706. Children by first marriage:
- Jonathan, born May 22, 1693, married Joanna Gregory;
- Mary, February 3, 1695, married Ebenezer Wood;
- Lydia, died young.
Children by second marriage:
- Nathaniel, born April 6, 1707;
- Joseph, of further mention;
- Daniel, March 12, 1710, married Mary Metcalf;
- Sarah, January 23, 1712;
- Abigail, August 6, 1713;
- Lydia, April 12, 1715;
- Anna, February 7, 1717;
- Susanna, March 15, 1719;
- Gideon, February 2, 1722;
- Patience, November 6, 1723.
(III) Joseph, son of Nathaniel and Abigail (Hartshorn) Rudd, was born in Windham, Connecticut, October 31, 1708. He probably died there shortly after the revolution. He married and had several children, as Joseph his son says in this letter, written after the battle of Bennington that "Brother John and myself," and closes by sending love to his brothers and sisters.
(IV) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) Rudd, was born in Connecticut, 1740, died 1818. He settled in Vermont, married and was living in Bennington at the time the battle was fought with the British, in 1777. The following letter was written to his father:
"Bennington, August 26, A. D. 1777.
Honored Father:
After my duty, I take this opportunity to write you, hoping these lines will find you well, as through the goodness of God, they leave me and my family. We met with a great deal of trouble on the 16th inst., Myself and brother John were preserved through a very hot battle. We killed and took according to the best account we can get, about one thousand of the enemy. Our loss was about thirty or forty. We marched right up against their breastwork with our small arms, while they fired upon us with their field pieces every half minute, yet they never touched a man with them. We drove them out of their breastwork, and took their field pieces and pursued and killed a great number of them. We took four or five of my neighbors, two Snyders and two Hornbecks. The bigger part of Dutch Hoosac was in the battle against us. They went to the regulars a day or two before the fight. While I was gone, my wife and children went down to Williamstown. After I came home, I went after them and found them at Landlord Simons. I now have them home again. We soon expect the inemy will come upon us again and what I will do with my family, I know not. I want to inform you, that I received your letter, dated August 18. I want to come and see you very much, but when I shall I know not. Remember me to brothers and sisters and inquiring friends. No more at present, but I remain,
"Your dutiful son, until death,
"Joseph Rudd."
This letter is preserved in the Historical Museum at Bennington, Vermont. He was one of the signers of a petition sent to England and presented to the court of Great Britain in 1767; this petition represented the grievance of the settlers against the government of New York, and prayed for a confirmation of the New Hampshire grants held or occupied by them. At the raising of the Hubble house in 1769 a demand was made for a wedding. It was known that Joseph Rudd and Miss Story were engaged. She lived near by. Rev. Mr. Dewey said to Joseph: "If you go and lead Sarah over here I will marry you for nothing." "It's a bargain." Timbers were laid down and the ceremony performed. Joseph Rudd married Sarah Story, who died 1842, aged ninety-eight years. Sarah Story was of revolutionary stock and was acquainted with Colonel Ethan Allen. One of her brothers, a boy of sixteen, was taken prisoner with Allen. Another brother was captured by Indians in Connecticut and the second night he made his escape. (The following record is taken from a paper written by a granddaughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Harris, when over seventy years of age. The manuscript is neatly and plainly written.) Children:
- Celinda, married Zachary Brown, died at "Grand fathers place," leaving four children:
- Celinda, married Reuben Armstrong;
- Harriet, married William Gould;
- Story;
- Enos B.
- Sally, married a Mr. Potter, and removed west.
- Joseph, married a Miss Smith, and removed to western New York.
- Lucy, married a Mr. Boice and lived in western New York.
- Enos, married Abigail Wood, sister of Betsey, wife of David Rudd. Enos lived and died on "Grandfather's old place."
- Patty, married Samuel Wadsworth, and lived in Bennington, Vermont.
- David, of whom further.
[From Addenda and Errata in Vol. IV, p. xlviii: "at the time of the Battle of Bennington, Joseph Rudd (IV) went to the battle, and his wife and four children went to Williamstown, she and three children riding a horse, and Celinda, the oldest, seven years old, walking alongside, a distance of nineteen miles — a case of unusual hardship, especially for the daughter Celinda."]
(V) David, youngest child of Joseph (2) and Sarah (Story) Rudd was born in Bennington, Vermont, 1786, died 1854. He was a farmer of substance and prominence, and a Democrat. He married Betsey Wood, born 1791, died 1856, daughter of Andrew and Abigail (Adams) Wood, who were the parents of:
- Aaron;
- Wealthy, married Daniel Hamilton, and lived in the west;
- Abigail;
- Betsey, married David Rudd.
Mr. and Mrs. Rudd had thirteen children, nine of whom reached the years of maturity, and all married except one:
- Sabrina, born May 27, 1814; married Luman Norton, whom she survived; children: David and Marshal.
- Elijah, born April 8, 1816; married Jane Maynard; children living: Fayette, Frank and Ella.
- Martha, born April 23, 1818, died at age of forty-four years; she married Andrew Sawyer; had eleven children, eight of whom are living, mostly resident of the state of Michigan: Martha, Mary, Andrew, David, Sarah, deceased, Harriet, Romanzo, deceased, Salome, Laura, deceased, Sabrina, Addie.
- John W., born July 22,1820; married Charlotte Andrews; children living: George, Martha and Florence.
- David, born June 29, 1822, died aged forty-three years; married Harriet Maynard; child living, Jessie.
- Elizabeth, born October 19, 1825, married E. Stearns Harris; child, Emory; at the age of seventy Mrs. Harris prepared a family record, to which this record is due. Besides her own son, Emory, she reared two girls, Laura Sawyer (deceased) and Mary Chase, "both good girls."
- Sanford Highville, of whom further.
- Ira, born July 15, 1831; unmarried.
- Harriet, born October 11, 1832; married Edward Kinsley; they have no children, but adopted a daughter Addie, who married Sanford Rudd (2), whom she survived with two children: Allura and Kinsley.
The four deceased children of David and Betsey (Wood) Rudd were:
- Abbie, the first born child, died aged two years;
- Catherine, born June 2, 1837, lived five years and three months;
- Forrester, lived two years;
- Aaron, died aged two years.
(VI) Sanford Highville, seventh child of David and Betsey (Wood) Rudd, was born in Bennington, Vermont, March 1, 1827. He was educated in the public schools and reared a farmer. In 1876 he settled on a large farm, which he purchased in Hoosick, Rensselaer county, New York, which he has since most successfully operated. He served the town as assessor for seven years, and has always been a man of influence. He is a Democrat in politics. He married (first) Fanny Watson, who bore him eight children:
- Ebb;
- David, deceased;
- Harriet;
- Bessie;
- Sanford (2), deceased;
- Edward, deceased; and
- Zoe, deceased;
- Joseph D., deceased.
He married (second) Celestia, daughter of Joseph Mattison, born in Rhode Island, July 25, 1795, died September 13, 1870; married, 1845, Phoebe Gates, born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, died June, 1858. Children of second marriage: Warren, Ernest and Archie L. Of these children all married but two, and there are thirty-one grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren in the family.