National Archives, Kew:
Particular Baptist Chapel, Devizes, Wiltshire RG4/2230 f11
The children of John RUDMAN (himself was born 27 January 1763) whose wife was Elizabeth,
the daughter of Thos. ELLEN (his wife is a member)
James RUDMAN was born the 19 September 1788
Samuel 16 March 1790
Rachel 10 July 1791
William 24 December 1792 (died in infancy)
Benjamin 9 April 1794
Hannah 24 July 1796
Jonah 15 May 1798
Martha 4 August 1800
Mara 9 May 1802
For further information on the Rudman family tree, a good starting point is
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=1625-2009&id=I3
London Metropolitan Archives:
Samuel RUDMAN married Ann TRINGHAM on 12 December 1819 in St.Andrew's, Holborn.
Both signed their names. Witnesses: Benjamin RUDMAN and Rachel STEVENS.
At the time of his death on June 19, 1841 he was running a farm for Howse and Maskell at the Koonap Post. He died in mysterious circumstances. According to the Grahamstown Journal June 24, 1841. "On Saturday last (19th June, 1841) an express was received in town from Capt. Lonsdale, the officer commanding Fort Brown purporting that a person named Rudman, an Englishman, in the employ of Messrs Howse and Maskell, had been shot through the head by Kaffirs that had beset the house during the night and on his opening the door he was instantly shot by the marauders. This information coming so quickly upon the heels of reports of several other daring outrages ..... a requisition was immediately drawn up and transmitted to the Lt. Governor as follows....
Grahamstown 19th June, 1841.
The circumstances of the death of the unfortunate man Rudman has been under
investigation during the whole of this week, but the matter seems involved
in considerable mystery. The wife of the deceased persists that ... she
distinctly heard marauders about the house, that she woke her husband
... that he arose and that on going to the door of the hut in which they
were living he was shot through the head. In opposition to this it is
stated by the patrol and others who visited the spot the following day,
that not the slightest trace of Kaffirs around the premises is to be found.
Suspicion has fallen on two persons of color... These persons had quarreled,
the day before Rudman was killed and he had interfered to prevent their
fighting... It goes on to say it is likely an accident, deceased having
shot himself when his gun went off.
Ibid 8.7.1841.
Nothing has transpired as we have heard, to convince the public that this
unfortunate man did not fall by the hand of a Kaffir.... Mrs. Rudman states
that she and her husband went to reside on Mr. Howses farm on the Fish River,
about the middle of May... states that at the time of his death he had no
gun with him.
Ibid 15.7.1841.
It is equally well known that Mr. Howse's farm servants, including the man
Rudman, since killed, were driven away from a farm near the Koonap Post on
which the proprietor was about to farm on establishment. Since the
publication of our last the widow of Rudman has been cited to appear before
the Resident Magistrate... and has made a depositure of the facts attending
the death of her husband. Between this account and that published by us
there is some little discrepancy.....
So whether she did away with her husband or whether he was killed by marauders is not known. I could however not find any trace of his estate, where he is buried or any indication at all of an estate for him.
Rudman - Cape of Good Hope. Government Gazette 7.3.1845.
In Hezekiah Sephton's party, William Cary Hobson Lot number 27, 3 morgen
395 square roods, with one share in the commonage being the share of
Samuel Rudman, who sold to B. Patric, who sold to C.T. Croft, who sold to
W.C. Hobson.
Rietfontein party, Thomas F. King 2 morgen 111 square roods, being Lot number 4 surveyed for the said King with one share in the commonage purchased from Thomas Croft. Also 7 morgen and 253 square roods being Lot number 3 surveyed for the said King, with three shares in the commonage purchased from S. Rudman, Thos Slater and William Muir.
Samuel Rudman was a husbandman, aged 28 in 1820. Benjamin Rudman (his brother) - also on the Aurora - was also a husbandman, aged 27 in 1820.
