Person:Stephen Scovell (1)

From Eastman's book

[William Scovil, a military man in Boston, is presumed to be a son of John's.]

Arthur had removed with this family from Boston to Middletown in the fall of 1670, and would seem to have lived there continuously for the next eight years, when in a remarkable document bearing date of September 24, 1678, he described himself as "of Lyme," and attempted to entail upon his four minor children all of his real property in Middletown, without granting them power to make alienation thereof. The effect of the instrument was virtually a will, and very differnt from an ordinary conveyance... His intention in so doing cannot be discovered from the deed itself, the language merely setting for that he had sufficient reasons.

Strikingly significant is the fact that, although certain personal property is given or bequeathed to his eldest son Arthur in the quasi-will... no mention is made of his wife Joanna; and the natural inference is that she was at that time already deceased. Assuming such to have been the case, Arthur's removal to Lyme in 1678, with four young children on his hands and his home broken up, becomes readily intelligible. Lyme was then a flourishing community, more populous than Middletown, and numbered among its inhabitants several families from Boston and vicinity, some of whom may have been previous acquaintances of Arthur. Under these circumstances it would not be surprising for him to have remarried and made a new home for himself. As a matter of fact, there is strong presumptive evidence to show that this is precisely what happened...

Whatever may have been the immediate purpose of the semi-will or deed of entail above referred to, it was revoked by Arthur a decade later, as shown by Middletown land records, under date of October 8, 1688, and declared by him over his signature to be utterly void and of non-effect. Whether or not he was legally empowered to cancel this instrument, there can be no doubt that such was his intention, nor can we doubt that he had sufficient motives prompting its revocation. There is no proof that he returned to Middletown to live at this time, nor at any time subsequently unless shortly before his death, which ocurred there Feb. 7, 1706-07; and he may have been there merely on a visit. Be that as it may, immediately after Arthur's death a disagreement among his heirs arose in regard to the Middletown property, which dispute was only settled by an appeal to the Governor and Council for the appointment of arbitrators. Thus, Middletown land records (vol. 2, p. 170) contain the following:

"For as much as James Scovel, John Scovil, William Borden and Nathaniel Hudson for themselves and their heirs have made choice of us whose names are underwritten to arbitrate the differences relating to their father Arthur Scovel;s deceased lands in Middletown," etc. (Dated March 2, 1705-06; thereafter follows award and very minute division)...

We have entered into this rather detailed discusion because it is a matter of utmost important for the purpose of the present compilation to determine the origin, if possible, of one Stephen Scovil of Lyme, a problem which has given rise to divers speculations, but up to the present time has remained unsolved. The wife of this Stephen Scovil was Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Brockway) Champion...

To explain the facts of Stephen's origin it is necessary to frame some kind of an hypothesis, and a choice is presented of these alternatives. Either we may regard the obscure "William Scovil" of Dr. Field's mention as a real personage, and putative father of Stephen; or else we must suppose Arthur Scovil of Boston, Middletown and Lyme to have been his father, probably by a second marraige after the death of his wif Joanna - always bearing in mind, however, that there is no public record of a second marriage, nor of the death of his first nor of a conjectural second wife. In the one case we are obliged to acknowledge that there is absolutely no proof of the existence of a William Scovil at anything like so early a date as that reported by Dr. Field... One is obliged to admit that no other Scovil progenitor of the same geneartion as Arthur and John can be found anywhere in Connecticut Colony who owned real property, or died leaving an estate to be administered, so far as can be discovered from contempory sources. Under these circumstances the alleged early settler of Haddam, who is reported to have removed thither from Hartford "not far from the year 1668," fades into a more or less nebulous personage, in fact a nonentity.

John and "William Scovil" being eliminated, there remains only Arthur who described himself in the year 1678 as "of Lyme" and probably passed the remainder of his life there, to be considered as a possible parent of Stephen. One supposes the latter to have been an immigrant colonist; and absolutely no other heads of families bearing the Scovil patronymic are known to have been in this country toward the close of the century besides Arthur and John. Stephen was of a later generation than theirs, and if he did not belong to one or the other of their households, it is impossible to account for his origin. John's family is excluded, by virtue of documentary evidence; wherefore Stephen can be assigned only to the family of Arthur. The reasons for regarding him, provisionally at least, as a son by a second marriage, are these: First, the fact that he must have been born at a later date than September, 1678, at which time Joanna probably was dead, since neither real nor personal property was bestowed upon her by the deed of entail on file at Middletown, nor any provision made for her maintenance. Secondly, had he been a son of Arthur and Joanna, Stephen would undoubtedly have shared in the distribution of his father's estate, and must needs have joined with the other heirs in the petition for appointment of arbitrators of the dispute which arose among the heirs following Arthur's decease.

The fact that there was disagreement among the heirs is significant. It implies that the question was raised whether the problematical deed of entail was to be construed as having testamentary effect, or whether it was no longer operative after having been revoked by Arthur, or after he had attempted to revoke it. It may be held to imply, also, that Stephen's rights were involved, considering that he was an heir; but that the dispute was terminated so far as his individual claims were concerned, probably by private agreement with the other heirs, before the matter was submitted to arbitration. Or, since his name does not appear along with the other petitioners, we may suppose that on becoming of age, or at the time of his marriage in Lyme a few months prior to Arthur's decease, he had already received his portion of the patrimony. Having explained these difficulties, there remains but one valid objection to our hypothesis - the fact that no record exists of Arthur's inferred second marriage, nor of the death of his conjectural second wife, which must have antedated his own decease.

These omissions can only be accounted for by the charge that Lyme records, like those of many other New England towns in those days were carelessly kept or otherwise defective.

It may be objected by some that the foregoing arguments are not conclusive and that we are not sufficiently justified in claiming that the relationship between Arthur and Stephen Scovil was that of father and son. We will now endeavor to show what further reasons xist for believing that they were actually thus related, and would invite attention to the following circumstance:

First, it was a common custom in those days for Christian names to be perpetuated int he male line from one generation to another. When there were several sons, the first born was pretty certain to be named after his father or paternal grandfather, and the next eldest after some other near relative, often a maternal uncle or grandparent. That the father of the two immigrant colonists was named John may be considered probable from the fact that this is the only Chrisitan name which reappears in common among the children of both Arthur and John Scovil. Turning now to the family of Stephen, we find that his eldest son was Stephen, and his second son was named Arthur. This can hardly have been a mere coincidence.

Secondly, a Lyme deed bearing date of Dec. 22, 1715, from one Peter Pratt to Stephen Scovil, was acknowledged in presence of two witnesses: William Borden and Joanna Scovil. Again we are struck with it being either a signifcant fact or an extremely singular coincidence that both persons were near kinsfolk of Arthur Scovil. William Borden was his son-in-law, husband of Elizabeth, Stephen's supposed half-sister. Joanna, a minor witness, was eldest daughter of John Scoivl who married Mary Luca, and suposed niece of Stephen. Among the entire population of Lyme, why should these connections of Arthur Scovil witness this deed in favor of Stephen Scovil unless they were at the same time his relatives?

Thirdly, a son of this same Stephen Scovil, Thomas by name, married in 1749 Jerusha, daughter of James Scovil of Wallingford, and great-granddaughter of Arthur. At about the same time another of Stephen's sons, Nathan, removed from Hadlyme parish to Wallingford, and purchased land near Notch Mountain adjoining that of the afore-mentioned James Scovil. Hadlyme and Wallingford are some distance apart, and communication was not easy in those days. Yet the two Scovil families must have been intimately acquainted to permit of the above events taking place, and this acquaintance was probably due to the fact of a previously existing relationship between the parties.

Fourthly, in the year 1735 Stephen and the same James Scovil of Meriden-Wallingford were associated in the purchase of a tract of land in Harwinton. Neither of them located there, but appear merely to have invested toegther in a business enterprise. James eventually sold his holdings, Stephen gave his in turn to his son Ezekiel, who settled in that region. But the point to be emphasized is that these heads of families, living some distance apart, had business dealings severally or together in a still more remote region, and can scarcely be supposed to have joined in these negotiations with each other except as a result of their mutual relationship.

As indicated in Lyme records and by a reference in Hempstead's diary, page forty-six, Stephen Scoville was engaged in the manufacture of planks and staves, being probably associated with his father-in-law, Thomas Champion, in the ownership and management of a sawmill situated on the Eight Mile River in the town of Lyme. This is a considerable stream, formed by two branches, one arising in the town of East Haddam, the other in the town of Salem. It flows into Eight Mile River Cove, sometimes called Hamburg Cove, near the present village of Hamburg.

Stephen appears to have owned land along Beaver Brook, an indication that he was in the fur trade. This was near the present village of North Lyme, in 1724 he bought thirty acres of land, bounded "on the commons," in what was to become, some twenty-five years later, the Parish of Hadlyme. He became a member of the Hadlyme Church in 1745/6. Mrs. Sarah Scoville was admitted to full communion in the First Church of East Haddam Dec 19, 1731. The church was located six miles to the north of their residence.

Sometime around 1742, a church was gathered in Hadlyme and Sarah became a member of it. Stephen joined in 1745/46. Shortly after, several of their children were baptized as adults by the Hadlyme pastor and joined the church.

Stephen Scoville left a will, which follows, copied from a photostat of the instrument, the original of which is on file at the State Library, Hartford. The religious sentiments in the opening paragraph were standard for the day. The will was probably written by the Reverend Grindal Rawson, pastor of the Hadlyme church and one of Stephen's witnesses.

In the name of God Amen. I Stephen Schoval of East Haddam in the county of Hartford and colony of Connecticut; calling in mind my mortality and that it is appointed for all men once to die, and being of perfect mind and memory, for which I desire to bless God, I do now make this my last will and testament, and firstly I do give my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body to be buried with decent Christian burial and respecting what estate God hath blessed me with al here; I do after all my lawful debts are paid by my executor hereafter mentioned, I give and bestow in manner and form as follows this twentieth day of May Annoque Domini 1752.

Imprimis. Unto my beloved wife Sarah Schoval I do give and bequeath the use of my house and lands and tenements during her remaining my widow, and that provided my son Thomas Schoval behave well toward her, that he shall have the improvement thereof and live with her, allowing her therefor an honorable maintenance out of the same; and provided he or his heirs and etc, shall abide to perform the same as above, he to have it after her disease, whom with my wife I do ordain executors of this my last will and testament and here to be understood that she keep sundry moveable as she shall judge needful for her to keeping house so long as she lives.

To my beloved son Stephen Schoval besides what I have already given him I do give him ten shillings old tenner to be paid by my executors within suitable time after my disease.

To my beloved son Arthur Schoval I do give besides what I have already given him ten shillings of old tenner paid as above.

With respect to my beloved sons and daughter, viz. Ezekiel Schoval, Hezekiah Schoval, Daniel Schoval, Sara Brockway, and Mary Beckwith; I do give my moveable to be equally divided, considering what each of them had as portion when they divide, and that their brother Nathan Schoval is to come in with them in the division equal as above as may be mentioned hereafter this to be noted that mother's to keep as she shall need to keep house with all till her diseased, and yn divided.

Unto my beloved son Thomas Schoval I do give the bequeath my tenements and land after my wife's decease as above sd, or to come in the possession thereof before provided by mother shall marry again.

To my beloved son Nathan Schoval I do give to come in with his other brothers and sisters mentioned together an equal part of my moveable estate within the same terms and in the same manner as before mentioned of them.

Signed, sealed, published and pronounced this to be my last will and testmt canceling all former wills and testaments. In testimony whereof I do set my hand and seal the day and date before mentioned before... WitnessesEphraim Fuller Sarah Smith Grandal Rawson

Samuel Crosby, Christopher Holmes, and Nath'l Beckwith conducted the inventory. The total amount of the estate was L168-8-6.

Some of Stephen's personal belongings were: A Castor Hat, blue straight body coat, another of brown, 2 great coats, two vest, 2 pairs leather breeches, 2 paris of shoes, 2 pairs of buckles, pair of boots and spurs, black and blue stockings, another pair of stockings, 1 Holland shirt, another shirt, flannel check shirt, check woolen shirt, 2 pairs linen draws, 1 Holland Cap, 1 Holon handkerchief, two cpas 1 pair of mittens, silk handkerchief.

Among the household items were a great chair and four other chairs, a brass kettle, pewter and wooden dishes, pewter spoons and other knives and forks, 1 iron skillet, 5 pairs of knitting needles, an iron candlestick, 1 churn, shoemakers bench and tools, assorted sheets and a tablecloth. He owned one napkin, but had six coverlets for three beds.

Farming implements included a hammer, a pair of old chisels, 2 guns, and a sickel, but Stephen also owned a Testament, a psalm book, one account book, a psalter, a catechism book, and three other bound books. He had a horse, two cows and a calf, and 2 swine.

Thumbing his nose at 21st century purists, when Stephen died he was in possession of eleven pounds of tobacco. The inventory goes on to say that the house was worth 25L, the barn 9, and a total of 37 1/2 acres of land.

1. ↑ Homer Worthington Brainard. SCOVELL: A Survey of the Scovils or Scovills in England and America; Seven Hundred Years of History and Genealogy. (privately printed Hartford 1915 (250 copies) Springfield Printing & Binding Co.)
   p. 505.
2. ↑ Lynda Sue Scoville Ward. SCOVELL: A Scoville Branch in America: A Genealogy and Story, 1660-1990. (The author, 126 Lexington Court, Andover, Kansas 67002; The Ward Publishing Co., Andover, Kansas 1990).