Daniel SCOFIELD

Notes:

Name:
According to "Connecticut Ancestry"

There were two first cousin Hannah Hoyts in Stamford who could have married Daniel Scofield. This one was selected by Blair Scofield ("Descendants of Daniel Scofield (1616-1669/70) and seems more feasible, based on their respective ages (she would have been about 20 years old at the time of this marriages, rather than 25 years as the other would have been). The writer of the usually reliable Hoyt Genealogy (David W. Hoyt, A genealogical History of the Hoyt, Haight, and Hight Families) was non-committal on the choice. The other Hannah was the daughter of Benjamin and Hannah (Weed) Hoyt, b. 3 Jun 1676. this latter Hannah Hoyt was selected as Daniel's wife by Prindle in his Gillespie genealogy.

Editor's note: I have decided to leave as is. I am using the reference according to the Hoyt book.

Daniel married Hannah HOYT on 17 Apr 1701 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Hannah (daughter of Benjamin HOYT and Hannah WEED) was born on 03 Jun 1676 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died after 1719 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Sarah SCOFIELD was born in 1715 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died between 1755 and 1776 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
2. Nathan SCOFIELD was born on 14 Apr 1702 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; died in 1786 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
3. Josiah SCOFIELD was born in 1705 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died between 1755 and 1777.
4. Abigail SCOFIELD was born on 06 Sep 1706 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 25 Sep 1706 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
5. Charles SCOFIELD was born in 1712 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 31 Aug 1789 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
6. Reuben SCOFIELD was born on 27 Dec 1719 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 01 Jul 1756 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
7. Hannah SCOFIELD was born on 06 Sep 1706 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died between 1743 and 1757.
8. Miles SCOFIELD was born on 16 Mar 1709/10 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died in Mar 1778 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.

Notes:

Name:
"Connecticut Ancestry": Prindle gives an excellent and complete account of Daniel Scofield's land transactions in Stamford, as well as his considerable public service. Over the years from the time he reached his majority about 1667-1668 until the time of his death in 1714 he served the town in countless ways, as selectman, on school and church committees, and in a variety of lesser elected and appointed positions He was regularly called upon to take inventories and assist in administration of estates. His children married into the families of many of Stamford's other leading citizens. His selection for service to the town indicated an obvious measure of respect that culminated in the designation as "Mr." in some records of his later years.

Daniel Scofield died intestate at Stamford on 10 October 1714, and his son Samuel Scofield and son-in-law Lt. Samuel Weed were designated to administer the estate. His inventory was taken on 22 November 1714 and presented in Court by Samuel Scofield and Samuel Weed, countersigned by Samuel Hait/Hoyt (the smith), Samuel Weed, Daniel Weed, Daniel Scofield (clearly the son Daniel), Samuel Bates and "Serh Scofeld" (the latter not positively identified name). The inventory listed the homestead of Daniel Scofield and several other parcels of land throughout Stamford, but interestingly also included "the homestead of Joseph Scofield and "the homelot of Samuel Scofield," indicating that these two sons were still living on their father's lands......

Daniel married Abigail MERWINStamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Abigail (daughter of Miles MERWIN and Elizabeth POWELL) was born in 1656 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA; died after 1714 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Death: Between 10 Feb 1669 and 1670, Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

Notes:

Name:
"Connecticut Ancestry": Daniel Scofield was in Stamford by December 1641, when his name appeared on a list to be granted a 2-acre homelot with 3 acres of woodland. His name did not appear among the lists of persons who migrated to Stamford with the Rev. Richard Denton fro Wethersfield earlier that year, and he had therefore presumably come from some other place. His brother Richard Scofield, a later settler of Stamford (in about 2655), is known to have come from Ipswich, Massachusetts, and it is possible that Daniel had also come from Ipswich, although no records have yet been found for Daniel prior to his appearance in Stamford.

Genealogist have pieced together several versions of a Scofield family genealogy, but although several competent researchers have tackled parts of the job, no definitive genealogy has yet appeared. the most comprehensive treatment yet for this family has appeared recently in journal "Connecticut Ancestry", in a series of articles by two members of connecticut Ancestry, researched primarily by Blair C. Scofield of Orem, Utah and prepared for publication by Bob Spiers. Although these articles diligently attempt to identify places in the family for all descendants (and particularly to delineate the lines from the two settlers), they have relied heavily upon secondary sources, and have not contributed a substantial amount of original research except for their valiant attempt to resolve discrepancies among existing Scofield materials.

In his 1932 book commonly known as "Washington Ancestry", Charles Arthur Hoppin provided a considerable amount of detail on the career of Richard Scofield (his client's ancestor), but also mentioned Daniel's career in Stamford as well. Hoppin found that the surname had its origin in Lancashire, England, first noted in Rochdale, Lancashire in the 13th Century. Variant spellings include: Schofield ( the spelling used by Hoppin as a preferred spelling), Scholefield, Scholfield, Schofeld, Scholefeld, etc. The sometimes used meaning of "School Field" is discounted by Hoppin as an over-simplification. Although Hoppin stated flatly that the two brothers of Stamford "came from the lancashire Schofields," and provided some English data to confirm that this was likely, he was unable to provide conclusive proof of the actual descent (and, to his credit, did not guess at one either). later writers have continued to claim lines to the Rochdale family, but they are not yet confirmed by any rigorous study of primary records, and must be considered possible, at best. The English line for Daniel Scofeld given by the recent "Connecticut Ancestry" articles, is: DANIEL SCOFIELD (Alexander, Cuthbert, James).

Several other partial genealogies of the family have appeared. "The Scofield Dictionary" and "the Scofields of Northfield, Minnesota," both by Robert LeRoy Scofield, is available on a Connecticut Ancestry Society microfilm. unfortunately, the second half of the Dictionary's alphabetical listings of Scofields has been lost. Nevertheless, this work provided the foundation for much of the later generations in the Blair Scofield compilation.

Another earlier compilation was prepared by Harriet Scofield of the Western reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, and is known as "A Scofield Survey." This compilation was completed for publication in typescript form by Henry Burdette Whipple in 1972, following Miss Scofield's death on 21 June 1970. the compilation is in outline form and, although it was compiled by a responsible genealogist, is unfortunately not documented, at least in its published form. Another (unrelated ) harriet E. Scofield of Minneapolis also prepared an outline version of a limited Scofield Genealogy.

Once again, the work of Paul W. Prindle may be used with confidence regarding the early generations of the Scofield families of Stamford. Prindle gives an especially good treatment of the real estate transactions and land holdings for Daniel Scofield, that will not be repeated here. One of those land transactions, a gift of 10 acres from William Graves, deserves special mention since it may indicate a possible relationship to Graves (perhaps related to Scofield's wife).

The brotherhood of Richard and Daniel Scofield of stamford is proven by a land record in which, "I Rrichard Scofield doe discharge my brother Daniel Scofield of a sertain parsell of the coman fence in the East Field....etc.," dated 11th day, 1st month (March) 1666/67/ It appears that Richard did not arrive in Stamford until about 14 years after Daniel, since the first record there for Richard is the recording of birth of his daughter Elizabeth on 27 November 1655. Clearly, the two brothers had traveled by different schedules, and perhaps different paths as well, prior to their coming together in Stamford. Richard's passage to the New World was well documented in a passenger list, and we therefore know that he was on board the "Susan & Ellen" in 1635. Unfortunately for this present story, Daniel's name did not appear on this same passenger list, and researchers have been unable to determine his time of immigration. Hoppin claims that Daniel Scofield was in Massachusetts "for a brief period of months," and later in Wethersfield for three years before going to Stamford, but none of this is supported with documentation and appears to be a fabrication. To repeat, we simply do not have any records of Daniel Scofield prior to his arrival in Stamford in 1641.

Scofield and Spiers give Daniel Scofield's birth as "abt. 1616," but without specific reference. Hoppin said that he was "between 50 and 60 years of age" when he died (before 10 February 1669/70), which would give a birth year range of about 1610-1620. Other researchers has come up with a birth year of 1595 for Daniel Scofield, apparently based on earlier work by william A.D. Eardeley. No marriage date has been found, and only his last child's birth was recorded in Stamford in 1657, so no good reasons for speculation on a birth year are found in these areas. About all we can say is that he was probably an adult (21 years of age or greater) in 1641 when he received his land distribution at Stamford, and was therefore born before about 1620, probably in England......


The will of Daniel Scofield was made at Stamford 1 September 1669 and witnessed by George Slason and John Holly. He designated his wife to be executrix (no name stated) along with his tow sons Daniel and John, executors, and gave legacies to his daughter Sarah and her tow minor children, and to "my other four children" (that is, to Daniel, John Joseph and Mercy) the three sons to have the house and homelot (subject to the widow's thirds) and the residue of the estate equally except for the son Daniel who was to have "ten pounds over plus." He died sometime during the following winter, since his inventory was taken on 10 February 1669/70 (10th day 12th month 1669) by Lt. Francis Bell and John Holly. The will was signed with a mark, as was an earlier deed given to john Mead on 20 February 659/60, indicating that Daniel Scofield was unable to sign his own name and was probably not an educated person.

Daniel married Sarah YOUNGS. Sarah was born in 1624 in Southolt, Suffolk, England; died on 05 Mar 1697/98 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield": He was nephew of Mrs. Abigail (d. at Windsor, 18 May 1684), widow first of John Branke (d. 27 May 1662), and afterwards of Rev. John Warham (d. 1 Apr. 1670). Her Est. ordered distributed to Elizabeth John, Abigail, Thomas, Samuel and Miles, children of her cousin Miles Merwin.
Tanner, of Milford, where he d. 23 apr. 1697.

Name:
"Connecticut Ancestry": Althought no specific passenger list has survived for the trip, many authorities have claimed that Miles Merwin came to America on board the ship "Mary & John" in its voyage of 20 March 1629/30 (which preceded the sailing of the Winthrop Fleet by about 2 weeks). The claim was based on the fact that Abigal (Searle) Branker, widow of schoolmaster John Branker of Dorchester, Massachusetts and Windsor, Connecticut, and also of the Rev. John Warham of Dorchester, Massachusetts and Windsor, Connecticut, and also of the Rev. John Warham of Windsor, was known to have been an aunt of Miles Merwin. However, although Rev. Mr. Warham was a member of the "Mary & John" party in 1630, it appears that the Brankers did not migrate until 1632. Even if Miles Merwin did travel to America in 1632 in the company of his (presumed) aunt Abigail Brnaker, as may certainly be possible, or sometime later, he was apparently NOT a passenger on the "Mary & John". Recent scholarship has accepted this vie and does not include Miles Merwin among the settlers of New England through 1633.

In 1635, when the Warham party left Dorchester, Massachusetts by overland trail to settle what became the town of Windsor, Connecticut, the young Miles Merwin (age about 12 years) was thought by earlier researchers to have been with them, traveling with the Brankers. Richardson believes, however, that Merwin may have come to New England on board the ship "Susan and Ellen" as late as 1640, in company with his uncle, John Tinker, but this, too is speculation.

Regardless of how or when he arrived here, the first record we have of Miles Merwin in America was of a land arrangement he made with a Mr. Whiting in Windsor in about 1644. Miles Merwin gave testimony in a court case of 1684 in which he "aged about 60 years" testified that he had obtained rights to work a parcel of and in windsor from Mr. William Whiting of Hartford. No date was given, but other testimony by John Dumbleton (who was a servant of Mr Whiting) indicated that Dumbleton had obtained the same piece of land in 1639 and worked it himself for about 4 years. If Merwin actually did follow Dumbleton on this land, then he would have taken it up in about 1644. The latest he could have obtained these rights was in 1648, since Mr. Whiting died in 1649.

About 1653, he moved to Milford, Connecticut at the invitation of the town and with some incentives provided, due to his skill as a tanner. His moving to Milford was apparently to his advantage, considering the prosperity he enjoyed there and his receipt of several substantial grants and divisions of land from the town. It was apparently not, however, to the liking of his (first wife's) aunt Abigail Branker when he left Windsor with his young family. She had made a will in which she named him executor and principal legatee "for he and his children were her only relatives in the new World." On her death bed in 1684, she made a nuncupative will that named two Miles' children to receive certain amounts, but declared that Miles himself was not to receive anything beyond what he had already received during her lifetime. Based on this nuncupative will, amounts were eventually distributed to all of Miles children but not to him. He contested the probate of the nuncupative will in 1685, but without success.

Although Miles Merwin apparently never lived in Stamford, his third wife received a considerable amount of land there through the settlement of Daniel Scofield's estate. These lands were described and entered into the Stamford Land Records on 29 Jun 1687, "Entre to goodwife Murrin to her and hers forever being lands of her former husband Scofields collected from settlement by the court & agreement between her & her sons Danil & John Scofield and now entered in the records."

A couple of days later, on 1 July 1687, John Scofield entered a deed in the Stamford Land Records by which, "I Sarah Marin of Milford wife of Miles Marin" had sold to "my loveing son John Scofield of Stamford" her 1/3 part of Daniel Scofield's home lot on 13 November 1678.

Miles Merwin provided well for all of his children during his lifetime, and additionally in his will, made on 5 May 1695 and probated in Milford in June 1697. After providing for his wife's amply support as long as she remained his widow (as it turned out, she died within the next year), he left L100 to each of 4 sons, with a double portion to John, the eldest son: L 50 to each of his 6 daughters; L 100 each to the eldest grandchild in each of the 10 families; and a Bible to each grandchild. He also left legacies to several stepchildren, and named his sons John and Miles as co-executors.

Miles married Elizabeth POWELL about 1648 in Windsor, Connecticut. Elizabeth was born about 1615; was christened on 29 Aug 1630 in All Hallows, Goldsmith St., Exeter, Devonshire, England; died on 10 Jul 1664 in Milford, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of William and Dorothy (Searle) Powell
• Church affiliation: 1661, Joined the Milford Church

Alexander married ? UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]