Biography of William Scard (aka John) [<1730-1754] of Cerne Abbas 
                                                                                 Researched, Compiled and Written by Judith-Ann S. Adams ©2006

 Please note:   Alias - John Scard;
                      Overseers of the Poor Records records William as "John Scard" however the entries for the cost of his coffin, 'laying out of his body' 
                      and burial expenses (digitised images shown below) are identical with the date of his burial entered in the Parish Records at St. Mary's 
                      Cerne Abbas under 'William Scard. It is assumed that in the latter case his widow was the informant. In this instance he appears better 
                      known to the local Reverend opposed to the members of the various Parish Committees who had less direct or personal contact with 
                      the estimated 1,600 citizens then residing at Cerne. Additional evidence indicates his widow began receiving alms from the Parish 
                      immediately subsequent to his death. An alternative scenario is that tbe alias 'John' was a nickname.  However ultimately, there is 
                      overwhelming evidence would support that 'William' and 'John' Scard were the same man.  

Timeline 
1751   The first known documented reference to William was in the marriage of William Scard to Elizabeth Jenkins "of Cerne"at nearby Minterne Magna 22nd Dec1751. 
                                                                   click images to enlarge
 
                               Caution:         New evidence presented further below casts a shadow on the traditional hypothesis connecting this William
                                                       to Walter Scard and Rebecca Burford whose actual son died without issue soon after his marriage.
                                                       See Below next section. 

1753   Eighteen months later their only child William Scard was baptised at Cerne Abbas on the 19th June 1753 and ten months later
1754  William Scard is recorded buried 28th April 1754 on the same page of the Parish Book.
                                                                                      

1754   A anomaly is revealed when  prior to William's death he suddenly appears in the Overseers of the Poor Books as 'John Scard' receiving one shilling & six pence 
           on three occasions and another two shillings  early in 1754 the first of which was entered  "gave Scard in sickness -----£ 0.2.6". 
           Subsequent entries were also under "John Scard" 
                                                                                      
1754      The dying William Scard was mentioned again a few weeks later; 
            "Paid Mr Boisa bill for caring of John Scard and what he did for Ann Mathews ----- £ 2.14.6" (assumed to be Apothecary account - Mr Boys see more  information later)
                                                                                       Click on all images to enlarge
1754      The Easter quarter showed him receiving two payments of two shillings each
               The next entry pays for his grave & laying out expenses ----2 shillings
               The next his coffin ----------------------------------------------------1 shilling
               The next his shroud---------------------------------------------------2 shillings 11 pence
                                                                                      

                 Note:  As noted above and shown in the Parish Records, his burial was recorded under the name 'William Scard'

1754-59   His widow received alms from the Parish for several years after William's death, sometimes recorded affectionately as "Bet Scard" at other times
                "widow scard" and once as "Eliz Scard".  She was allotted an average sum of £ 1.12.0 per month consistent proportionally of a woman with one child. 

1760       Elizabeth is recorded by the Overseers of the Poor 13th April 1760 receiving one shilling .  
               She died a few days later recorded in the Parish Books at Cerne Abbas "Widow Scard" buried on the 20th April 1760. Her coffin and grave was paid 
               by the Parish at a cost of eight shillings. 
                                                               Two items paid by the parish                           Burial                                                                                               
                                                                                             

              A couple of weeks later a small pox epidemic took the lives of many whose coffins and graves were paid by the Overseers of the Poor, although there is no 
              mention of Elizabeth having been specifically infected. 

              Both William and his widow Elizabeth were survived by their orphaned young son William now aged around seven years who continued to be supported by 
              the Parish up until his adolescence.  He was documented simply as "Scard's Boy".   Poor House Accounts at Cerne Abbas dated 10th april 1762 for "a pair 
               of breeches for Scard's boy --- 2 shillings and 6 pence and another entry on the 22nd April 1764 "Paid Boles for a pair of Breeches for Scard's Boy -- 2 (shillings).
                                                                     1762                  1764

               Young William disappears from the Poor Law Records at Cerne Abbas from this point and there is some evidence to suggest he was mercifully extracted 
               from the almshouse and taken into the care of a kind family when he was aged around eleven and who taught him confident literacy skills (see biography).  

               William ultimately rose in status to marry Margaret, the daughter of Simon Groves, a successful yeoman of Cerne Abbas.  William's progeny are regarded 
               legendary for their compassion (see in one of the 'Feature Stories' in other Cerne Scard Biographies). 

               Other digitised Images documenting evidence of young William's struggle during the years following his mother's death, up until his marriage to Margaret
               Groves - See Biography of William Scard (the younger) [1753-1829] of Cerne Abbas. (click over text to gain access or use top page left panel)  

Trivia:                      The old workhouse at Cerne Abbas is purported to have been built around 1741  although it was replaced in 1841.                  

                                  Candidate 1) - Unlikely

Candidate I:  Son of Walter Scard & Rebecca Burford
Finding:         Unlikely
Scenario:       Walter Scard of Nth Dorset married at Exeter in 1718 Rebecca 
the eldest daughter of Malachi Burford of Devon. Malachi Burford was documented 
as a cordwainer (shoemaker) "of Farringdon" at Exeter in 1697.

Digitised copy courtesy ofCopyright © 2001 Nigel Batty-Smith - Registers of Exeter Cathedral 
- UK Genealogy Archives. The Publications of the Devon & Cornwall Record Society.
After recording several children near Exeter, Walter and Rebecca left Devon around 
1728 to return to Walter's native Dorset when their young son William was around 
three years old.  The family settled at East Stour where they were recorded for several 
decades. 
The new scenario: In 1754 young William appears to have followed the Trade of his
maternal grandfather Malachi Burford shown in his Banns of marriage published
at his home village of  East Stour recorded: "William Scard, Shoemaker, of East Stour" 
 click to enlarge (Courtesy of Ancestry)  
William married spinster Betty Light, recorded "formerly of Bath, Somerset" at 
Sherborne three months later on the 4th November 1754.  The couple settled at Sherborne.
         
William died the following year at the age of thirty, buried at Sherborne 28th Feb 1755. 
There were no children baptised during the interim or posthumously.
His widow remarried the following year. 

See further information see the Epilogue in the Biography of Walter Scard


Note: This family is not to be confused with the CARD Family at East Stour who were 
recorded within the Parish Records at East Stour, their native village since early 1600s, 
they were clearly recorded as 'CARD' in all cases.  However Joseph CARD was recorded 
on two occasions at other venues as 'SCARD' (listed below) although prior and subsequent 
to these entries 'Joseph' was recorded at East Stour as CARD.  Joseph had a son William: 
"1719 William son of Joseph CARD baptised 1719 at East Stour" consistent with his other 
entries and family members.  Walter and Rebecca and their three surviving children
were recorded in multiple Parish Records at East Stour clearly as SCARD in all entries.
CARD FAMILY entries at other venues; 
1740:Baptism: Rita SCARD dau of Joseph and Mary at Stour Provost "of East Stower"
1759:Banns: Joseph SCARD "of this parish" to Elizabeth Coombes "of Pool" at Cann

                                  Candidate 2)

Based on two unidentified namesakes of the eldest children by his orphaned son 
William Scard [1753-1829] by his wife Margaret [Groves] these two first born
'Robert and Susannah' were remarkable in that in ancestral naming patterns 
they took precedence over William's own parents i.e. 'William and Elizabeth' 
who were next born. 
There are several alternative scenarios tentatively postulated.

Names such as Robert, Susannah, Moses, Edith etc  were found connected to the 
Groves Family through the Gillingham Family who are first revealed in the Will
of Simeon Groves [Senior], father-in-law of the orphaned William Scard junior of 
Cerne.  in 1754, in reference to his legatee and grandson "William Gillingham".  
In view of the tragic circumstances of William Scard's childhood opens the door
to a broader perspective to other families or persons may have been instrumental 
in his life, however the 'Gillingham' findings cannot be ignored. 
Alternatively: 
As it happened there was a Scard Family resident at nearby Hilton 7 miles West 
of Cerne Abbas, 1 mile of Minterne Magna where William senior and Elizabeth 
Jenkins were married. 
This Scard Family of Hilton boasts both names 'Robert' and 'Susanna'.  
             Ann 16th Jan 1709 (G=1710)
             Jane 1st Dec 1710
             Richard 21st Jan 1712 (G=1713)
             Robert 12th Dec 1714 
             Thomas 25th Aug 1718
A Mary Scard "of Hylton" & John Moors were married 19th Jan 1719 at 
        Sutton Waldron seeming to tentatively join with the Earliest North 
        Dorset Family at that parish
Ann Scard "of Hilton"married Alexander Williams "of Compton" 
          12th Jan 1741 at Hilton (assumed the same Ann above born 1709)
A Susanna Scard, who may perhaps be the children's mother was buried 
           in 1743 at Hilton
However although there is no hint of a baptism for William at the present time
there are several other satellite family modules surrounding Cerne Abbas.
Results of this research will be found in the updates section of this Site. 
 
Notes: 
    Susannah of Hilton died ten years before young William junior of Cerne
     was born.  
    Robert (born 1714) would have been too young to be the father of William
    (the1st)  who married in 1751 but would be eligible in age to be his brother.
    Jane is a name used at Cerne Abbas but only in William's children although 
    he and Margaret had only had two daughters, Susanna & Elizabeth thus there 
    may not have been the opportunity for a 'Jane' namesake until the next 
    generation?
    If the Hilton Family was living so close i.e. 7 miles, why was there a delay 
    in coming to the orphan boy's aide?
Other indications:  
    As the orphaned William Junior's life is reconstructed prior
    to his marriage several Documents give other hints unfold regarding his 
    ancestry.  See Biography of William Scard [1753-1829] of Cerne. 

Another William Scard born before 1730

                    This family is believed the same recorded at four surrounding
                       venues i.e. Cangford Magna, Kington Magna, Kinson and Poole.

1757  William Scard married Honor Pitt 7th April 1757 by banns at Canford Magna
          Witnesses: John Barnes and Anne French (all parties signed with their mark)
           Paternity of this William Scard also born around or before 1730 is unknown.


Although no martial status was indicated on the marriage entry for the bride, it is 
the general policy of this site author to investigate the possibility of widowhood.  
Indeed further investigations revealed that his bride 'Honor Pitt'  was the widow of Andrew Pitt 
who was buried in 1756 and whom she had married in 1752 at Canford Magna 
when her maiden name was recorded as "Small". This would make Honor born 
around 1730 & accounts for the reduced reproductive years with William Scard of 
twelve years i.e. 1757-1770. Based on these findings William Scard was likely born 
around the same time or prior.    
Issue;    
1758  Mary Scard bapt 1st Jan 1758 of William & Honor Kington  Magna
                               - Mary Scard buried 16th Aug 1812 at Kington Magna (est 54yrs)
                                 assumed died unmarried and without issue. 
1760  Honor Scard bapt 7th Dec 1760 dau of William & Honor at Kington Magna
                     - 1787  Honor Seard Banns May 1787 to Edward Sanders at  Kinson 
                     - 1787  Honor Scard "of the hamlet of Parkinson" married Edward Sanders
                                 "Mariner" 21st May 1787 at Kinson
                         The couple had at least one child, a daughter "Mary Scard Sanders"
                         baptised at Kinson 22nd June 1788.    
1763  Sarah Scard bapt 22nd May 1763 dau of William & Honor at Poole
                    -1787 Sarah Skeard married Thomas Christover 30th April 1787 (OPC) 
                               both  of Parkston married at Kinson  
1767  John Scard bapt 8th Feb 1767 son of William & Honor at Poole 
1770  Elizabeth Scard bapt 28th Oct 1770 of dau William & Honor at Poole

Other satellite entries assumed relevant ; 
1766  William Scard buried 17th Aug 1766  at Kington Magna (likely a Senior family member)
1772  Betty Scard buried 17th March 1772 at Kington Magna  
1769  John Scard buried 3rd Sept 1769 at Kington Magna  (likely a Senior family member)
1807  William Seard buried 15th March 1807 at Kington Magna (Junr!)

DEVONSHIRE:  
There was a William Scard, a Tanner, recorded in Barnstaple, Devon in an 
Apprenticeship Indenture in 1744.  The term of his apprentice's indenture was 
four years.  It is possible that William, like Walter may have been associated with 
and/or subsequently made his way to Dorset however there is a tenuous connection
to a Scard Family at Bath, Somerset at the end of the 18th Century who were a 
family of Tanners, the names William, Richard, Joseph and James were 
perpetuated there.  See: Unplaced Scard Family of Bath, Somerset. 


A POSSIBLE PREVIOUS MARRIAGE:
1)   Elizabeth Jenkins birth year would range roughly between 1708-1733 based 
       on a maximum age of forty-five years at the birth of their son William in 
       1753 but she could have been slightly older.
2)   This may have been a second marriage for either or both.

Child Okeford Family

     "Mary daughter of William Scard born 2nd April baptized 7th April 1736" 
       at Child Okeford.  An isolated entry, as a widower - he would have been eligible
        to have married Elizabeth Jenkins

The Child Okeford Scard Family of this period has been researched revealing 
a Will which combined with several parish entries paints a fairly accurate picture.
 
Too lengthy to detail here it is more appropriately placed in this Site's Section
The 1st Patriarchal Family in the mid 1600's - 5 sons - The Branches Emerge
 - SOON See Updates Page