Scard Family 
Walter Scard
[pre 1697-1744]
of East Stour, North Dorset, formerly of Topsham, Devon
Spouse: Rebecca Burford
[1699-1744]
BRIEFLY - Extended details further below.
Walter Scard was very probably born in North Dorset before 1697.
His father could be William Scard [born before 1668], yeoman, of Child Okeford, North Dorset
For the following reasons [briefly];
* Walter married Rebecca Burford at Exeter, Devon in 1718 and had several issue there i.e.
Elizabeth 1719; Mary 1722; * William Scard 1725 & John 1728.
* Walter named his first born son 'William' normally the namesake of the father's father.
* The latter child 'John' died in infancy between the ages of 0 – 4 years old.
* Walter returned to East Stour, Dorset where he & Rebeccas recorded a further son 'John' in 1732.
* William Scard [Jnr] is the accepted progenitor of the Cerne Abbas Scard Family Branch
where the name 'Robert' Scard became familiar early in his descendants, which is not found in
Walter's Spouse Rebecca's family i.e. the Burford Family of Topsham Devonshire.
* William [snr] of Child Okeford had a son 'Robert'.
* Walter Scard died in North Dorset, buried 14th February 1744 at East Stour.
Extended details below |
Birth: Walter Scard was born very probably in North Dorset before 1697.
It would not be unusual for a younger son to marry distant to his cradle and often remaining for some time in the area native
to his spouse. However without acquiring lands or tenements to tie them to the area often these sons would return to the
vicinity of their birth to settle near their family. It has been proved time and time again that families not tied to lands often
changed address or in the extreme resettled, following the death of a young child. This appears to be the case with Walter.
Lineage: Although nothing concrete has been found to date in earlier Parish Records relating to the Family of Walter Scard
there are tenuous threads which may imply a loose connection in North Dorset.
In that his first born son was named William and according to the early naming patterns during this early era, this eldest
son would carry the name of the senior ranking Family Member i.e. the Father's father.
Such a William Scard, Yeoman was found at Child Okeford, North Dorset a short distance from East Stour, with issue
around the period of Walter's estimated birth. William had two known sons i.e. Robert and Richard, the former being
the elder. Both William and Robert are frequent names used by Walter's descendants.
Also see other very early Scard fragmented entries
Marriage: Walter married Rebecca Burford at St. Edmunds Exeter Devon on the 28th October 1718.
The normal age for a male to marry would be thought to be usually 21 years, this is assuming that Walter was not previously
married or married at at a later age. Rebecca was aged around nineteen.
Rebecca Burford: Rebecca Burford was the eldest daughter of Mallachi Burford and his wife Joane nee Adams.
Mallachi & Joane were married at Exeter Cathedral, Devonshire on the 27th October 1697.
Issue;
Rebecca Burford baptized 2nd March 1699
Malachi Burford baptised 26th January 1701
William Burford baptised 10th September 1704
John Burford baptised 17th November 1706
Grace Burford baptised 29th May 1712
Walter and Rebecca remained in Devonshire after their marriage where they recorded the first four of their five children;
1) Elizabeth Scard baptised 31st March 1719 at St. Edmunds, Exeter - See Epilogue.
2) Mary Scard baptised 25th November 1722 at St. Edmunds, Exeter - See Epilogue.
A change of venue to nearby Topsham also in Exeter
3) William Scard baptised 4th July 1725 at Topsham - See Epilogue.
4) John Scard baptised 15th March 1728 at Topsham Devon
This child did not survive and died before 1732 between the ages of 0 – 4 years old.
Parallel to Walter's period of residence in Devonshire a baptism was recorded for Henry Scard on the
12th February 1727 son of John and Mary Scard at Topsham. John is almost certainly kin to Walter.
No other births have been found at the present time in Devonshire during this period in the name of 'Scard'.
There were no SCARD/SKARD/SEARD burials found in the Topsham DEVON Burial Index 1714-1837
Source: By kind look-up by Roy Parkhouse
The couple then moved to East Stour, North Dorset where a further baptism was recorded;
5) John Scard baptised 16th July 1732 son of Walter & Rebecca Scard at East Stour, Dorset [FHO].
Death: Walter Scard was buried 14th February 1744 at East Stour, North Dorset [Dorset Burials FHO]
Estimated aged around forty-eight.
His widow: Rebecca Scard [nee Burford] was buried two weeks later on the 4th March 1844 at East Stour, Dorset. [Dorset Burials FMP]
Estimated aged around forty-five.
They were survived by their daughter Mary aged 22yrs [Mary married the year prior at East Stour 1743 - See Epilogue],
his eldest son William aged nineteen [eventually moved a little further south to Cerne Abbas where he married and had issue]
and his youngest son John aged eight [John Scard was buried 4th September 1791 at East Stour, North Dorset
at the estimated age of fifty-nine]. No evidence has been found implying the survival of Walter's eldest daughter Elizabeth.
EPILOGUE
Elizabeth Scard eldest daughter of Walter Scard and his wife Rebecca nee Burford;
No firm evidence has been found implying the survival of Walter's eldest daughter Elizabeth.
Mary Scard [1722-1757] daughter of Walter Scard and his wife Rebecca nee Burford;
Mary Scard married Joseph Maidment by banns on the 11th November 1743 at East Stour [OPC].
Joseph and Mary moved 2 – 4 miles WSW to Motcombe where Joseph’s family had been resident for some decades.
Issue;
Thomas Maidment born between 1744-1746 - buried 14th September 1746 son of Joseph - Motcombe.
John Maidment baptised 24th May 1747 son of Joseph - Motcombe.
Ann Maidment baptised 5th March 1751 d.o. Joseph & Mary - Motcombe
Possible daughter Mary Maidment - buried unmarried 1st April 1783 daughter of Joseph - Motcombe.
. Mary Maidment nee Scard was buried 2nd May 1757 'wife of Joseph Maidment - Motcombe estimated aged thirty-five.
Possible Surviving issue; John 10yrs, Ann 6 yrs, possible Mary ? yrs.
William Scard [1725-1753] eldest son of Walter Scard and his wife Rebecca nee Burford;
At the age of twenty-six William Scard married Elizabeth Jenkins at Minterne Magna 22 December 1751 [FHO].
The couple settled in Cerne Abbas where had one recorded child William, baptised 19th June 1753 [eighteen months
after their marriage].
William [the elder] died a year later and was buried on the 28th April 1754 at Cerne Abbas at the est. age of 29 yrs.
His widow Elizabeth died six years later buried Cerne Abbas 20th April 1760 at the est. age of twenty-nine.
They were survived by their only child William would have been a little less than nine years old at his mother's death.
It is unknown exactly who took on the care of young William after his parents' untimely deaths.
William [the younger] married twenty years later at Cerne Abbas, Dorset where he had issue;
See Biography of William Scard [the youngest] of Cerne Abbas, Dorset 
John Scard [1732-1791] youngest son of Walter Scard and his wife Rebecca nee Burford;
John Scard was buried 4th September 1791 at East Stour, North Dorset at the estimated age of fifty-nine.
No evidence was found of marriage or issue.