Richard Scaggs, Early Colonist

We have a lot of information about Richard Scaggs from the colonial records of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.  We don’t know when Richard was born, but we do know he died in Kent County, Maryland c. 1725.  He started in Virginia as a “headright” for 50 acres to a Thomas Dyer.  Richard later shows up as a landowner in Maryland and Delaware, even as a partner with a William Merritt in land in Delaware, William Merritt going on later to operate a ferry between Manhattan and Brooklyn and become the mayor of New York City.



Richard Scaggs first shows up in colonial records in Virginia.  Under the “headright” system, Virginia patented 50 acres of land for each immigrant brought to the colony.  If the immigrant paid for his own voyage to Virginia, typically the immigrant was entitled to the 50 acres.  If someone else paid, typically they were entitled.  These headrights were tradeable so an immigrant might sell the headright instead of patenting the 50 acres.

1658 Mar 4, Patent book 4, page 259, Thomas Dyer had a 300 acre land patent (“Beech Ridge”) for transportation of 6 persons, among them Richard Skegs, in Lower Norfolk Co., VA

This 1658 land patent means that Richard immigrated to Virginia prior to 1658, perhaps several years prior.  The typical patent process could easily take three years.  Richard could have traveled to Virginia as a young teenager since this was common, especially if he was an indentured servant.

Skegs, Richard

EE: 471-2

In Maryland by 1666

Transcript 9:477

MSA SC 4341-

Patents

Years: 1666

Original: EE

Film: SR 8203

Transcript: 9 (of EE)

Year of Transcript: 1726

Film: SR 7351

Supplement to Early Settlers Query by Dr. Carson Gibb

In the above record extracted from the New Early Settlers of Maryland Richard shows up as a landowner in Talbot County, Maryland with a land patent in 1666.  He needed to be at least 21 years old to patent land so we can conclude Richard was born in 1645 or earlier.

1673 Land Patent

Richard Sceggs

Talbot County, Maryland

50 acres, “Sceggs Spring”

Maryland State Archives

MARYLAND INDEXES

(Patents, Index)

MSA S1426

This index record shows that Richard was patented 50 acres of land in Talbot County called “Sceggs Spring” in 1673.  Properties in Maryland are given names by the person who patented the land and these names live on through history in deeds.

1672-73

Mr. Richard Scaggs to be paid out of county levy

Residents Appearing the County Court (1669-1673); Talbot Co., Maryland

21 October 1673

Accompts to be paid out of talbott County Leauey by mr. Stephen Tully high sheriffe:

to Rich scaggs to woorke at the Highwaies 4 dayes                                             80 Liber BB No.2

Talbot County Court Proceedings, 1662-1674, p. 578-79

The above records show Richard getting paid by Talbot County, Maryland for working on the highways in 1673.

New Castle Co., Delaware taxables in 1676
Richard Scraggs                                1

Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, January 1895.  Some Data Concerning the Taking of Wolves in New Castle County in 1676, and a Reprint of the Taxables of that Year, p.31.

Richard shows up in New Castle County, Delaware in 1676 with one taxable poll.  This shows he is living in Delaware at this time.  Delaware had recently been given to Great Britain by Holland.

16 September 1681

A peticon being proferred in court by Capt. Edmund Cantwell for and in ye behalfe of Cornelis Commegies Junior sheweing that in the Jeare 1675 one Richard Scaggs and William Merritt did take up twoo tracts of Land Joyning boath togeather Contayning 400 acres which to this day Ly unsettled and ye person who tooke them up boath departed ye Country and as is sayed dead with out haueing made any Improovement thereon; the Peticoner therefore desiering a warrant for both parcells of Land to take up being 400 acres & Lying both together, the Court doe Grant ye Peticoner to take up ye said Land of Merritt & Scaggs according to his Peticon, hee making present Improovement & Settlement thereon, according to Lawe & ye Governors regulacons.

New Castle Co., Delaware Court Records, 1681, p. 483-4.

A land partnership between Richard Scaggs (300 acres) and William Merritt (100 acres) in Delaware in 1675 has not resulted in improvements to the land, so Cornelius Comegys II petitions the Court to deed the 400 acres to him in 1681.  Cornelius Comegys went on to become an Indian interpreter and businessman and his grandson became governor of Delaware.  William Merritt went on to run a ferry between Manhattan and Brooklyn and became mayor of New York City, 1695-1698.

Richard Scaggs is listed as a distressed debtor to Col. Philemon Lloyd of Talbot County, Maryland in 1688 during the probate.  Mr. Lloyd left a will on 27 May 1682; codical 28 May 1685, proved 16 Jul 1685. He died on 22 Jun 1685.

Deed. On 17 Nov 1726 John Anderson & Mary his wife & Francis Taylor & Mary his wife all of St. George's to Lewis Geton of St. George's Creek, yeomean. John Anderson & Margery his wife & Francis Taylor & Mary his wife for #162 granted to Lewis Geton a tract of land situated on the branch of St. George's Creek bounded by Scotts Run containing 162 acres being a part of a tract of land which was laid out on 26 Nov 1675 to Richard Scaggs of Kent County in Maryland & by the said Richard Scaggs by deed dated 6 Oct 1707 granted to Harmon Alrichs, late of the County of New Castle, dec. & by Mary Alrichs, relict & administrix for her late husband for the satisfaction & payment of a judgement obtained by Griffith Owens, practitioner of Physick, by granted said land to John Rees. John Rees by deed dated 16 Nov 1713 granted the same to James Anderson, dec. father of the above named John Anderson & by the above named James Anderson by his will the parcel was left to John Anderson. Signed John Anderson, Margery Anderson, Francis Taylor & Mary Taylor. Delivered in the presence of John Herbert & Enoch Jenkins. Recorded 10 Feb 1726. (H1-67).

Bryant, New Castle County, Delaware Land Records 1715-1728, pp. 115-116

The above deed shows that Richard Scaggs had previously deeded a tract of land in New Castle County, Delaware to Harmon Alrichs in 1707.

RICHARD SKEGS was chosen Church Warden of the Shrewsbury Parish.
1715 APRIL 18 HANSONS OLD KENT MD ADDENDA SECTION END OF BOOK

Richard was chosen as a Church Warden of Shrewsbury Parish in Kent County, Maryland in 1715.

March Court 1716                 
   afd Deft~ in pleading above alleadged from having and maintaining his — 
   Accõn afd because by protestation there was not of any promise made by 
   the Said Plt for plea Saith he did not assume to release or acquit the 
   Said Deft~ of and from the payment of the Said Seven hundred pounds of 
   Tobacco in the Said Declaration  mentioned in Manner and forme as 
   by the Said Deft above pleaded and this he prays may be Inquired 
   by the Country &c^a. TBowne p^r Quer^r.    And the Deft~ in like 
   manner Johnson p^r Deft 
   Command was therefore given to the Sherf of Kent County that 
   he Immediately cause to come here Twelve &c^a. By whome &c^a 
   who neither &c^a To Recognize &c^a. Because as well &c^a. And the— 
   Sherf came and made return that he had ready twelve as by 
   his precept it was Commanded who being called likewise came 
   viz^t. John Hall William Graves Robert Green Daniel Cooley Richd 
   Fillingham John Cole Charles Ringgold Vincent Hatcheson Richard 
   Scaggs John Clarke Thomas Boots Abraham Ambrose which Jury 
   being duely Elected tryd and Sworn and having heard the pleadings 
   Evidences and allegations on both Sides do with draw to Consider on 
   the premises and after Some time do again return and being 
   called over as also the Pltf and Deft and being asked whether 
   they are agreed on a verdict or not do Say they are agreed on~ 
   a verdict and being demanded whether they find for the Plt do 
   or Deft do Say they find for the Plt~ and that the Plt~ did not — 
   assume to release or acquit y^e Said Deft of and from the Payment 
   of the Said Seven hundred pounds of Tobacco in the above Declⁿ — 
   mentioned in manner and forme by the Said Deft above pleaded 
   find Damages Seven hundred pounds of Tobacco with Cost and 
   by John Hall there foreman all So Say The afd Plt by his att^rney 
   afd Prays Judgment on the Verdict of the Jurors afd. Therefore it — 
   is Considered by the Court here viz^t. this Twenty third day of March— 
   Annoque Domini One Thousand Seven hundred and Sixteen That 
   the afd Plt Daniel Ferrel do recover against the Said Deft —— 
   William Woodland as well the afd Sume of Seven hundred — 
   pounds of Tobacco Damages by the Jury afd assessed on Account of his 
   not performing his promise and assumption afd and also the Sume 
   of Six hundred Sixty Eight pounds of Tobacco Cost by the afd Plt~ 
   about his Suite in this behalfe Expended and by the Court here 
   of his assent adjudged and the Said Deft in mercy &c^a. 
                                                                            Jam^s Smith Clk 

Richard served on the jury for the above Kent County, Maryland court case in March of 1716.

              

November 18, 1725

William Farrow, administrator

Surety: William Simson, Samuel Norris

Creditors: Jervis Skinner, Richard Gunn

"Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1629-1983." Images. FamilySearch. https://familysearch.org : accessed 2013. Citing Maryland Orphans' Court. Maryland, registers of wills books. County Registrar of Wills in Maryland.

Kent County Bonds 1709-1730 Vol. 2

p. 270-1

Richard Scaggs died in 1725.  The above record documents the Administrator Bond for probate in Kent County, Maryland.  William Farrow administered the estate with William Simpson and Samuel Norris providing surety.  Surety was typically a substantial amount so these guys likely had a non-trivial relationship with Richard.

An inventory of all and singular the Goods, Chattels, Debts and Credits of Richard Scaggs late of Kent County Deceased appraised in current money.  April the 7 1726.

Interesting things in the inventory:

§         A barrel and lock of a gun, 1 old sword

§         A bible and a primer

§         3150 pounds of tobacco, 10 bushels of wheat, another 300 pounds tobacco

§         4 mares, 3 colts, 1 gelding

§         16 sheep, 2 pair of wool cards, 1 pair of wool shears, 15 pounds of wool, 28 pounds of yarn, 2 wheels

§         1 cow, 4 steers, 7 yearlings, 1 young bull, 3 heifers

§         14 killable hogs, 18 poor hogs, 6 house pigs

Total value: L 102.6.2

Greatest Creditors: Francis Bodeen, M. Mitchell, Gideon Pearse

Witnesses: John Hall, John Dening

No relations to the Deceased that appears.

April the 16^th 1726.  Then came William Farrow and proved the within inventory in form before me.

 

"Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1629-1983." Images. FamilySearch. https://familysearch.org : accessed 2013. Citing Maryland Orphans' Court. Maryland, registers of wills books. County Registrar of Wills in Maryland.

Kent County Inventory Accounts 1720-1741 Vol. 3

p. 155-6

Richard’s chattel inventory was appraised for probate at 102 pounds sterling, 6 shillings, 2 pence.  This, of course, did not include any real estate holdings.  From the inventory it appears his farm produced tobacco, livestock and wool.  The sword is interesting.  But the most interesting thing in the inventory was the note from the clerk that "No relations to the Deceased that appears."  This makes me think that his sons had moved from Kent County by April 16, 1726.