Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Scofield is active in the women's organizations
of the church and is also a member
of the Stamford Women's Club and
the Shubert Club. During the war Mrs.
Scofield was a lieutenant of the Canteen
Committee and did much arduous and
valuable service.
Mr. Scofield is a man of great strength
of character, possessing that breadth of
spirit which makes him a man of keen
sympathies and cosmopolitan interests.
He is endowed with a splendid physique,
and is impatient of any necessity which
curbs his freedom of action.
(The Davenport Line).
The Davenport family, of which Mrs.
Polly A. (Davenport) Scofield was a
descendant, has long been seated in Fair-
field county. The ancestry is traced to
Rev. John Davenport, who was born in
England and settled in New Haven, Connecticut,
in April, 1638. On December
9th following, he was installed pastor of
the First Church. "The founders of the
New Haven Colony, led by John Daven-
port and Theophilus Eaton, sought to establish
a new state in which religion and
education should be matters of prime con-
cern. Mr. Davenport was the leader in
educational matters, and it was part of
his plan from the first to make New
Haven a college town, and thus, in a
sense, he was the original projector of
Yale. Even in his old age he was found
struggling with unwearied zeal to es-
tablish a college in New Haven for the
good of posterity."
Rev. John Davenport was of the sev-
enteenth generation of a family traced in
a direct line to Ormus de Davenporte,
born in 1086. He was the father of John
Davenport, a merchant of Boston, who
was probably born in London, but who
did not come to America with his par-
ents, being cared for by Lady Mary Vere.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
!IO
He was admitted a freeman at New
Haven, May 15, 1657, and married, November
27, 1663, Abigail Pierson, daughter
of Rev. Abraham Pierson, of Bran-
ford, sister of Rev. Abraham Pierson, the
first rector of Yale. In 1668, he removed
to Boston with his family, and was admitted
a freeman there, in 1669. He was
Register of Probate and a merchant. He
died March 21, 1677, and his widow, July
20, 1718.
Rev. John (2) Davenport, son of Rev.
John (1) Davenport, was born in Boston,
February 22, 1668, and baptized by his
grandfather the 28th of that month. He
graduated from Harvard College in 1687.
He began to preach in 1690, and three
years later was called to Stamford, Connecticut.
Previous to this time he had
been teaching in the Hopkins' Grammar
School, in New Haven. He was a mem-
ber of the corporation of Yale College
from 1707 until his death, February 5,
I73I-
John (3) Davenport, son of Rev. John
(2) Davenport, was born in Stamford,
January 21, 1698. He married, September
6, 1722, Sarah Bishop, the ceremony
being performed by his father. He removed
to what was then known as Davenport
Ridge, a beautiful location about
five miles northeast of Stamford. He was
one of the original members of the Con-
gregational church of New Canaan, June
20, 1733. He died November 17, 1742.
John (4) Davenport, son of John (3)
Davenport, was born January 15, 1724,
and resided at Davenport Ridge. He inherited
lands from his grandfather, which
continued in the family for many gener-
ations. He united with the church at
New Canaan, Connecticut, March 7, 1742,
and married, June 2, 1748, Deborah Am-
bler. His death occurred June 23, 1756, at
the age of thirty-two years. He was the
father of Deodate Davenport, born June