Joan Scott (twin)

30 May 1559 - the will of RICHARD SCOTT of Boxsted, county Suffolk, the elder ... sick of body ... to he buried in the parish churchyard to Thomas Scott. my eldest son my house & lands with appurtenances in Boxsted and Somerton ... to children Robert, Joan, William, Richard & ,John £20 to be paid by Thomas my son as follows: to Robert £4 within one year after my decease, to Joan £4 the next year, to William £4 the next year, to Richard £4 the next year, to John £4 the next year ... If son Thomas Die without lawful issue, then house and lands in Boxsted and Somerton to son Robert, in tail to William, to Richard, to John, to Joan ... to 'Joan Scott & Dorothy Scott the daughters of Richard Scott my son 2s. each' ... to Joan all my wife's apparel both woolen and linen ... all my household brass & pewter, except. a posnet., to daughter Joan ... all bedding, etc. in the house to be equally divided amongst all my children ... corn, cattle, residue to son Thomas, he to be executor. Witnesses: John Hoo of Glemsford, John Petiwatt of the same town, John Fanner of Boxsted and others. Proved 6 May 1560 . (R2/29/26)

In his will, there are some errors or contradictions which are explained only with difficulty. He named his grandchildren 'Joan and Dorothy Scott. These were the youngest children, twins, of his son Richard. Of all the Scotts in the area, this was the only Dorothy on record, so there can be littk doubt that these twins were the ones he was naming.

'However, Joan died at age 4 months, just a year before the date on his will. Was he unaware of the death of this grandchild? Perhaps he was old and forgetful, and no one had the heart to tell him?' Also, he bequeathed to his son William, who had died four months before the date of his will. Was he unaware that his son was gone? Probably the will had been roughed out between February and May 1558, after the 'birth of the twins and before Joan died' and while his son William was still living. Then, just before he died, it was completed and witnessed, no attempt having been made to modify it accordingly. It must be borne in mind that he was probably illiterate, and those helping in the matter knew little about his family. There were two other William Scotts living nearby; first cousins of his son William. Could there be confusion between them? This seems unlikely, for his son William in his will dated 16 January 1558/9 named his brother Richard to be executor. The two cousins had no brother Richard, hence the testator, William, was Richard's son. Also witnessing the will was brother Richard's son, Richard. Indeed, this brother Richard had a son, Richard, which further helps identify the relationships. This son Richard, however, had to have been a minor. At that time, minors did now and then witness documents. Thus, these puzzling things seem to cast a shadow of doubt. Yet, no other relationship can be deduced.

Ref.: Parish Registers; Probate Records at Bury Saint Edmunds

• From: http://genforum.genealogy.com/scott/messages/15903.html
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• Richard SCOTT
• BIRTH: ABT. 1510, Glemsford, Suffolk, England
• DEATH: BEF. 5 FEB 1565, Glemsford, Suffolk, England
• Father: Richard SCOTT
• Family 1: JOANNA
  • John SCOTT
  • Katherine SCOTT
  • Mary SCOTT
  • Edward SCOTT
  • Joan SCOTT
  • Susanna SCOTT
  • Richard SCOTT
  • Elizabeth SCOTT
  • John SCOTT
  • +Ann SCOTT
  • Katherine SCOTT
  • Mary SCOTT
• Family 2:
• MARRIAGE: 8 OCT 1556
  • Dorothy SCOTT
  • ' Joan SCOTT
• Source:
• John Brooks Threlfall, Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins, Madison, Wisconsin 1990, Page 101.
• From: http://www.fuzzywunkle.net/genealogy/tree/d0001/g0000026.html#I3092
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