There was a James Covell, born in 1620 in London, England, who was awarded 10 acres on Martha's Vineyard in March, 1651. The oral history that's been passed down in our family is that James married an Indian lady that was a member of the Wampanogg Tribe that inhabited Gay's Head on the Vineyard at that time. Part of that history also says that some tribal members changed their name to Covell at the time of the marriage. Apparently this was a common practice when such marriages occurred.
James had a brother, Ezra, born in 1617 in London. James died in 1690 and Ezra in 1693. Both are buried at Edgartown.
