Martin Van Buren Scovell

Reference: History of Henry County, Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. 1884. Wayne Township, pages 898-899.

Martin V. Scovell was born in Rush County, Ind., Oct. 6, 1830, son of Elisha and Anna (Ramsey) Scovell, natives of Pennsylvania. His parents moved to Indiana in 1818 and settled in Wayne County; from there moved to Rush County, and in 1831 moved to Henry County, and settled on the farm where our subject now lives. He afterward moved to a farm near Grant City, and from thence to Knightstown, where he died in 1862. There was a family of six children. Martin remained with his father until manhood. He has always followed farming and stock-raising, and is one of the most successful men in the township. Mr. Scovell was married in 1856 to Ellen Smiley. They have four children, three sons and one daughter. He owns a fine farm of 380 acres near Grant City, where he lived till 1877, when he moved to his present home, which contains 232 acres. He has a fine two-story brick dwelling and comfortable farm buildings. Mr. Scovell has gained his property by his shrewd business ability and his economical habits, assisted by his estimable wife.

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Martin Van Buren Scovell was born October 6, 1830 in Rush County, Indiana. He married Ellen Smiley (b.1833 d. 1914) in 1856. He had 380 acres neat Grant City and in 1877 moved to Henry County and purchases 232 acres. Martin was a farmer. While making arrangements for the funeral of his son, Ethan, his barn caught fire. The barn, 3 horses, 3 mules, farming implements, feed and a crop of new alfalfa were destroyed. It must have been too much for his 82 yr. old heart because he collapsed and died on June 12, 1912. Martin, Ellen and their children are all buried in Henry County, Indiana at the Glen Cove Cemetery.

Ex-president Van Buren visited Knightstown in 1844. Judge Bundy relates the following incident: "When our party reached the hotel where the ex-president was a guest, a large number of people collected in and about the house, but they all seemed disinclined to approach very near him. Elisha Scovell, his warm political friend, appeared to be acting as master of ceremonies by common consent, and Mr. Van Buren was in the center of the hotel office, standing erect on a raised seat, willing to shake hands with such as desired that ceremony, and accordingly we walked up and were presented to him. He had a courteous word for each of us, and his cordiality impressed us as one of the foremost gentlemen of his age in which he lived, as in fact he was. Though we had broken the ice the people still appeared rather shy of the great man, Scovell led up his son and namesake, then a boy, and said: 'Mr. Van Buren, allow me to present my son, Martin Van Buren Scovell.' Then the ex-president grasped the boy by the hand and expressed his satisfaction at meeting him in the most pleasing manner of a cultured gentleman. This ceremony pleased the people, and yet they did not rush up to shake hands, and I thought he felt a little annoyed at their backwardness. Mr. Scovell then proclaimed in a loud voice so all could hear him: 'Walk up gentlemen, shake hands; he won't bite.' At this Van Buren smiled and the people came up with greater freedom and took his hand. (from The History of Henry County, Indiana; 1884; pg 417)