This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Schoolfield Classification: Lookup Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/3Y.2ADI/1105.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Dave, you mentioned you had heard your Schoolfield's came from England. I went back and looked in the "A Somerset Sampler: Families of Old Somerset County, Maryland 1700-1776" book, and found a little more information. I mentioned the Joseph Schoolfield, father of Benjamin who was the father of your Joseph. However, I missed that the book traced the Schoolfield family back one more generation. This is the info given: " ________ Schoolfield was from a Catholic family, probably from Lancashire in northern England, a Catholic stronghold after imposition of Pretestantism in 1532. Tradition says that Benjamin Schoolfield and his wife immigrated to America in 1658, and that he had bro. John. (Frederick Co., MD., 1776 census lists Schoolfields not descended from Somerset Co., branch of family; they may have been descendants of this John.) Torrence lists Benjamin Schoolfield as a settler in Somerset Co., between 1666 and 1700, but this is probably the son rather than the father. It seems likely that the father d. in England and that the widow and her four sons immigrated to America after his death and shortly before 1687. Margaret Scofield, widow, of Somerset co., purchased 200 acre tract Desart, from William and Elizabeth Stevens on 11 Nove 1687, with 100 pieces of eight paid by her son Valentine Scofield; her son Henry witnessed the deed. _______Schoolfield m. Margaret _______ ( tradition says maiden name was Anderson) and had issue: 1) Valentine, apparently d. soon after arrival or did not remain in Somerset Co., since only reference found on him is in the 1687 deed 2) Henry 3) Benjamin 4) ***Joseph**** " This 4th child, Joseph, is the one listed as the grandfather to your Joseph Schoolfield. Sorry I missed that and good luck with your research. Beth