So far the earliest I have been able to trace my DIRECT ancestry is to the early 1800's, however in the course of my
research I have met up with thousands of other Scholeys and Schooleys and it is clear that we all have one thing in common
and that is a tiny area of Yorkshire UK. Trace far enough back and we all seem to have a connection there.
George Scholey Lord Mayor of London in 1813 was born in Sandal Magna, Yorkshire. His descendants now inhabit Southern
England
The Schooleys of America are descended from Richard Scholey of Bedford, however two of his grandsons on their fathers
death travelled into Yorkshire to be "among family" They left one brother: Anthony behind to look after the family farm at
Easton-on-the-Hill in Northamptonshire.
Of the two brothers who travelled into Yorkshire one. John, had a son, Robert, born in Hemsworth, they then
began farming near Rotherham at Smalledge Farm also known as Scholeys Copse at Treeton, later one of the brothers; John
of Aughton with three of his sons Thomas, Robert and John junior sailed to America at various times in the late 1600's.
They left behind William who continued farming at Scholeys Copse until his death in 1714. Scholeys did continue farming
there after his death and began drifting into Rotherham and Sheffield about a hundred years later.
For the four and their womenfolk who travelled to the New World it must have made sound economic sense to leave a trusted
family member running things rather than selling up, they had no idea what to expect and if things ever became too hard they
would have been able to return to a secure life
There have been Scholeys at Hemsworth and Ackworth since at least 1379 as shown by Hearth Tax records, indeed Scholeys
were living at Ackworth Old Hall in the late 1800's
