John Steele Sr. (bef. 1591 - 1665)

Born before 12 Dec 1591 in Fairsted, Essex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Rachel (Talcott) Steele — married 10 Oct 1622 in Fairstead, Essex, England

Husband of Mercy (Ruscoe) Steele — married 25 Nov 1655 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 27 Feb 1665 after age 73 in Farmington, Connecticut

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John Steele Sr. migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 2, p. 1756) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

John Steele Sr. migrated from England to Colonial America.

John Steele, immigrant, was born in county Essex, England, and died at Farmington, Connecticut, November 27, 1655. He emigrated from England by 1633; settled first in New Town (now Cambridge, Massachusetts), then in Hartford, Connecticut, and finally in Farmington, Connecticut. His brother, George Steele, also came to Hartford. John married (first) Rachel Talcott, in England. She died in 1653, and he married (second), Mercy Seymour, widow of Richard Seymour, who survived him.

• Steele and Related Lines Book I (1998) p27 by Robert Vernon Steele

Baptism

Baptized Fairstead, Essex, 12 December 1591, son of Richard Steele.^[1][2]

Marriages

(1) Fairstead 10 October 1622 "John Steele, son of Richard of this parish, & Rachel Talcott of Brancktree [i.e., Braintree]."^[2][3] She died at Farmington 24 October 1653.^[4][3]

(2) Farmington 25 November 1655 Mercy (Ruscoe) Semer (ie. Seymour)^[4], widow of Richard Seymour/Seamer.^[5][6] She died after 4 July 1668 (on which date John Winthrop treated "Mrs. Steele, widow, 67 y. of Farmington."^[7]

Death and Burial

John Steele died in Farmington, Connecticut, 27 February 1664[/5?].^[4][6]

There is no record of the burial of John Steele. His name is on the Founders of Hartford Monument in the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, but that does not mean he was buried there.

Massachusetts

Farmer's register says John was in Dorchester 1630,^[8] but Savage's Dictionary points out that he mentions no "high authority".^[9]

The earliest records found for John in Newtown, later called Cambridge, MA, is the same year the town records begin, 1632, when he is alloted a division of the "Common Pales", 14 rods. It was established at the first town meeting that the "impaled ground shall be divided according to every man's proportion in the said pales." If they wanted to sell their portion it was first to be sold to the town for what they paid or they would give permission to sell to whom they choose. They were responsible for keeping their pales (fencing) in good shape. The date was broken off but it was between 7 Jan 1632 and 5 Aug 1633, showing he was already settled by that time, at least.^[10][2]

John Steele was granted land in Newtowne (Cambridge): 5 Aug 1633 three roods for a cowyard in Cambridge, 1 Dec 1634 two acres in the Westend Field, and 20 Aug 1635 2 shares of meadow.^[11][3] 20 August 1635 he owned the following in Newtown: In town, a house with a garden and about a half rood in back; three roods in Cowyard Row; half an acre in the old field; two acres on Small Lot Hill; two acres in the West end field; 10 and 1/2 acres in the neck; one acre in the Marsh; three and 1/2 acres in the Long Marsh; 12 acres in the great Marsh.^[12] He sold all his property in Newtowne to Robert Bradish on 25 August 1635.^[12]

John Steele was a freeman in Massachusetts 14 May 1634.^[13][3]

He served as a Cambridge's deputy to the General Court of Massachusetts 4 March 1634/5, 6 May 1635 and 2 Sept 1635^[13] As people began leaving Massachusetts to resettle along the Connecticut River. John Steele and several others were appointed by Massachusetts Bay with "full power & aucthoritie to hear & determine in a iudiciall way ... differences wch may arise" etc.^[13]

Connecticut

Mr. Steele, and four others presided at the first "Corte holden att Newton 26 Apr. 1636.^[14] The following February 1636/7 "the plantacion nowe called Newtowne shal be called & named by the name of Harteford Towne"^[14]

John Steele was chosen recorder in Hartford 16 Nov 1639.^[15][14] In 1645, he was requested to do the same for Farmington until they were able to choose one for themselves.^[14] The wording here implies that he was not yet a resident of Farmington^[2]

His land recorded in Hartford: 1 parcel with house, out houses, gardens, of about two acres; and several other parcels of meadow and swamp..^[15] It is #28 on the map, near the Meeting House Yard.

The first specific mention of John in Farmington is "about" 30 Jan 1652, he was admitted to the Farmington Church.^[2][16]

His land in Farmington, Jan 1655, consisted of a parcel with dwelling house that now stands, New house & cellar, outhouses, yards, orchards, that he bought of John Wernor about 2 acres and at least one other parcel.

Mr. Steel was Deputy to the General Court of Connecticut many times during his life. The records refer to him as Mr. Steele^[14] He also served on several committees on various matters.^[2]

Children^[17]

Children of John Steele, of Hartford and Farmington. The order of birth of the children is probably but not certain.

By wife Rachel:

• John Jr. b. --; m. Mary Warner 22 Jan 1645^[18]; d. before his father, 8 Mar 1653/4, in Farmington.^[4]
• Samuel, b. about 1626 (deposed that he was about 59 on 6 June 1685^[19].. m. by 1652 Mary Boosey, dau. of Hon. James Boosoy; he d. Aug. 15, 1685; she was b. Sept. 10, 1635, and d. 1702, at Farmington. "He was deputy to the General Assembly 1668-9, and 1672 to 1677. He was appointed lieutenant of Farmington train band in 1674. The General Court, held May 9, 1672, granted him 200 acres of land for a farm."
• Daniel b. say 1628. He was living in 1636 and named in his grandmother's will^[19] but must have died by 1645, when a second Daniel was born.^[3]
• Rachel bp. Fairstead 29 June 1632."^[20][3][2] Named in her grandmother's 1636/7 will^[3] No further record^[3]
• Lydia, b. ; Ledia m. March 31, 1657, in Farmington, James Bird^[4], son of Thomas and Mary Bird; he d. 1708; she d. --; his father, Thomas Bird, settled in Hartford in 1645.
• Mary, m.March 31, 1657, in Farmington, William Judd^[4], son of Thomas Judd;^[3] she d. Oct. 2, 1718.
• Sarah, b. say 1639; d. May 22, 1695 in the 57 year of her age;^[3] m. by 1663 Thomas Judd; removed to Waterbury, Conn., in 1677;  ; he was b. 1638, and d. Jan. 10, 1702, aged 65 years. "He was the son of Thomas Judd, one of the earliest settlers of Hartford, who afterwards removed to Farmington, where his two sons, William and Thomas, married two daughters of John Steel. His name occurs frequently on the Records of Connecticut."
• Daniel b. Hartford 29 April 1645; died 6 Nov 1645^[21]
• Hannah Steel, daughter of John, d. 17 July 1655, in Farmington;^[4]

Last Will and Testament of John Steel^[22]

Dated: 30 Jan 1663

Presented: 15 Jun 1665

I John Steel of ffarmington being stricken in yeares and weaknes doe see necessary to set our smal occasions in ye world at a stay. I being therfore though weak in body yet of competent ability for this work I humbly comitting my spirit into the hands of god that gaue it and into ye hands of our blessed saviour who euer hath bene a gracias God to me and also doe comit my body to a comly and decent buriall in the comon place of burial at ffarmington appointed for that purpose.

I giue and bequeath unto my dear and loueing wife mercy Steel The house wherein I now dwell wth the appurtenances belonging to it in al three little closes thervnto belonging also one Barne dureing the time of her natural life esteemed at £ 4 4s per ann:

I giue and bequeath vnto ye said Mercy a certein parcell of houshold goods that were hirs at ye time when I married to her linnen and wollen brass and pewter and other implements of houshold goods esteemed about nineteen pounds as also a mare colt valued at £ 2 10s. Also two Cowes and one three yeare old Heifer as also one third part of al ye provision in ye house, which is one third part of what more is in my house wch is for the maintenanc of our familie as one third part of meat one third of our malt one third of butter and cheese one third of flax or yarn woolen or linnen also ten busheld of wheat and six bushels of peas one stock of bees two store swine one third of ye fowles three sheep wth their lambs a pint skellet on woollen on linnen wheel one beer barrell.

I giue and bequeath vnto my said wife marsy steel one half of all the linnen cloth she hath made since I married to her. All wch parcel of goods in the perticulers before mentioned except the house and barne and three Closes I giue and bequeathe vnto my Loueing wife and her heires for euer.

I giue and bequeath vnto my Loueing wife a parcell of Pasture land inclosed esteemed at three Acres to her for her vse dureing her natural life.

I giue and bequeath to my Son Samuell Steel my best bed wth ye furniture belonging vnto it wch is a bed wth one Green Rugg one feather boulster two good feather pillowes one suit of green Say Curtaines and Vallons and the girt Bed sted wheron it vsed to lie wth ye Curtaine rode, belonging to it.

I giue and bequeath to my Son Samuell a siluer Bowle wch was myne owne Marked wth three siluer stamps and on S. al on the vpper end of ye bowle. Also I giue vnto my son Samuel one half of al my Books also my gold scales and weights belonging to yt. All which pticulers aboue mentioned I giue and bequeath to my Son Samuel and his heires for euer to enjoy them imediately after my natural life is ended.

I giue to my son Samuell a peice of inclosed Pasture land by estimation three Acres abutting on Isaack Moor South and Mathew Woodroof west and Samuel Steel north and comon land East wch said land I giue and bequeath to him ahd his Heires for euer to enjoy it imediately after myne and my wife decease.

And to avoid the trouble of other conveiances of house and Land to my Son Samuell Steel of what I gaue him at his marriage wth Mary Boosy I here express it that as then I did so here I doe giue and bequeath vnto my Son Samuel Steel a parcel of Land wth a tenement standing on it wch parcel of Land conteines by estimation two Acres abutting on the high way east and Riuer West and William Juds land South and John Steels land North. As also a smal parcel of Land on wch his Stilhouse stands conteineing by estimation nine roods more or less abutting on Willm Judds Land sourth and on ye high way East and on John Steels Land north and West. One parcell of Land lying in the great meadow conteineing by estimation seauenteen Acres more or less abutteing on John Nortons land South and the riuer west and on John Steels land deceased North and on the highway east. One parcell lying in the third meadow conteining by estimation three Acres and a half more or less abutting on the Riuer West and on John Steels land deceased South and on the comon land East and Samuell Steels land North. One parcell of land lying in the Cock crook which is one third part of all that land wch was Cocks crook wch whole parcel of Land was giuen by ffarminton inhabitants to me also by ye Indian wch was ye owner of ye forementioned Land wch Indian is now deceased which Indian was called by the name of Cock crook. Wch parcell of Land giuen to my son Samuell is one third part of this whole parcell both for quallity and quantity, al wch parcells formentioned (except the three Acres of pasture land not yet to be possessed by him) I doe giue and bequeath, both Land and house forementioned vnto my Son Samll Steel and his heires for euer.

I giue and bequeath vbto my Son in Law Willm: Judd one third part of my Land called Cocks crook.

I giue and bequeath vnto my Son in Law Thomas Judd one third part of my Land at Cockscrook wch three parcels of land is all that was mine in Cockscrook granted by farmington Inhabitants to me in that place. That whole parcel of land shalbe devided equally both for quantity and quallty amongst my three Sons Samuel Steel, William Judd and Thomas Judd for them and their heires for euer.

I giue vnto my Son in Law Thomas Judd on pcell of Land lying in ye neck of Land in Hartford being by Estimation Twenty Acres more or lesse abutting on Willm Wadsworth Land north and on Windsor highway on ye West on ye dead swamp East, wch said Land I giue vnto Thomas Judd and his heires for euer.

I giue and bequeath vnto my too Sons in Law Willm and Thomas Judd my now dwelling house and barn house Lott yards Garden orchyard therto belonginge to be equally devided betwixt the foresaid William and Thoams to them and their heires for euer to enter possession immediately after myne and my wiues departure ou of this natural life.

ffurther my Wil is that a few things should be disposed to my Loving wife and Children and Ctandchildr

To my wife two smal siluer spoones and some small matter of linnen And to Mary Judd one peice of Gold and to Sarah Judd one peice of Told to John Steel son of John Steel deceased on siluer spoon And to Samuell son of ye said John deceased on siluer spoon and to Benony Steel one siluer spoon And to Rachel Daughter of Samuel Steel on siluer spoon to be delivered to them at their marriadge by my Son Samuell Steel, but my wife and two Daughters shal haue theirs imediately after the departure of my naturall life.

further it is my wil that if any of these three John Steel Samuell or Benony die before marriage then ye fore mentioned spoones to be devided betwixt the Surviuors And if al three die then the spoones to returne to my Son Samuel and his Heires for euer And it is my Wil that for the remainder of my siluer spoones broken or whole as also a smal gold ring I giue and bequeath to my Son Samuell Steel

And for the rest of my Estate Cattle or horses sheep ec within doores of wthout vndisposed all just debts being first paid I giue and bequeath to my two Sons in Law William and Thomas Judd And doe make them my Sole Executors and doe desire and make choice of my Son Samuel Steel and James Steel to be the ouer seers of this my Will and Testament.

John Steel

Testes vpon Oath in Court June 16.65

James Steel

Samuel Steel

Inventory of Estate of John Steele

Presented Jun 1665

house barne Lott & Orchyard £ 65-0-0

on peice of pastur land 12-0-0

peuter & too siluer spoones 2-0-0

foureteene books 3-0-0

siluer Plate 3-0-0

gold to tenn shilling peices on gold ring 1-5-0

on matchlocke Muskett on holberd 0-6-0

wampom & honey 0-6-0

three quir of papper 0-2-0

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NRMQ-8ZW : 30 December 2014), John Steele, 12 Dec 1591; citing FAIRSTED,ESSEX,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 0962701 IT 4.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Starr, Frank Farnsworth. Various Ancestral Lines of James Goodwin and Lucy (Morgan) Goodwin of Hartford, Connecticut, 2 vols. (Hartford 1915) Vol 1 p. 239-253
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9} The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995). "John Steele" p. 1756
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} Farmington. Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. pp 157/8. the deaths are from the Farmington Land Records pp 319, 320, 321.
5. ↑ "English Home and Ancestry of Richard Seamer." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 71:111. 1917.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Jacobus, D. Lines. (1939). A history of the Seymour family: descendants of Richard Seymour of Hartford, Connecticut, for six generations ; with extensive amplification of the lines deriving from his son John Seymour of Hartford. New Haven, Conn.: [Printed by the Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor company]. pg 21-28. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89058583543;view=1up;seq=51
7. ↑ Great Migration Begins "John Steele" Article citing: Medical Journals of John Winthrop Jr., 1657-­1669, manuscript, Massachusetts His­torical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.
8. ↑ Farmer, John. A genealogical register of the first settlers of New England ..." [from old catalog]. Lancaster, Mass.: Carter, Andrews & Co., 1829. Link at Archive: alphabetical
9. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692. Vol. I-IV. Boston, MA, USA: 1860-1862.
10. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (20 May 2014), Middlesex > Cambridge > Births, marriages, deaths, town records 1632-1703 vol 1 > image 3 of 287; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.
11. ↑ 'The Records of the Town of Cambridge (formerly Newtowne) Massachusetts, 1630-1703 (Cambridge, Mass., 1901) p. 5, p. 10, [https://archive.org/stream/recordsoftownofc00cambiala#page/12/mode/2up p. 13
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} The Register Book of the Lands and Houses in the "New towne" and the town of Cambridge (Cambridge, Mass., 1896). ( owned: p. 13, 14; sold p. 15, 16.)
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Shurtleff, Nathaniel. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Vol. I 1628-1641 (William White, Boston, 1853-). (Freeman p. 369 Deputy pp 135, 145, 156; Commissioner fo Connecticut171;
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4} Trumbull, J. Hammond. (transcriber). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Prior to the Union with New Haven Colony May 1665. Hartford: Brown and Parsons, 1850. AKA Colonial Records of Connecticut. Volume I. 1636-1665 Google Books pp. first court 1; renamed 7, 48, 134
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society "Original Distribution of the Lands in Hartford among the Settlers 1639. Volume XIV. (The Connecticut Historical Society and the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Hartford 1912). p. xi p. 410
16. ↑ Connecticut Church Records Index. Farmington First Congregational church 1652-1938. Conn. State Library, 1943.
17. ↑ #S-164 Page 8
18. ↑ White, Lorraine Cook, ed. Hartford. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002. p. 398
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} GMB citing Goodwin Anc 253, citing Famington LR 1:43
20. ↑ England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBZ1-SS4 : 30 December 2014), Rachel Steell, 29 Jun 1632; citing FAIRSTED,ESSEX,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 0962701 IT 4.
21. ↑ Hartford. Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. p 370
22. ↑ #S-164 Page 1

• Starr, Frank. Various Ancestral Lines of James Goodwin and Lucy (Morgan) Goodwin of Hartford, Connecticut (Hartford, Conn., 1915) Vol. 1, Page 239-53
• The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995), page 1756ff. (Subscription required.)
• Durrie, Daniel S.. ]]Steele family. A genealogical history of John and George Steele. Albany, N.Y.: J. Munsell, 78 State Street, 1862. Open Library
• Hartford Town Records
• Colonial Records of Connecticut
• Records of Massachusetts
• Farmington CT Town Records
• Find A Grave: Memorial #34190359
• Morris, Seymour. Richard Seymour of Hartford and Norwalk, Conn., and Some of His Descendants, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1918) Vol. 72, Page 209.
• Seymour, George Dudley. The English Home and Ancestry of Richard Seamer Or Semer of Hartford, Conn. (Stanhope Press, Boston, 1917) Page 9.
• Hartford Town Votes, Vol. 1, 1635-1716, Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society (The Society, Hartford 1897) Vol. 6, Page 3-4.

• "The 16th off Novembr 1639... Itis ordrd that John Steele shalbe Register or Towne Clarke to Record all [___] in the Register booke according to ..."