By Jared L. Olar
October 2019
The surname "Toy" (or "Tay") is Dutch or Flemish, with alternate forms including du Thoy, du Toit, du Tois, and du Toict. The surname literally means "of the barn" or "of the stable," thus indicating a family whose ancestor was a farmer or farm laborer (the etymology of "Toy" derives from the Latin word tectum, "roof" or "house"). Our own Toy ancestors were Dutch settlers in the colony of New Netherland (New York), being descendants of a Dutchman named Jan Toy, whose wife Christina was a Finnish woman who came to America as one of the settlers of the colony of New Sweden (Delaware). Almost everything we know of the Toy family is thanks to the research of the late Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, whose articles and books are the primary basis for the account of the Toy family shown here:
1. JAN TOY ("Jan Tay"), a Dutch colonist of New Netherland (New York). Nothing is known of him apart from the fact that he was the first husband of a Finnish woman named CHRISTINA ("Kerstin"), born before 1654 in Finland or Sweden, died after 4 May 1693 in Great Egg Harbor, Atlantic County, New Jersey, probably at the home of her daughter Susannah and son-in-law James Steelman. Christina's maiden name is unknown, but Morton Garrett of the Schuylkill informed Per Kalm in 1750 that the Toy family was Finnish, while the other Swedish families in the area told Per Kalm that the Toys were Dutch. In the final genealogical article that Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig wrote before his death, "The Toy and King Families of Senamensing, New Jersey," published in Swedish Colonial News, Summer 2010, Vol. 4, No. 2, Craig wrote concerning the ethnic origins of Jan Toy and his wife Christina that, "It is likely that both the majority and Garrett were right. Christina Toy was accepted as a member of the Swedish church. This meant that she had to be Swedish or Finnish, since her husbands were not." Thus, Craig concluded that Christina was likely of Finnish descent. Jan Toy and his wife Christina had a son named Elias Janssen Toy in Oct. 1664 and a daughter named Susannah about 1666.
In the same article, Craig showed that Christina very likely was "Kerstin," maidservant of New Sweden Governor Johan Classon Risingh. Craig also very plausibly proposed that Jan Toy's wife Christina was the widow of CAPTAIN FREDERICK DE CONINCK, who was captain of the Dutch warship de Waegh ("The Scales") when it led a Dutch attack on New Sweden in 1655. It was probably on the occasion of Coninck's transporting New Sweden's Governor Risingh to Manhattan on 31 Oct. 1655 that he met Risingh's maidservant Kerstin. Captain Frederick de Coninck was the father of Frederick Fredericksen de Coninck, also called "Frederick King," born Sept. 1659, who thus would have become Jan Toy's stepson upon his marriage to Christina, probably widow of Captain Frederick de Coninck. Frederick King's eldest surviving child was his son Elias King, born in 1690, while Frederick's half-brother Elias Jansen Toy's eldest child Frederick Toy was also born in 1690 -- these children evidently were named after their paternal uncles.
Continuing his account of Christina's life, Craig wrote in his article:
It is uncertain when Christina returned [from New Amsterdam] to former New Sweden with her children. It most likely happened in 1673 when the Dutch briefly retook the Delaware from the English, only to have it returned to English rule by the Treaty of Westminster in 1674. Soon thereafter, in 1677, the name of Frederick "Koning" appear next to that of Hans Månsson in a petition seeking new land. Frederick was then 18 years old. By that time, Christina and her children were living on Hans Månsson's plantation at Aronameck in Kingsessing, next to the land of Jonas Nilsson.
Soon after that, Christina remarried a third time to a widower named MARCUS LAURENSEN, a Holsteiner Dane, ancestor of the Huling family. Marcus had children from a previous marriage. Craig provides the following information about Christina and Marcus:
He lived at Putshack, NJ, just south of Pennsauken Creek, where he died on 4 May 1689. Witnesses to his death reported he asked his wife whether she would care for his children. She answered that she would have to check first with her own son, Elias Tay. Marcus said he could not wait for this, so would she agree to have his estate and children managed by three Englishmen. She agreed and subsequently went to live with her daughter Susannah, who moved to Great Egg Harbor, NJ, with her husband, Jöns Steelman, second son of Hans Månsson and Ella Stille.
The known children of Jan and Christina Toy, along with a son of Christina's probable first marriage, were:
-- FREDERICK FREDERICKSEN DE CONINCK ("Frederick King"), born Sept. 1659 in New Amsterdam (New York), drowned 26 Sept. 1698 in the Delaware River near Wicaco, New Jersey, married Christina Jonasdotter.
-- ELIAS JANSEN TOY, Oct. 1664 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, died Feb. 1720 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, married twice.
2. SUSANNAH TOY, born circa 1666 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
2. SUSANNAH TOY, daughter of Jan and Christina Toy, born circa 1666 in Great Egg Harbor, Atlantic County, New Jersey, died between circa 1706 and 1708 in Great Egg Harbor, Atlantic County, New Jersey. Susannah married either in 1690 or by 1691 in Gloucester County, New Jersey, to her fellow New Sweden colonist JÖNS HANSSON STEELMAN ("James"), born circa 1665 in Senamensing, Burlington County, New Jersey, died before 4 Jan. 1735 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, son of Hans Månsson and Ella Olofsdotter Stille. Jöns was known among his English-speaking neighbors as "James." Susannah and James had five sons and two daughters. More than 20 years after Susannah's death, James remarried on 3 June 1730 in Gloucester County, New Jersey, to KATHERINE OUSTER, born circa 1680, by whom he had one child, a son named Peter.
This sketch of James Steelman's life, with information on Susannah and their children, is found at the Descendants of Founders of New Jersey website:
James Hansson Steelman (a.k.a. Jöns Hansson), the son of Captain Hans and “Ella” Månsson was born in Aronameck, PA, between 1660-1670. He married Susannah Toy in 1690 in Gloucester, New Jersey and was recorded living in Sinamensing (Cinnaminson Twp.), Burlington County, New Jersey, in 1693. On 12 June 1700, at the consecration of the Gloria Dei Church at Wicaco (present day Philadelphia), James Steelman and his wife along with several other church members represented the Sinamensing District (Pennsauken Creek area that included the Great & Little Egg Harbor). On 10 November 1695, James purchased several land parcels totaling 500 acres near Great Egg Harbor from Thomas Budd and moved his wife and family, along with his brother Peter and his wife Gertrude Keen, to this area. During James Steelman’s lifetime in what is now the present day Absecon Beach, Somers Point area, he and his wife had six sons and two daughters. [sic - the 6th son was born of James' 2nd wife] James became a prominent citizen and held various positions within the County of Gloucester. On 1 June 1696 he was elected “Overseer” of highway from Egg Harbor towards Gloucester, and again on 2 September 1700 “Overseer” of the road from Township Weymouth to a place called "Penny Post.” In 1718 James was appointed as one of the Trustees of Egg Harbor. From 1694 to 1734, James purchased and traded many large parcels of property around the Somers Point area, and upon his death he held over 600 acres and had an inventoried wealth of approximately £328 listed in his will.
The following research notes on James Steelman's life -- found at the "My Son Adam's Family" database -- are derived in part from the article, "Hans Månsson and his Steelman Family," by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, which was published in Swedish Colonial News, Vol. 1, No. 10 (Fall 1994):
James Hansson Steelman married Susannah Toy by 1690. In 1695 he acquired lands at Great Egg Harbor in the area of present Atlantic City. He died in 1734, survived by six sons and two daughters. He purchased 500 acres of land in Great Egg Harbor in 1695 from Thomas Budd. He also purchased 200 acres of land on Patconck Creek from James Adams and Judah Allen of Burlington Co., NJ, which was left to his youngest son Peter in his will. James also owned a considerable part of Absecon Beach (now Atlantic City). Among the list of charter members of the Gloria Dei Church were Ella Steelman, widow of Hans Månsson, Jöns Steelman and wife Susannah Toy, Peter Steelman and wife Gertrude Keen of Sinamensing District (Pennsauken Creek, NJ -- including Great and Little Egg Harbor) WILL: proved January 10, 1734/5, leaving home plantation to son Peter, which bounded Pattcunk's Creek, mentioned the 200 acres of land he bought from James Adams and Judah Allen, as well as swamps, beach and land bought of Peter Scull.
James' will also shows that he was a slave-owner, for he bequeathed his African slaves to his children. Craig's 1994 article also lists James' children by his two wives as well as his grandchildren. Another list of James' children is found in the final article Craig wrote before his death in 2009, "The Toy and King Families of Senamensing, New Jersey," published posthumously in Swedish Colonial News, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Summer 2010), pages 2, 4-5, 15. The list of Susannah's and James Steelman's children is found on page 15. The article concludes with a paragraph on James' will, which was written 2 Aug. 1734 and proved 4 Jan. 1735. "His personal estate was values at £322, included cattle and sheep valued at £122," Craig wrote.
The known children of Susannah and James Hansson Steelman were:
-- ANDREW STEELMAN, born 1691 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, died 1737 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, married Judith (NN).
-- SUSANNAH STEELMAN, born 1693 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, died 9 Nov. 1753, married John Keen.
-- HANS STEELMAN ("Hance"), born circa 1697 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, died 1760 in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, married Alice (Elsa) Jones.
-- JOHN STEELMAN, born circa 1699 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, died 1762 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
-- JAMES STEELMAN JR., born circa 1701 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
-- ELIAS STEELMAN, born circa 1703 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, died 1739 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, married Sarah Lake.
-- MARY STEELMAN, born circa 1706 in Great Egg Harbor, Gloucester County, New Jersey, married twice.
Toy Genealogy Resources:
"The Toy and King Families of Senamensing, New Jersey," in Swedish Colonial News, Summer 2010, Vol. 4, No. 2 A Brief History of New Sweden in America The Swedish Colonial Society The 1693 Census of the Swedes on the Delaware, Chapter 2: The Wicaco Congregation, by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig. Steelman Genealogy Descendants of Founders of New Jersey: James Steelman (Jöns Mansson) WikiTree: Jöns Hansson Steelman, with information on and links to ancestors, wife, children, and grandchildren.