John Steele
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 12 Dec 1591 - Fairsted, Essex, England
Christening:
Death: 27 Feb 1664-27 Feb 1665 - Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut
Burial: in Ancients Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut
Cause of Death:
AFN #:
Parents
Father: Richard Steele (1549-1631)
Mother: Elizabeth (Abt 1565-1626)
Spouses and Children
1. *Rachel Talcott (Abt 1602 - )
Marriage: 10 Oct 1622 - Fairsted, Essex, England
Status:
Children:
1. John Steele (Abt 1624-1653)
2. Samuel Steele (1626-1685)
3. Daniel Steele (Abt 1628-1637)
4. Rachel Steele (1632- )
5. Lydia Steele (Abt 1635-1659)
6. Hannah Steele (Abt 1637-1655)
7. Sarah Steele (Abt 1639-1695)
8. Mary Steele (Abt 1637-1718)
9. Daniel Steele (1645-1646)
2. Mercy Ruscoe (Abt 1591 - )
Marriage: 25 Nov 1655
Status:
Notes
General:
One Worldconnect page says he immigrated between Jul 1632 and Aug 1633 to Cambridge, Massachusetts.
"The Family of John Steele"
In 1891 the writer of this sketch accompanied Mr. Henry F. Waters to England for research. On Feb, Setp 11, Mr. Waters and myself visited the parish of Fairstead, and on examining the records Mr. Waters found this significant entry:
"John Steele (son of Richard) of this parish and Rachel Talcott of Brancktree were married 10 October 1622"
Following record also appears on the Fairstead register and may refer to a child of John and RAchel Steele: "Rachel Steele daughter of John Steele baptised 29 June 1632".
John Steele is believed to have emigrated to New England soon after the baptism of this child. The name of the vessel in which he sailed for, and the date of his arrival in, New England, are not known.
In the records of the Town and Selectmen of Cambridge are several votes under the date of 7th of January 1632, on the building of houses in the town, followed by a record showing the proportion each inhabitant was to build of the common pale or fence. In this list John Steele was to build fourteen rods and George (his brother) six rods.
They were also among the residents to whom were granted lots for cow yards on 5 Aug 1633. John Steele was given three roods and George Steele one-half an acre. Among others at Cambridge at this date were his brother in law, John Talcott, woh was one of the party which emigrated with Thomas Hooker to the Connecticut Valley.
Among the other residents of Cambridge at this date was his brother in law, John Talcott, who was one of the party which emigrated with Thomas Hooker to the Connecticut valley.
On May 24, George Steel, then of Hartford, made his will, which left 50 shillings to his dear and loving brother John Steel.
John Talcott of Hartford in his will dated Aug 12, 1659, also mentioned the Steele family:
"my mynd is that if my kesnman John Skiner & my kinswoman Sara stell or ether of them shall be Liueing weth me in sarves at my Departur this Liufe: that they shall have payd each of them soe Liueing weth me ten pounds."
"John Tailecot of Brainctrie", Essex County, England, made his will in 1604, which was proved Jan 24 of the same year. In it he made provision for his wife, Anne, son John, daughters Rachel, Anne, Mary, Grace and Sara, mentioned his "father in law, Wiliam Skynner, and Robert Tailcot my brother."
Talcott's widow married Moses Wall, also of Braintree. The latter made his will Sept 16, 1623, which was proved teh following January, and in it mentioned his wife Anne and gave
"unto John Talkatt, my osn in law, and to Rachel Taylcott and to Sara Taylcott, my daughters in law, five pounds apiece."
Since the foregoing was written, Mr. Lothrop Withington, the antiquary of London, found the will of Ann Wall, widow of Felstead.
In substance, it goes as follows:
I give to my son John Talcott 16 pounds.
To daughter Sarah, wife of William Wadsworth, 14 pounds.
To my daughter RAchel, wife of John Steele, 14 pounds.
... To John and Mayr, children of my said son Talcot, 40 shillings apiece.
To such children of my said daugther Sarah as were born at Braintree and are now living, 40 s apiece.
To Samuel, Daniel, and Rachel, children of my daughter Steele, 40 s apiece.
To each of my said children, a silver bowl. "
"A Brief Memoir of John Steele, Esq... One of the pioneers in the first settlement of Connecticut"
John Steele appears to have been educated for the duties of the magistracy. This was apparently written before the documents that established his origin in England were found. Says little known abou thimn.
Mr. John Steele's name appears first in connection with Dorchester, one of the earliest settlements of the colony of Massachusetts, in the year 1630.
Next he is found ot have been one of the proprietors of Cambridge (first called Newtown in 1632. Two others, George and Henry Steele, were also propretors at teh same time. Mr. John Steele, havinbg been made freeman or elector by the court, in 1634, was elected a representative from Cambrdige in 1635; Cambridge being designed to be the capital of the colony, as it was soon after the seat of the university.
During this period, however, the numerous arrivals at Cambrdige, and the want of pasture lands in the vicinity, induced a portion of the people, including a number of their chief men, with the Rev. Mr. Hooker, their pastor, to seek another location. Another inducement for their removal was a dislike of some regulations, which were thought to circumscribe their rights as freemen. The proposed enterprise met with strong opposition, but at length its advocates obtianed the consent of the majority, and Mr. John Steele, in the autumn of 1635, led the pioneer band through the rugged, pathless wilderness, to a new location on the Connecticut River. As Leader and Magistrate, he appears to have conducted the expedition safely and wisely. Arriving late in the season, they had to endure all the hardships and trials of a severe winter, with the labors of clearing the forest, constructing their rude dwellings, securing food. ... And in the ensuing summer came the main portion of their company -- men, women and children, with their minister, to their new home. Here they laid the foundations of a new town afterwards named Hartford, and of a new colony (Connecticut), the ghird of the colonies of New England.
John Steele was an active member of the church, a magistrate, and one of the principal members of their legislative-judicial - colony court. He was elected to the principal colony court for a total of 23 years, and for 4 years was its secretary or recorder. For nearly 20 years he was also recorder of teh town of Hartford, and for a time recorder of the town of Farmington. He was nicknamed the Secretary.
During these yeasr he was likewise called upon to act on various principal committees or agencies, civil, military and ecclesiastical, for determining the contested claims and boundaries of the colony; for the peaceful acquisition of additional territory, for raising troops for special expeditions against hostile Indians. He was esepcially called to try ot heal the sad breach and to bring to a peaceful termination that long and bitter controversy, occasioned by the requirements for admitting members into their church, and of those who should present their children for baptism - which had caused a separation between their teacher and a portion of the congregation on the one side, and those who were the dissentients, or had withdrawn, on the other. On these points he appears to have taken middle ground, as inclining to a less stringent course, but with others pleading with all teh energy of heart and soul for reconciliation and peace.
His closing hears were passed at Farmington, where also he was a minister of their church. His residence in Hartford was on the main street just north of the present Athenueum. His will is dated January 30, 1663-4. He died Nov 25, 1665.
Additional Notes from The Great Migration Begins, at NEHGS web site;
Church membership; admission to Cambridge church prior to 14 May 1634 implied by freemanship (a requirement to be admitted to the town as a freeman). He first lived in Cambridge, moved to Hartford in 1635, and to Farmington in 1645.
He had sufficient education to be recorder at Hartford and Farmington (as well as secretary at the colonial legislature). His inventory invluded two Bibles and forteen books, and three quires of paper, valued at 2 s, and his scales were of gold.
He ws Deputy to the General Court for Cambridge, 4 Mar 1634/6, 6 May 1635, adn 2 Sept 1635. He was appointed Massachusetts Bay commissioner for new settlements on the Connecticut River, 3 Mar 1635/6
On 11 April 1640 "Mr. Steele is returned Recorder for the town of Hartford", and hath brought into the Court 114 copies of the several parcels of land belonging to and concerning 114 persons. On 1 Dec 1654, as part of the establishment of Farmington, "Mr. Steele is entreated for the present to be recorder tehre, until the town have one fit among themselves".
Will of John Steel of Hartford. From State Records, in Hartford, dated Jan 30, 1663-4.
I, John Steel, of Farmington, I being stricken in years, and weakness, do see necessary to sett our small occasions in the world at a stay - I being therefore though sick in body, yet of competent ability for thsi work, hereby committing my spirit into the hands of God that gave it, and into the hands of our blessed Savior, who ever have been a gracious God to me - and also do commit my body to a comely and decent burial in teh common place of burial in Farmington, appointed for that purpose.
I give and bequeath to my dear and living wife Mary Steel, the house wherein I now dwell, with the appurenances belonging to it, viz: three little closes thereunto belonging, also one barn, during the term of her natural life.
Item. I give and bequeeath to my loving wife, two cows and one three year old heifer, and also one third part of all the provision for the house, which is one third part of what meat is in my house, which is for the maintenace of our family, as one third part of our meat, and one third part of our malt, and one third part of our butter and cheese, adn one third part of our flax, and one third part of our yarn, woolen or linen, as also ten bushels of wheat, and six bushels of pease, and one hive of bees, adn two store swine, and one third part of what fowls we have, and three sheep with their lambs, and a pint skillet, as also one bedstead, two mats, one linen and two woolen sheets, and one beer barrel.
Item. I give and bequeath to my loving wife Mary Steel, the one half of all hte linen cloth that she has made since I married to her -- all which parcel of goods, or particular things herein above written, or expressed, excepting the house and barn and three closes, I give and bequeath to my wife forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my loving wife, the parcel of pasture land enclosed, esteemed as three acres, for her to make use of during the time of her natural life.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Steel, my best bed, with the furniture belonging to it, which is a bed with one green rug, one feather bolster, two good feather pillows, one sett of green serge curtains, and one green serge vallance, as also teh great bedstead on which it useth to lie, and hte curtain rods belonging to it.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Steel, a silver bowl, which was mine own, marked with three Guitar Stamps and one S, all on the upper end of the bowl.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Steel, the one half of all my books, as also my gold scales and weights belonging to them -- al which as here above written - the bed with the furniture, the silver bowl and gold scales and weights, I give and bequeath to my son Samuel Steel and his heirs forever, to come to the enjoyment of them, immediately after the departure of my natural life.
Item. I give to my son Samuel Steel, a piece of enclosed pasture land, by estimation three acres, abutting by Isaac Moore's land south... to come to the enjoyment of it immediately after teh decease of mine and my wife's natural life. And to avoid trouble of making other conveyances, of house and lands, to my son Samuel Steel [of somewhat], I give to my son Samuel Steel, at the marrying with his wife mary Boosey, I here express as then did, so here I do, and bequeath to my son Samuel Steel, a parcel of land, with a tenement standing upon it, which parcle of land contains by estimation two acres.... as also a small parcel of land of which his still house stands, containing by estimation nine rods, more or less, abutting on William Judd's land south, and of th ehighway east, and on John Steel's land north and west.
Item. To my son Samuel Steel, one parcel of land in the great meadow, containing by estimation seventeen acres..., and on John Wells land [deceased north, and on the highway east - one parcel of land in the third meadow, contianing by estimation three acres and a half... and ... one piece of land lying on Cok's Cronk. which is one third part of that land which was Cok's Cronk, which whole parcel of land was given by Farmington inhabitants to me, also by the Indina now deceased, which Indian was called by the name fo Cok's Cronk, of which parcle of land given to my son Samuel Steel, i sone third part of this lot, parcel both for quality and quantity, all of which parcels or pieces of land, or house and land, herein expressed, given to my son Samuel Steel, as I ahve already given, excepting the three acres of pasture, not yet to be possessed by him, so unto the true possession of my son Samuel Steel, so I do here confirm it again, that I do give and bequeath to my son Samuel Steel and his heirs forever.
Item. I do give and bequeath to my son in law William Judd, one third part of my land in Cok's Cronk...
Item. I do give and bequeath to my son in law Thomas Judd, one third part of my land in Cok''s Cronk, which is all that was given to me by Farmington inhabitants in that place... and it is my will that that whole parcel of land shall be divided equally, both for quality and quantity, among my three sons, Samuel Steel, William Judd, and Thomas Jdd...
Item. I give and bequeath to my son in law Thomas Judd, one parcel of land lying in Hartford, in the neck of land, containing by exact measure twenty acres, more or less...
Item. I give and bequeath to my two sons in law, William Judd and Thomas Judd, my new dwelling house and barn, and house lot, yards, gardens, or orchard, thereto belonging, equally to be divided betwixt these two aforesaid, ...
Further it is my will that a few small things should be disposed to my loving wife, and children and grandchildren; to my loving wifek, the small silver spoons, and some small matter of linen; to Mary Judd, one piece of gold; to Sarah Judd, one piece of gold; to John Steel, son of John Steel deceased, one silver spoon; to Samuel Steel, son of John Steel deceased, one silver spoon; to Samuel Steel, son of John Steel deceased, one silver spoon; to Benoni Steel, one silver spoon; to Rachel Steel, daughter of Samuel Steel, one silver spoon, to be delivered to them by my son Samuel Steel, at the date of thier marriage; only my two daughers shall have theirs immediately after the departure of my natural life -- further it is my will that if any of these my three grandchildren, John Steel, Samuel Steel, Benoni Steel, shall die before they marry, then the forementioned spoons shall be divided among the surviving, or if all fo tehm shall die, then it is my mind that these forenamed spoons shall return to my son Samuel Steel and his heirs. And it is my will that for the remainder of my silver spoons, broken or whole, as also a small gold ring, I give adn bequeath to my son Samuel Steel, and his heirds forever; and for the remainder of my estate, as cattle or horses, swine, sheep, fowls, corn, linen or woolen, or what movables in my house, brass, pewter, iron, earthern, wooden bessels, or debts owing me, or whatever else is mine, not yet disposed of in this my will, all just dues being paid, I give and bequeath to my two sons in law, William and Thomas Judd; and to make the aforesaid William Judd and Thomas Judd, my whole and sole executors; and do desire and make shoice of my son Samuel Steel, and James Steel, to be overseers of this my last will and testament.