•^ Book . , I^OS ■J) ■J) < 5 0^ io u X, J 2 ■■/> < S u z :2 Thomas Steel of Boston and Some of His Descendants 1664-1905 Also including the Family and American Ancestry of Samuel and Olive (Pierce) Steele, Pioneers of Koshkonong, Wis., 1842. Also the Families of Laura J. and Louisa L. (Pierce) Arkins, of Denver, Colorado. Prepared and Published by George W. Steele Times-Mirror Printing and Binding House Los Aageies, California 1905 J r ^-"Ux^/ \ 'K INDEX Page. Allen, Ann 20 Elizabeth 9, IQ Jane 9 Joseph 20 Samuel 9, IQ Thomas -20 AlHne, Jane ^ 9 Almy, Ann 52 Arkins, Abigail 45 Carol 43 Clarence 45 Charles T 44 Edwin G 45 Estelle 43 Francis J 43 Grace 45 Harry 45 John 42. 45, 47 Joseph 42, 47 Laura J 40, 42, -| 7 Louisa L 42, 45, 47 Lucille 43 Margaret T 44 William 45 William M 43 Winona J 43 Armstrong, Sarah 28 Arnold, Joana 37 iv Index. Page Bartlctt. Sarali 33 Bower. Nellie P. 28 James W -28 Bowman, Mary 20. 21 Nathaniel -i Bridge. Anna -21 Elizabeth 21 John 21 Mathew 21 Brigham, Mercy 23 Briggs, Wesson 39- 4' William 4° Bullock. Thankful 38 Brown. Rev. Chad 47 Elisha 47. 4^. 5° Patience 47 Waite 38. 47 Capt. Daniel 38. 48. 50 Darius 5' Bumstead, Jeremiah 2 Campbell, Rev. John 12 Canonchct 35 Coggcshall, Elizabeth 52 Joshua 52 Sarah 52 Gary, Col. Simeon 39 Carpenter, Capt. Nathaniel .\0 Clcaland, James 3. '2 Coleman, J7, 47 Mary 37 Thomas iy vi Indkx. Page Klliott. John 7 Edmunds, Patience 47 Fellows. Gen. John 39 Fitz. Sarah T 31 Folsom, Ivorissa E 30 Fry, Thomas 53 Mary 53 W'clthian 53 Garfield. Anna 20. 21 Capt. Benjamin 21 Edward 20, 21 Elizabeth 21 Prcs. James A 21 Mary 20, _M Mehitabcl 21 Nathaniel 21 Rebecca 21 Samuel 20, 21 George. John - Godfrey, Elizabeth 8 Greene, Aiidn-y 52 Ann 52 John 52 Gen. Nathaniel 52 Susannah 52 VVelthian 53 Index. "^'^ Page Haight, Ann ^^ John T ^g Hamilton, Ella Herbert O ^^ T ' u 29 Jessie B J 29 Laura :Mary Lottie ^ Oscar T Sarah Sarah L " Thomas Thomas S ^^ Hallows, Mary Hall, Hiram ^'^ Harvey, Alice E -^g Alary Harris, Wm Henry, Ann Eliza Edw -^^ Mabel ^^ Herndeen, Sarah ^^ Nathan -^^ Hitchcock, Caleb Sarah Holbrook, Elizabeth ^ Hannah ^^ Capt. John 3^ Sarah Hobart, Rev. Peter ^ Honeywood, Elizabeth ^9 Henry ^9 Dr. John '~' "^ St. John • ]9 Mary TT TV 40» 41 House, Julia viii Index. Page James, Annah 36 King, Deborah 15 Isaac 15 Kitcherell, Martha 54 Samuel 54 Lauchlan, Anna l^ Samuel l^ Thomas 12 Lcland, Rev. John 48. 49 Dr. A. G 48 Leach, Amos 54 Mary 53. 54 Lewis, Esiellc 43 Lyon, Mary IQ Nathaniel 19 Locke. Arabella 31 I/jbtlell, Anna 54 Lciw. Anthony 37 John 37 Mary 37 MarHhall. Sarah 16 Alice 16 TIk mja* 16 Index. ix Page Martin, Daniel ^° Ephraim ^ John 38 Lydia ^^ Richard ^^ Thankful 38 IMasters. Alma O ^^ Eschylus ^ Sarah T -^J Hellish, Mary ^^ ]MilIer, Joseph E -^^ ^label H ^^ Miles, Rev. Sam 9 Mitchell, Julia 42 Capt. T 42 Moore, Beatrix 4 Morey, Elizabeth ^^ ^Morrison, James 4, T 8 Ja"e Janet "^' Mary 4 Thomas 4, » Muck, Adam "^ Elizabeth "^ Katherine ^ Mundell, Capt. J4 Myrick, Deborah Nelson, John 9- Margaret ^ Thomas 45 Newcomb, Deborah 54 Elizabeth ^4 Simon ^4 X Index. Page Newman, Rev. Noah 36 Nicholson, Gen. Francis 2 Page. Grace -45 Joseph B A5 Cicn. Nelson 45 Thomas N 45 John R 45 Parkhiirst, Abigail 45 Pemberton, Benjamin 16 Rev. Hbenczcr 15. 16 Eli/al)fth 16 James 16 Jane 16 Mary 14. '5. 16 Sarah 16 Pierce, Annah 36 Benjamin -'4. .'5. 3S, 39. 4' • 53. 54 Clarissa 24, J5. 40 Cromwell 3 ) Elisha 40. 4J K|ihraim 36. ^7 Fre. 13, i g Emma A 28 EiiKi-ne 31 Everett R 28 Frank P 28. 31 4. 7 : W 27. 29. 31 (k-ofKe R 32 ■■ M 32 ■ 23 I loward A .... 30 Ida 32 James S 5 Jane 8. g. 12. 14. 20 Jane A 29 Janet v ; >'. 12 Jessie A 30 Index. xv » Page Steele, Jessie E 29 John 4, 5, 9, n, I5 Capt. John 3. 4- 5. 10 Dr. John H 6, 7. 8, 21, 22 Katherine 29 Lois F 31 Lorissa E 30 Mabel H 31 Margaret 3, 9. 10, 12, 20 Mary 8, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22 Martha G 32 Mercy 23 Mercy R 27, 30 Morris S 29 Nellie B 28 Olive 24, 25, 26, 41 Ohve H 28 Polly 22, 24 Prince Albert 31 Richard 7. 8 Sir Richard 7 Samuel 4. n- 12, 14, 20, 22, 2^,, 24, 26, 32, 2,2. 42 Sarah 20, 32 Sarah L 27, 28 Solomon 22 Solomon Spencer 27, 28 Thomas . i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19 Dr. Thomas 5 Timothy 23, 31 Warren 23 William 6, 7, 8 Sunderland, Mary 15 xvi Indi-.x. Page Taylor. Mary -•-' Terry. Anna 54 Rebecca 54 Samuel 54 Thayer. E. F 29 Emma F 29 Herman 29 Jessie E 29 Tibbitts, George 48 Henry 47 John 38. 39. 40. 41. 47. 4S Judith 47 Mar)- 47 Phebe 38. 4^ Rebecca 47 Waite 38. 47, 48 WilUam 47 Tildcn, Lydia 3i Todd, Cc»l. Andrew 4 Beatrix 4 Mary 4 Toune, Jane 42 Tyler. Mary 4 Royal 4 Ty ley. Samuel '3 Tyng. John 13 Vans, Hugh '6 Mary 16 Vetch. Col 2 S'inccnt, Sarah 29 Index. xvii Page Watkyns, Walter K i6 Warner, Capt t,;^ Col. Seth 39 Wheeler, Isaac U !..> 29 Mary Lottie \.'y 29 Rachael 36 Sarah 29 Wight, 'Slaty ;^y Thomas 37 Willard, J 13 Williams, Roger 48, 52 Winslow, Gov. Edward 34 Kenelm 34 Rebecca 34 Woodrow, Rev. Mr I Worden, Peter 34 Wright, Abel 54 Ebenezer 53, 54 Elizabeth 54 Mary 53, 54 Martha 54 Rebecca 54 Samuel 54 Sarah 41, 53, 54 Rev. Stephen 53, 54 Thomas 54 Zerviah 53 Wyllis, Capt. Edwd 2 INTRODUCTORY This record is designed to cover, in the main, only the Hnes of descent of our own family; not following out the lines of the collateral branches. A more extended work would have been desirable, so as to cover as far as possible all the descendants of Thomas Steel of Boston; but the writer has not the time for such an undertaking. The work of Mr. Daniel Steele Durrie, so far as it relates to this family, while it is of inestimable value, is only incidental, and aside from his main purpose, which was directed to the Connecticut families. Such statements as came to him in relation to the family of Thomas Steel he set down with the care and efficiency which was char- acteristic of his work; but he neither promised nor attempted a full and accurate record of others than the families of John and George Steele. It was inevitable that such a record must be incomplete, and it was likely to be, and in some particulars is, erroneous and misleading. Wherever such has seemed to be the case it is indicated in this work, and the proper correction or omission supplied when possible, either from personal knowledge or family or public records. It is hoped that a general account and record of the de- scendants of Thomas Steel may be included in the work on the Steele families in this country, now understood to be in preparation by Mr. F. B. King, of Albany, N. Y. The many families of our ancestral lines, both paternal and maternal, all run back well into the 17th century in this country. The family names and approximate dates of settlement in New England arc, mainly, as follows, viz. : In XX I NTRODVCTORY. the paternal line, Steele, 1690; Allen. ; Pembcrton, 1630 ; Garfield, 1635; Rice, 1638; Rider, 1639; Bowman. 1630; Dixie, i6j9; Marshall. 1650; Bridge, 1634; Wheeler, 1654. In the maternal line: Pierce. 1645: Eaines. 1634; Holbrook, 1643; Kuw. before 1653; Ellis. 1653". Martin, 1665; Tibbitts. 1670; SlKMu-er, 1668; Wright. 1654; Brown, 1636; Bullock, before \uy); Greene. 1635; Almy, 1655; Fry, 1650; Coggeshall, 1645; Stanton, 1670; Leach. 1679; Lobdcll. 1659; Newcomb, 1693; Terry, before 1691; Kitcherell. 1634; Rhodes, before 1697. In preparing this work, many authorities have been con- sulted, and sjKJcial acknowledgment is due to the following: Durrie's Steele families; Washburn's History of Leicester, Mass.: Records of the church in Brattle Square; Paige's His- tory of Hardwick; Pierce Families, by F. C. Pierce; Dean's History of Scituate; Vital Statistics of Rehoboth; Austin's Historical and Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island; Vital Records of Coventry, and the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Thanks are due to L H. Bradley. Librarian of the State Historical Society, Madison. Wis., and his assiMants; Mary A. Smith, of the Albany. N. V., His- torical Library; Miss S. B. Kidder. Boston; Mrs. Andrew Ross, of Vergennes. Vt. ; Katherine M. Stevens, Newport, R. L; John S. Sargent, of Chicago. 111.; Geo. H. Pounder, of Ft. Atkinson, Wis.; Mrs. Rhoda Spencer Fairbairn, of Spenccrville, Canada, and to numbers of the family. Pasauk.na, Cai.., June. 1905. THOMAS STEEL. Thomas Steel, the first nf the family in America, was born in 1664. His birthplace was probably in the Parish of East- wood. Renfrewshire, Scotland, which was partly within the suburbs of Glasgow. The parish embraced the towns of Pollockshaws and Thornliebank, and part of Shawlands. It is said in the "Americana Heraldica," page 179, that Thomas was "born in vScotland in 1664." He was a man of intelligence and education and of sterling character. According to the Heraldic Journal, 2-20, it was said of him by the eminent Boston minister, Rev. Benjamin Coleman, that he was "an Honour to the Kingdom and Church of Scotland, where he was born and educated, and to the University which adorned him with Letters." ]\Ir. Coleman further says that his father was "a Gentle- man of superior Wisdom and Virtue, of whom I had a very high character sent me by the late Rev. Mr. Woodrow of Eastwood, near Glasgow.'" Mr. Coleman was the first pastor of the Church in Brattle Square, Boston, and is said to have preached a funeral dis- course upon Thomas Steel at his death in 1735, also one at the funeral of his first wife in 1723. The first name of the father of Thomas Steel is not given, nor anv particulars as to his nationality, but it would seem, from the above, that Thomas was a Scotchman and a grad- uate of Glasgow or Edinburg University. He followed the business of merchant, and at his death had large property and business interests, both on land and sea. At what time Thomas came to this country, is not cer- tainly known. The first record of his presence in Boston, is found in the Probate Records of Suffolk county, 8-61, where he appears as' a witness to the will of John Cordoner, (a Glasgow man) dated August 26, 1691. In 1692, as related in the "History and Antiquities of Bos- ton," page 493, Thomas Steel, Esq., with two others, returned 2 STEEL FAMILY. from Port Royal, Jamaica, and brought news of tlic greit earthquake tlicrc, which destroyed upwards of 2000 lives. It is said in Washburn's "History of Leicester," that he was. at one time, appointed a special judge with three others to sit in the Common Pleas Court of Suffolk Co. when the regular judge was unable to act. Also was called on to act in a judicial capacity at other times. In the New England Hist, and Genealogical Register. Vol. 30, page 199. is published a report of Commissioners signed by Thomas Steel with others, as follows : "Pursuant to an order Directed to us from his Excellcy. Joseph Dudley, esq., Capt. Genl. and Governr. in Chief of Hr. Maj.tys. Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England &c, and the Hon. ble Francis Nicholson Esqr. Genl. of Her Maj.tys. Forces in the Late Expedition to Nova Scotia, we have examined the within account, and allow fifteen hundred and forty-two pounds, eight shillings, sterl- ing, a just charge, and due according to ye Resolve of ye Council of Warn Witness our hands at Boston, July 21, 171 1. John Gkorce. Thos. Stkeu John Cokeman. Wm H.\rris." In the "Memorial History of Boston." Vol. j, page XXVI, is given a plan f>r plat. No. 23, of a lot granted in 1637 to 1' ' ' in's wife, at the corner of Winter & Tremont :'^n, and it is said that this forncr was, later, owned by Capt. Edward Wyllis. was bought of his heirs by Col. Vetch, who sold it, in 1713, to Cai>t. Thomas Steel. (Sewall PajHrs in -10.) \\-i,..l,pr ,|,i,i place was occupied l)y Thomas Steel as a c, docs not appear, but, according to his will, he was living in Hanover street at the time of his death, in •73.V T' s in the New ' 'ual and Genea- !■ " r 15-306, a di... . . .;,; .....ih Bumslead, of iich i-i tile following: "1725, Dec. 11. On STEEL FAMILY. 3 Tuesday last arrived here, Capt. Steel, in 7 weeks from Lon- don, in whom came our agent, ye Honorable Elias Cooke esq.'' Whether this refers to Capt. Steel in person, or to a ship of that name, may not be quite clear. It may also be that it refers to another person, a Capt. John Steel, then living in Boston, who has been mistakenly supposed, by some authorities, to have been a son of Thomas, but was not so. Thomas is, at times, mentioned by the title of Captain, but I have not been able to learn the origin of the title, or whether it was military or maritime. He is usually spoken of as Thomas Steel, esq. From 1728 until his death, he was President of the Scots' Charitable Society in New England. (Drake, History and Antiquities of Boston, 455.) Lie was a member of the Church in Brattle Square, the earliest of the Congregational churches in Boston, where religious affairs were then largely dominated by the Mathers and others of the strictest Presbyterian creed. Violent controversies raged over this, first of the lil^eral orthodox churches, but the ability and moderation of its founders, and especially of its first pastor, the Rev. Benjamin Coleman, won a complete and early success; and Mr. Cole- man, before his death, was even elected to the Presidency of Harvard College, though the opposition succeeded in pre- venting his confirmation. Thomas Steel joined this church in 171 1, and was made a member of the governing committee and so remained. The baptisms of his children are recorded in the church records and the marriages of some of them. From the above reference to the Church of Scotland, it would seem that the family, there, were Presbyterians. The only other reference to the family in Scotland, is found in the will of Thomas, which directs his executors to remit twelve pounds, sterling, to his nephew, James Clealand of GlasgoV, to be divided among the children of his two de- ceased sisters, Margaret and Jannet. From this, apparently, one sister had been married to a Clealand. The married name of the other is not known, but a possible clue to this is found in the statement, in the N. E. Reg. 51-491. that 4 STI'KI. r\Mn N- Col. Andrew Todd, born in Ireland, came to New Hamp- shire in ijx and was married to Beatrix Moore, and that their daughter Mary, born July 31. 1728, married Thomas ^for^ison. bom May 15. 1724, "son of James and Janet (Steel) Morrison." This Thomas Morrison would have been eleven years old at the death of Thomas Steel, and may have been one of the Glasgow nephews, and his descendents may be numbered among the numerous Scotch-Irish Morrisons of New Hampshire. I have not been able, as yet, to gain any further record proofs as to the origin of the family. It was l)elieved by our father. Samuel Steel, that they were of English ancestry. It is said in Durrie's Steele Families, that some have sup- posed Thomas of Boston to have been a brother of John and George Steele, eminent among the founders of Hartford, Conn., but this could not have been possible, as Thomas must have been some fifty years younger than they. I have found no evidence of relationship. Some of the authorities are also in error as to the rela- tionship between Thomas Steel and the Capt. Jnhn Steel above mentioned. This Capt. John is .said by .Vmericana Heraldica, and The Heraldic Journal, in (Vol. 2, Page 20) to have been the son of Thomas. The statement is made in discussing the tombstone bearing the Steel arms, and- inscril>ed Capt. John Steel, found in the northeast corner of the King's Chapel burial ground in Bostivars in the list of '■«Ts to Prince's Chronology in, or be- fore, I7.^<. why Boslhysician and scientist of Saratnga Springs. N. Y., and died in iHjH, in which it is slated that he claimed descent from the Cheshire family of prominence among the Independents in the civil war in England, some nf whose members held high oflices under the Commonweallh, both in E.ngland and Ireland. William Steel, claimed by Dr. Steel as our an- cestor, was an eminent lawyer, having been one of the four counsel for the Conunonweallh on the trial of King Charles 1., but not pn-sent at the trial «»n account of sickness. He was, ■•' triN, Ki-c<.res given the two daughters STEEL FAMILY. 9 On July 2nd, 1708, Thomas Steel, Esq., was married, in Boston, by Rev. Sam. Miles (Presbyterian), to Jane Allen. The name is spelled AUine in the Report of Record Commissioners, but probably that is an error, as one of their sons was named Allen Steel, and early records often spell the name different ways. Her ancestry, I have not been able to trace.* The records of the Church in Brattle Square show that Thomas Steel was admitted to the church June 3rd, 171 1, and was afterward elected a member of the church committee and so continued. These records also show the baptisms of his children. The last child. John, was born in 1720, and the mother died in 1723, as appears from an entry in Rev. Wm. Cooper's diary, given in N. E. Reg., Vol. 30, page 436, as follows: "1723, Jany. 30. At Madam Steel's funeral." The Heraldic Journal also says Mr. Coleman preached her funeral sermon at that date, and that she died at the age of forty-two years. The public record also shows that Thomas Steel, Esq., re- married in Boston, May 19, 1724, Margaret Nelson, Mr. Sam. Miles (Pres.) officiating. This Margaret Nelson (his second wife) was a daughter of that John Nelson who was promi- nent in Colonial affairs about the end of the 17th century, and who commanded the troops which took the usurping Gov. Andros prisoner. The will of Thomas Steel fully set- tles the question of her parentage. It is also stated in the Memorial History of Boston, 2-541, that this John Nelson's daughter married Capt. Thomas Steel. Thomas Steel died in Boston Jan. 8, 1735-36, aged 71 years. The date Jan. 8, is given in the Heraldic Journal, which says the funeral discourse by Mr. Coleman was "dedicated to the widow," which would imply that it was published, but I have not been able to find a copy. The Journal gives the first wife's name as IMary, which is an error, her name being Jane. ♦Although the evidence is lacking', I am of the opinion that Jane Allen was a daughter of Gov. iSamuel Allen of .New Hampshire, who died in 1705, and whose widow, Elizabeth, was living in Charles- town, Mass., in 1708, probably with her two unmarried daughters, mentioned by Savage, who says it was not known to him whom they married. 10 STHICL FAMILY. Another curious error in relation to Thomas Steel appears on page lo. Vol. 2, of the Heraldic Journal. In describing the coat of arms known as the Eells" arms, viz. : "three eels across the field, crest, a visor or head piece of armor, closed;"' it is said that this seal "appears on the will of Thomas Steel." This seemed so improbable, that an e.xamination was recently made of the original will, which is still preserved in the files in the Probate court of Suffolk county. It was found that no device or coat of arms appears upon the will, and no seal e.xcept the usual one following the signature of the testator, which seal consists of a small square or lozenge of paper fastened to the will by some adhesive substance, and hearing no markings or device whatever, so far as can be discerned. The same is true of the will of the above named Capt. John Steel. THE WILL OF THOMAS STEEL. l.N THE \.\MK OF GoD, A.MKN. Tnis FiiTH Day of January, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand .seven hundred and thirty-five, I, Thomas Steel, of lioston, in the County of Suffolk, in New England I''sfir.. being advanced in years and in a weak and Low Condition, Do make this my Last Will & Testament, as follows, vi/. : Tirst & Principally. I commit my Soul into the hands ai Almighty dod, my Creator, hoping in his mercy thro' the Merits, Death &• Passion & prevailing Intercession of Jesus Christ, my I^inl & Savior, and my Mody I orated a^ Sjxrncer. She was bom at Watertown, Mass., N'ov. 5. 17.^5. anti baptized Nov. <;, 17.??. She married, first, Nathaniel Sargent, Sept. 2. 175.^, and, by him. had six cliiUIrcn. He n. Mass. Married Dec. 23, 1817, Mary Taylor; died 1838. He was an able and widely known physician, scientist and public man of Saratoga Springs, N. V. .A biographical sketch of his life may be found in a volume entitled Remin- iscences of Saratoga, Win. L. Stone. 1875. Also in Histories of Saratoga County, 1878 and 1899. He was president of ilu- .\\w York State Medical Society, Surgeon of the 4lh rt-Kiment of ca\-alry in 1812, and Assistant Surgeon in the L'. S. Navy, and was present at the siege of Algiers. He was a prominent Masun, was a member of the Albany Lyceum of Nat- ural History and of many Scientific and Historical Sr>cicties in this cotmlry and luirope. He avoided iK)litics. I)ui was once postmaster, and judge of county court. IN- publishetl several scientific STEEL FAMILY. 2^ works, and was widely known as the "model physician." The citizens of Saratoga Springs, at his death, held a public meeting in his honor, and erected a stone to his memory. Our father, Samuel Steele, nephew of Dr. Steele, visited him at Saratoga Springs about 1830, and often spoke of his great ability as a physician, and his wide popularity. IV. S.'KMUEi.* Steele. (Samuel,'' Thomas.- Thomas''-), born in Sutton, Worcester Co., Mass., 1778, mar- ried about 1803, Mercy Rice, daughter of Antipas and Thankful (Rider) Rice of Hardwick, Mass. (Mercy Rice's pedigree is given later herein.) They lived, first, on a farm in Sudbury, Vt., then in the town of Pittsford, where he died in 1837. She continued to reside in Pittsford until her death, Dec. 26th, 1867. Their children were : 1. Ann,-'' born 1804; died Jany. 30, 1858, Pittsford, Vt. 2. Solomon,^ born 1806; died about 1824, Pittsford, Vt. 3. HoMER,^ born 1808; died June 25, 1878, Pittsford, Vt. 4. (V.) Samuel,^ born Sept. 30, 1809. Married Sept. 22, 1833, at Madrid, N. Y., Olive Pierce. He died Dec. 31, 1885. She died Feb. 10, 1902, Whitewater, Wis. Their descendants are given, and her family pedigree, subsequently, herein. 5. Eliza,5 born 181 1 ; died Feb. 6, 1883, at Pittsford, Vt. 6. TiM0THY,5 born 1814, Pittsford, Vt. Died 1893 at Island City, Oregon. (See subsequent page for his family.) 7. Warren, 5 born 1816; died about i860. STEKL FAMILY. 8. Andrkw." I>urn Mch.. iS.'O. Was a suh'^tantial and respected farmer. Remained with his mother until her death. Also made a home for sisters, at Pitts- ford. \'t. Unmarried; died Dec. 24. 1896. Q. Polly," born Oct., 1822; resides at Brandon, Vt. THE FAMILY OF SAMUEL AND OLIVE (PIERCE STEELE. V. Samuel Steele'* (Samuel* Samurl.^ Thomas.^ Thomas^) of Koshkonong and Whitewater. Wis., the 5th in hne of descent in this conntrj' from Thomas Steel. Esq. (Cafl. Thomas Steel) of Boston, Mass., was born in the town of Pittsford, Rutland County, Vt., Sept. 30th, 180Q. Reared on a farm among the hills, he received only the limited common school education then attainable, a lack which he always felt, and was anxious, as far as possible, to assist his children in providing against. He was a farmer, and continued to follow agricultural pursuits up to the last year of his life. He was married Sept. 22. i8.u at Lisbon. St. Lawrence County, N. Y., to Olive Pierce (8th in line of descent from Captain Michael Pierce of Scituate. Mass.), who was bom Jany. ist., 181O. IKr ancestry is shown later herein. They first resided in Madrid, St Lawrence County, New York, but removed 3l)out 1840 10 the town of Chili, Monroe County. N. Y., six miles west of Ro<.hcster. Two years later, in July, 1842, they came to Wisconsin, accompanied by her parents, Benjamin and Clarissa Pierce. They traveled by railway to Buffalo, then the western liniit of railroad construction, and from there by way of the lakes on one of the early steam- ships known as propellers. They landed at Racine. Wis., and came from there by ox team to South Koshkonong. Jefferson Cotmty. where ihcy met with a hospitable welcome from an old New York neiglilwir. Hiram Hall, and others of his family who had then recently settled there. He look «p land on Sections .13 and 34 in Koshkonong, STEEL FAMILY. 25 where he built a log house, which was the early home of the family in Wisconsin. This house was about 40 rods west of the present highway and on a ridge just north of the spring pond, now dried up, which furnished soft water for the household use. He also took up 80 acres adjoining in the town of Lima. This farm, wooded with burr oaks, he cleared up and im- proved, as well as doing considerable work for the neighbors. For some years he kept a breaking team of five or six yoke of oxen and did breaking for others; also a blacksmith shop, doing repair work for farming tools. This was before the days of machinery or manufacturing, and most of the things needed on the farm or in the house, had to be made or repaired there. Clothing and bedding were made from wool, feathers and flax raised on the farm. Grandmother Clarissa Pierce and our mother, were skillful spinners and weavers, both of wool and flax. The flax was broken and heckled by grandfather Benj. Pierce, who was also a very good amateur cobbler and did the family shoemaking and gardening, as well as capturing and tending a large colony of wild bees. About 1855, after the death of grandfather and grand- mother, this farm was sold and father purchased, and remov- ed to, the farm half a mile east, then known as the Henry or Price Hall Farm, which was also on the county line, the house being in the town of Lima. Here he lived until 1868, but in the meantime, spent two or three years in Cali- fornia, hoping to better his fortunes, but with only moderate success. In 1868 he sold the farm to his son Charles and removed to a smaller place near the city of Whitewater, removing in 1871 to that city, where he resided until his death, December 31, 1885, from weakness of old age. His widow, Olive Steele, continued to live at their home on Highland Street, Whitewater, with their daughter, Anna B. Steele, until the mother's death, February loth, 1902, also from old age. Father and mother are buried on the family lot in South Koshkonong cemetery, with her father and mother and our sister Mercy, who died in 1865. They had nine children, of whom seven are now living, in 1905. 26 STEEL FAMILY. OBITUARY. STHtUK. Feb. 10, 1902. Mrs. Olive Steele, whose maiden name was Olive Pierce, was bom in St. Lawrence County. N. Y., January 1, 1816. Here she grew to womanhood, and in 1833 was married to Samuel Steele of Brandon. Vermont. For the bettering of their condition they came, later, in 1842, to Wisconsin, traveling by way of canals and lakes to Racine, from whence they came by ox team to Koshkonong, where Mr. Steele bought a farm and where she shared with him for many years the hard life of the pioneer, yet finding time always in the midst of her own arduous labors to give a sick neigh- bor the care that was needed; and there are those still living who will remember well her kindly ministrations. Here grew up the eight children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Steele, all of whom have been more or less identified with the growth and interests of Whitewater, and all but one of whom are still living, the daughter. Mercy, having entered the l)etter life in the year 1865, when but twenty-one years of age. In the year 1868 Mr. Steele sold the home farm to his son Charles, who still f>wns it, and moved to a small farm about two miles from Whitewater. Here they remained but a few years, finally coming to Whitewater to the home on Highland Street, where they lived together until the year 1885. when Mr. Steele entered into rest. Since then Mrs. Steele has lived in this home with her youngest daugh- ter, Anna, where, as the infirmities of years increased, she has been tcnt an interest in nil that was happening, not only in her own locality hut in the great worbj itself, lentil the last weeks of her life she read the papers and was always anxious for their cominK, that she might know of the world's doings. STEEL FAMILY. 27 She was converted when a girl of sixteen and has been far nearly seventy years a faithful member of the Methodist church. Her religion was never obtrusive, but always posi- tive and practical, and her great joy was the church and its services, where she was to be found as long as it was possible for her to get there. She will be missed by the church, as well as by the circle of neighbors and friends, some of whom are friends of a lifetime and who will remem- ber always the kindly words and deeds which have made Grandma Steele so greatly beloved. Hands of sons and grandsons laid her gently to rest on the afternoon of February 12 by the side of husband, daughter and the father and mother who so long ago preceded her to the better land ; and as long as they live children and grandchildren shall rise up and call her blessed. "The change has come and mother sleeps- — Not sleeps ; but wakes to greater deeps Of wisdom, glory, truth and light. Than ever blessed her seeking sight In this low, long, lethargic night — Worn out with strife Which men call life." CHILDREN OF SAMUEL^' AND OLIVE (PIERCE) STEELE. I. Solomon Spencer, born June 13, 1834, Madrid, St. Lawrence County. N. Y. 2. Sarah L., born Feb. ist, 1836, IMadrid, N. Y. 3. Ch.\rles W., born July 6th, 18.38, Madrid, N. Y. 4. George W., born Feb. i6th. 1841, Chili, Monroe County, N. Y. 5. Mercy R., born Feb. 15th, 1844, Koshkonong, Wis. Died Dec. 5th, 1865, Lima, Wis. 6. Andrew J., born July 2nd, 1846, Koshkonong, Wis. 7. A son, born March i8th, 1848. Died the same day. 28 STEEL FAMILY. 8. Anna B.. born Feb. 71b, 1850. Kosbkonong, Wis. 9. Frank Pierce, born .\ug. 25tb, 1852. Kosbkonong, Wis. I. S. Spencer Steele" (Sainuci;^ Samuel * Samuel,^ Thomas,- Thomas^), born June I3tli, i8^v^ at Madrid, N. Y. Teacher; ^L E. minister, retir- ed; architect and builder. Resides at Whitewater, Wis. Married .\iig. 25tli. 1862, Emma A. Ranney, born May 13th, 1838, daughter of Daniel and Fidelia H. (Sawyer) Ranney. Children : 1. Clara Jej^tina." bom July 6ih, 1864; resides, Whitewater, Wis. 2. Atley George.^ bom July 23rd, 1866. Died Feb. 4th, 1869. 3. EvrjiETT Ranney,'' bom June 23rd. 1868. Painter and Decorator. Resides, Whitewater. Wis. 4. Nelliv Bridce.^ bom December 3rd, 187 1. ^L•lr- ried Sept. 12th. 1897, James W. Bower. Resides, Chicago, 111. 5. Olive Ha.milton," born Nov. 27, iSSo. Resides Whitewater, Wis. II. Sakaii L. Steele"- Hamilton iSamut'l.'^ Samuel,* Samut'l,^ Thomas,' 'I'homas^), born Feb. i.st, 1836. Madrid. X. Y. Married at Lima. Wis., Mar. 5, 1856. Oscar T. Hamilton, born May 4. 1830, son of Thomas and Sarah (Armstrong) Mamiltdn of (»roton, i\. \'. He was a famicr and teacher and a justice of ihc peace of Whitewater, Wis. He died Nov. 10, n>X). They had four chihiren. all born at NN'hilcwaicr, Wis. Children : I. Ella Afr.fSTA.' born JaiL 20, 1857. Gra(hiate of State Normal School, Whitewater, Wis. Teacher. Librarian of Wliitcwatcr Public Library. STEEL FAMILY. 29 2. Jessie Belle/ born July 3, 1863. Died Aug 20, 1864. 3. Thomas Samuel/ born April 4, 1867. Died May 12, 1870. 4. Herbert Oscar/ born April 14, 1872. Attorney at law, Whitewater. Wis. District Attorney, Walworth Co., 1898-9. Alarried Oct. 6, 1897, Mary Lottie Wheeler of Whitewater, born May 4, 1873, daughter of Isaac U. and Sarah (Vincent) Wheeler. Their children are: Laura, born July 8, i8g8. Herbert Oscar, born Aug. 26, 1899. III. Charles W. Steele'' {Samuel,^ Samuel,'*^ Samuel,^ Tliuniasr Thomas'^), born July 6, 1838, Madrid, N. Y. Farmer and merchant, retired. Served through war, 1861 to 1865. Capt. Co. A. 4th Wis. Cav., Past Com. Curtice Post, G. A. R., and Past Jr. V. C. Dept., Wis. Resides, Whitewater, Wis. Married, first, Nov. 18, 1868, Jane A. Shove, of Waukau, Wis., daughter of Francis and Mary (Hallows) Shove, born Jany. 2, 1847. Died Sept. 19, 1886. He married, second, Sept. 6th, 1898, Katherine Muck, born April 4, 1865, daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Muck of Jefiferson, Wis. Children by first wife; born, Lima, Wis.: 1. Jessie Edna," born Nov. 2, 1869. Married Oct. 29, 1894, to Herman Thayer, son of E. F. and Emma (Saxe)__ TBayer, of Whitewater, Wis. He died Nov. 9, 1900. She resides, Whitewater, Wis. Kinder- garten teacher. Graduate. 2. Morris Shove,'^ born ]\Ich. 29. 1872. Merchant. Resides. Berwyn, 111. 3. Charles Wilmer,'^ born ]\Iay 12, 1876; died soon. IV. George W. Steele" {Samnelp Samuel,^ Samuel,^ Thomas r Thomas'^), bom at Chili, Monroe Co., JO STEEL FAMILY. N. v., Feb. 16, 1841. Attorney at I^w, U. S. Cir- cuit Court Commissioner. Mayor, city of White- water, i8gi-2. Served through war, iSOi to 1865. Capt. Co. K., 13 Wis. Inf. Author of Dcirdre, a voUmie of poems. .Member G. A. R. Married at Iowa Falls, la., Nov. 19, 1873, Mrs. IvOrissa (Cur- tis) Folsom, bom Dec. 31, 1843, at Hannibal, Os- wego Co., N. Y., daughter of William and Marj* (Sperry) Curtis. One child: Archer Benjamin,^ bom at Whitewater, Wis., July 15. 1877. Died Aug. 15, 1878. V. Mercy Rick Stkele" (Sannirt,^ Samuel* Samuel.^ Thomas,- Thomas^), born at Ko.shkonong. Wis., Feb. 15, 1844. Died Dec. 5. 1865. Of blessed memory. VI. .Andkkw J. Steele" (Samuel.'' Samui-t* Samuel,^ Thomas.- Thomas'^), born at Koshkonong, Wis., July 2, 1846. Graduate of State N'omial School, Whitewater, Wis. President of LeMoyne Normal School, Memphis, Teiin. Served in war, 1864-5, Co. L.. 8 111. Cav. .Member, G. A. R. Adjutant Cenl. Dept. of Tennes.see. Married, first, .Amelia J. Crandall, of Milton, Wis., l)orn June 3. 1848. Separation decreed by Second Circuit Court, Mem- phis, Tenn., Jany. 3. l8(;g, for insanity of wife, ex- isting i)rior to marriage. He married, second, .Mice 1". Harvey of Paw Paw, Mich., June 20, 1899. She was born Dec. 17. 1859, C^nmty Barry, .Mich. Chilclrcn by first wife; 1. JisslK .'\.,^ born, .Memphis. Tenn., .Apr. 27. 1874. Died June 13, 1874. 2. U«iv '■'■ ^ • 1 ' —i, Whitewater, Wis., Aug. 9, 1876. In 1 >iiK. Wash. Children l»y sccon '■ -h and Welsh Surnames, to be of Scandi- navian origin and ihc same as the Danish Staal, and Ice- landic Stal. He finds it appearing first in ihe year 1275. "" ll,' ' coast of England, where it probably came from STEEL FAMILY. 33 The original spelling was Steel, without the final e, and that is the correct form in our family, as it appears in all the earlier names, and as our father, Samuel, often said. The final e, seems to have been very generally adopted by those of the name, though the Scotch family, of Selkirk, still retains the original form. RICE. ANCESTRY OF MERCY RICE. WIFE OF SAMUEL STEELE* OF PITTSFORD, VT. Edmund Rice^ came to Mass. in 1638 or 1639, from Berk- hampstead, England, and settled in Sudbury, Mass. (N. E. Register, 53-35C). ) On page 383 of "Pioneers of Mass.," it is said that he was Deputy from Sudbury in 1643, that his first wife's name was Tamazine (given in Savage as Thomas- ine), and that she died June 13, 1654, and he was remarried Alch. 1st, 1655, to Mercy Brigham. He died May 3rd, 1663, at Marlboro, Mass. He had eleven children. Reference is had to Paige's History of Hardwick for a genealogy of fils family, which was a prominent and influential one in that part of Mass. His third son, Thomas, 2 lived at Marlboro, and his wife's name was Mary. Their son, Thomas/ was born June 30, 1654. His first wife died soon, and he married his cousin, Anna Rice, who was mother of his chil- dren. Their son Charles* was born July 7, 1684, and mar- ried Rachel Wheeler of Marlboro, Apr. 26. 171 1. Solomon/ born Sept. i, 1713; wife's name Anna. He removed from Westbury to Hardwick in 1749; was a soldier in the French war, 1757; "^'^d Mch. 11, 1802. His son, Antipas," was born 1744; married Oct. 27, 1774, Thankful Rider, and died Feb. 10, 1802. He was First Lieut, in Capt. Warner's Company of Mass. militia in Hardwick, 1783. His fifth child. Mercy/ born about 1782, married about 1803. Samuel* Steele, and died at Pittsford, Vt., Dec. 26, 1867. Her mother, Thankful Rider Rice, is believed to have been a descendant of Capt. Samuel^ Rider of Yarmouth, 1643, and Sarah Bartlett, his wife, through Samuel^ Rider and Lydia Tilden, Samuel' 34 STEEL FAMILY. RiUKR and Rebecca W'inslow, ilic last named being a de- scendant of IVter Worden of Yarmouth and Kenelm Wins- low, a brother of Gov. Edw. Winslow. PIERCE. AMERICAN' AN'CESTRY OF OI.l\E PIERCE. WIFE OF SAMUEL" STEELE. I. C.MT. MicHAKi. PiEPCE. the first of the family in this country, was born about 1615, probably in London, Eng. He had a brother. Capt. William Pierce, of London, and later of Boston, who was "one of the most active shipmasters of the time of the Pilgrims, and brought over many of the Puritan Settlers." Capt. \\'illiam Pierce, who seems to be identical with the above, had a grant of 1700 acres of land near Mulberry Island, Virginia, which he colonized l>cfore 1624, bringing over a large retinue of servants, workmen, animals, etc. He commanded the ships Lion, Desire, and other noted vessels; also in 1639 published an Almanac for New England. From 1620 to 1634 his home seems to have been in Virginia, where he was granted, at different times, several thousand acres of land near the James River. He was a magistrate and member of the C(»imcil of the Colony of Virginia. His wife's name was Joan. Their daughter Jane, after the death of Pocahontas, married her surviving husband. John Rolfe. (U'aters' "Cienfral Gleanings in England.") .About 1634, Capt William seems to have removed to Boston, but con- tinued to follow the seas. He is said by Winthrop to have been killed at the Bahama Islands in 1641. Michael Pierce, with his family, came over in 1645. The ancestry of ihr brothi-rs is not known. .Michael went, first, to Hinghatn, Mass., but soon settled in Scituate, Mass Whether he had previously had a military' record is not known, but he soon became an oflTicer, and at one time served as an Ensign under Capt. Myles Standish. In iCrfu) he was made Captain, anci had command of the forces in that part of the Province. He was active in tlefen.se of the settlements against the Indiana, and in many public services. Deane's STEEL FAMILY. 35 History of Scituate says of him : "Capt. MicHael has left evidence on record in the town of his usefuhiess in public affairs, but his memory is to be forever honored for the brave manner in which he fell in defense of his country." This was in King Phillip's War. He was engaged in the Narragansett fight in Dec. 1675. In the following spring the Indians invaded that part of the colony in force, killing and burning. Capt. Pierce went out against them, having 63 white men and some 20 friendly Indians. In the direction of Rehoboth he met some of the hostiles and drove them back, and next morning, ]\Iarch 26, 1676, renewed the fight, since known in history as Pierce's Eight, or the Battle of the Plain. The Indians were not supposed to be in great force, but as the fight progressed. Pierce fonnd he was overmatched, and sent for reinforcements. The message was delayed, it is said, by the stupidity of the bearer, who waited for church serv- ices to close before delivering it. Probably any available help would have been insufficient. The Indians are said to have brought ten or twelve hundred warriors into the fight, under the command of Canonchet, their greatest fighting chief; and Pierce, seeing the desperate nature of the conflict, and that it was a fight to the death or a disastrous rout, formed his remaining men in a circle and stood his ground, fighting until all were slain. The enemy also lost heavily — about 140, it is said- — but carried off their dead and wounded. The friendly Indians with Pierce, some 20 in number, fought well, and many were killed. Out of 63 whites in the Company 52, or, according to some accounts, 55 were killed. Such of their names as have been preserved are here given as worthy of perpetual remembrance : From Scituate — Capt. Michael Pierce, John Lathrop, Thomas Savery, Jeremiah Barstow, Joseph Perry, Samuel Russell, Gershom Dodson, Joseph Wade, John Ensign, John Rowse, Benjamin Chittenden, Samuel Pratt, William Wilcome, Joseph Cowen. From MansHcld—Thos. Little, John Burrows, John Low, John Eams, Joseph Phillips, More , Joseph White, Saml. Bump, John Brance. / 36 STEHI. FAMILY. Frotii Duxbury — John Sprapuc. Henj. Ton I, Josluia Forbes, Tlios. Hunt. From Sandxi'icli—Bcn'). Nye, John Gibhs. Daniel Bessey, Caleb Blake, Stephen Wing. Prom Barnstable — Lieutenant Samuel Fuller. Samuel Lin- nett, John Lewis, Samuel Childs, Eleazcr Clapp, Samuel Bercman. From Yarmouth — John Matthew;^, John Cage, Henry Gage, \Vm. Gage. Henry Gold. From Fastham — Joseph Nesscfield, John Walker, John M . From Rchoboth — John Fitts, Jr.. John Miller. Jr. The list was preserved by Rev. Noah Newman of Rcho- both. who gave an early and full account of the disaster. The name of Capt. Michael Pierce's first wife, who was the mother, probably, of all his children, was long unknown. Liite researches show that she was a daughter of .-Xnthony F.ames or F.mmes. who came to Charlestown in 1634. ^^'•1^ made Freeman, i6.v, and lived in Hingham and Marshficld. He was a representative to the General Court. 1653 to 1661, and a Lieut, in the military forces. Mrs. Pierce's given name is net known. Her death is recorded in the journal of Rev. Peter Hobart : '•Dec. 31st, 1662, Michacll Perce's wife dyed." (New England Hist, and Gen. Reg.. ny02. page 409.) He afterwards married Mrs. .Annah James, who survived Iiim. He lud ten children. For an account of liis descendants in general, reference is had to the Pierce Family Genealogj- by Frederick C. Pierce. IF. His fourth child. F.phriam- {Michael^), born about 1650, married Hannah Holhrook, daughter of Capt. John an«l I''li/al»eth (or Sarah) Ilolbrook of Weymouth. .Mass. He lived at Rehol)oih and Swansea, Mass., and the neighboring settlement of Provioral in the l^incsboro Company of Capt. Daniel Brown. Col. Benjamin Simonds' reginH-nt. of Massachusetts. He may also have served earlier with the Green Mountain STEEL FA^IILY. 39 Boys, as his older brother, Nathan Pierce, also of Cheshire. was a Captain in Col. Seth Warner's regiment, in the expedi- tion to Canada in 1776. The military record of Capt. Nathan Pierce is a pathetic one and is given briefly as follows: "In Feb., 1776. had left with his company for Montreal. Feb. 19, ordered to Quebec, arriving 26th, all except two sick with smallpox, he havine partially recovered. May 4th, 1776, before Quebec. Capt. Pierce reported sick. Died May 19th, 1776, on the Island of Three Sisters, near Quebec." Some faint echo of this disastrous winter campaign may have found expression in a song grandfather Benjamin Pierce used to sing, to the tune of "Barbara Allen," beginning: "We are marching forward toward Quebec, And the British have retreated." On Aug. 16, 1776, a deed of lands in pursuance of a contract with Capt. Nathan Pierce, was given by John Tibbits of Lanesboro, to the widow, Sarah (Davis) Pierce, and children, Nathan, Lydia and Cromwell, then very young. The widow afterward married Nathan Herndeen. In the published records of Revolutionary soldiers of Massa- chusetts, in a list of names of men stationed at New^ York and White Plains, for five months, and discharged Dec. ist, 1776, the name of Hezekiah Pierce appears, as a private m Capt. Nathaniel Carpenter's Company, Col. Simeon Cary's Regiment, Gen. John Fellows' brigade. It is believed that this was our ancestor, who wonld then have been 21 years old, but I have no present means of verifying this belief. Hezekiah may have lived for a time in Vermont, as there appears in a history of the town of Woodford, Bennington Co., Vt., which is not far from Cheshire, Mass., a statement that on March loth, 1792. Hezekiah Pierce, with others, took the Freeman's oath at town meeting. (Vt. Hist. Mag. I-248.) He removed, in 1801, to Lisbon, St. Lawrence Co., N. ¥., along with his father-in-law, John Tibbits, and brothers-in-law Wesson Briggs and John Tibbits, Jr. Here he built a house, "the largest in the town," which is still standing, and known as "the big house." 40 STEEL FAMILY. Acconiing ,o ,he recollccfion of Mrs. Julia Pierce H,.u.e fimmlclansh.er of Hezekiah. he lived in Lisbon nnlil his death and was buried in a family vault there, with his wife, who had d,ed before him. Our mother's recollection was that he removed to Schenectady before his death. The onlv account of He/ek.ah given in the "Pierce Family Genealogi-" i^ the Iron, R !"?'\'"^V ''''""'"' "^'' '^^ '■^'"^^'^d to Vermont from Rehoboth. Mass., where his father, Rev. Xathan Pierce lived and died. Cheshire. Mass.. where he .settled, is near the Vennont Ime. It seems to have been settled largeiv by former residents of Rehoboth. Mass., and parts of Rhode I<^ and. adjommg:. among whom were his father-in-law. John T.bbus. and the Brown families; Mrs. Tibbits l>eing a Brown The mterruption and loss of family, church and public records common to most families of the time of the Revolutionary \Nar. has made it difficult, if not impossible, to fully ,race the history or the family of He.ekiah. His son Beniamin. our grandfather, was the eldest child. Through the kindness of Mar>' A. Sm.th. of the N. Y. Historical Library, of whom I was makmg .nquiries. I learned of another descendant, who was also mqu.ring in regard to the satne matter, and was placed m communication with her. She is Mrs J -.ura T Arkm.s of Denver. Colo. From her I learn that she is' a great Pranddaughter of He.ekiah Pierce, her father. Elisha Pierce bemg a son of Ontario Pierce, the youngest son of He.ekiah' Her family pedigree is given l>elow. Her aunt. Clarissa Pierce Stanley, now living in Oregon, was named after ot,r grand- nK.ther, Clarissa (Spencer) Pierce. H^.w many children Hezekiah had is not known. There were at least two daughters, one of whom marrie.l W'm Bnggs. and one married J.-hn Sny.ler of Lisl..n. whose two sons. Cornell Snyder and Washington Snvder. came in Wis- consin. a,rncl| Snyder's chiMren were Charlotte. William Emma and Ccorgiana. Souk- of the Briggs family also came to \N.sc<.ns,n. but their present residence is not known In .80,. when the Tibbits. Pierce auir>' in the world, situated in Missouri. Also served in the Re- public of Mexico as metallurgical expert for a large manu- facturing company of mining and metallurgical machinery. At <f his journal without fear or favor in battling with the transgressors of the law, and especially the saloon clement, which insisted on conducting bp«iiness contrary to law, and lived to view with salisfartion 1' ' idid results of his efTort*^ in this direction. He died 1: ' r, .August 18, iSy^u- iu^..4A^^ 48 STEEL FAMILY. of Roger Williams. John* Tibbits removed to Lanesboro, Berkshire Co., Mass., where they lived until 1780. when they are said to have removed to Lansingburgh, N. Y. This is doubtful, though their son George then went there. In 1801, according to the History of Rensselaer Co.. they removed with their son John to Lisbon, N. Y.. "where both father and son were prominent in the early history of the town." Their eldest son, George, was a prominent public man of northern New York, and became a member of Cortgress and Mayor of the city of Troy. John* died at Lisbon. 1817; Waile, his wife, died, 181 1. They had ten children, the oldest being : \'. PHIRF..5 bom at Warwick, R. 1.. Feb. 10. 1761 ; mar- ried about 1777, Hezckiah Pierce, (son of Rev. Nathan and Lydia). died at Lisbon, N. Y. \ It will be ob.scr\ed that Phebc Tibbits and Hezekiah Pierce were distant cousins; her grandmother, Judith, wife of Wil- liam Tibbits, being a daughter of MiaM Pierce, who was also He/ekiah's grandfather. Waite Brown, the mother of Phcbe, wris of one of the most noted families of Rhode Island, having large influence in the Haptist Church, and as the principal patrons of Brown University of Providence, founded in 1764. - The Tibbits families and Hezekiah Pierce were, ixrhaps, living in Cheshire at the time of the making of the great cheese, presented t. It has been asserted by .some, th;it the freight on the big cheese, from Hudson to Washington, though not S4> big as the cheese, was a pretty I.-" 1. and that the President was presented with the bi, . . and paid it. STEEL FAMILY. 49 The following account is given in the Springfield Republi- can : A HISTORIC CHEESE. THE MONSTER THAT CHESHIRE SENT TO PRESI- DENT JEFFERSON. Nearly Every One in Town Contributed Curd, and Elder John Leland Bossed the Job — The Fofmal Presenta- tion at the White House. The story of the great cheese made at Cheshire in 1801 and sent the following winter to President Jefferson as a Nev/ Year's present, has been told in prose and verse many tim.es, but is worthy of repetition as an interesting bit of local history, showing, as it does, the patriotic spirit by which the good people of Cheshire were moved, and the novel manner they chose for its expression. In those days Cheshire was famous for three things^ — its exceptionally fine dairying interests and products, the wellnigh universal adhesion of the voting population to the Democratic party and Elder John Leland, an able, eccentric and witty Baptist divine, whose fame is a part of the history of Cheshire. Elder Leland and most of the other people of the town were ardent admirers of Thomas Jefferson, and when he v.'as elected president of the United States, their joy was unbounded. It was finally decided that it would be proper to give their esteem a tangible expression in the form of a mam- moth cheese, which should show to the president the quality of their material resources and something of the extent of their admiration for him. The announcement of this plan was made by Elder Leland from his pulpit one Sunday morning, and was received with pleasure by the people. July 20, 1801. was the date set for the making of the cheese, and the plan was to have all the owners of cows in town, with the exception of the few federalists there were, to make their curd and carry it to a central place for pressing. Of course there was no cheese press large enough 50 STEFX FAMILY. for the pressing of sucli a cheese as was proposed, and Elisha Brown's cider press was consequently selected for the work. When the day came for making the cheese the people gathered from all parts of the town. Those who had curd to contrihiite brought it witli them, some in large quantities and some in small, but all extremely proud to contribute to the monster cheese that was to l)e sent to the president. Besides being a busy day it was also a gala day for the inhabitants of Cheshire. The farmers and their wives and families turned out en masse to witness the construction ot what proved to be the most famous cheese in all history, for, though a still larger cheese was made in the town at a later date, this was the president's cheese, and the great Elder I. eland, who in the estimation of the people of Cheshire was second in importance only to President Jeffer- son himself, was leading and directing the enterpri.se. Most of those present were arrayed in their Sunday best, though the women who superintended the mixing of the curd were obliged to wear protecting aprons. The hoop in which the cheese was pressed was made for the occasion. It was four feet in diameter and eighteen inches deep, antl was secured with strong bands of iron to enable it to stand the pressure. When all of the curd had been mixed and salted it was placed in this hoop, a fol- lower which had also l)een made especially for the purpose was placed upon it, and the p They came over about 1634. Savage names only two children of Michael, viz. : Susannah and Michael; and he expresses the opinion that John^ of STEF.f ^^M!!V East Greenwich, came from England about ilie time of ihe Restoration of Charles Second, 1660. lie thinks, also, that John's wife, Snsannah, may have been a daughter of John Greene.- but in this he is probably mistaken, as Susannah Greene appears, from public records, to have married an- other. I have not been able to learn Susannah Spencer's family name. It appears from a small volume, published by R. C. Spencer of Milwaukee, that some of the descendants of John' have believed that he was a younger son of Sir Robert Spencer of England, mainly from an escutcheon, or coat of arms, still existing, which, it is said, belonged to John.' and has written upon it. in John's handwriting, the name of Sir Robert. So far. however, no one has been able to trace his English ancestry, convincingly. He had nine children born between 1665 and 1684. The eldest was John.- and the young- est was Peleg,- through both of whom we trace our de- scent. II. Pf.i.kc- (Joliii^), was born Dec. 4. 1683, in East Green- wich, R. I.; died Sept. 13, 176.^; married Jnly, 1708, Eliza- beth Coggeshall. born Mch. g, 1686, daughter of Joshua and Sarah Coggeshall. Peleg- was a weaver, and was deputy in 1709, 171 1, 1716 and 1728. His son: III. Pkiix" (Pi'Iegr John*), was born Feb. 23. 1717. Joiin2 Spenckik (Jiilin^), was born Apr. J2, 1666; died •743; married Audrey Greene, who was born Dec. 27, 1667; died Apr. 17, 1733. She was a daughter of Jnhn (Ireene," and Auu '/\lmy) Greene. The first (if the (jreene family. Audrey's grandfather. J<>lm Greene,' a physician, was of a Quaker family and came from Salisbury. Ivng.. in 1635. "" account of religi«uts perse- cution. He was compelled to leave Ma.s.sachusetis fur the same reaM»n, and was one of the thirteen who, witli Roger Williams, settled in Rhode Island. His son, John- Greene, father of Audrey, was a memi)er of the Cotmcil of Gov. Andros, a ma'or in the military, and was Deptity Governor, I^rjo to I7cx>. Gen. Nathaniel (Vcene of the Revolutionary War was a descendant of John Greene.' STEEL FAMILY. 53 John^ Spencer was, by occupation, a cordwainer, and was justice of the peace, a deputy for many years, and Speaker of the House of Deputies from 1712 to 1729. His son : John'5 Spencer (John,- Johii^), was born June 24, 1693; died 1746; married Sept. 13, 1716, Mary Fry, born June 10, 1693; died 1744; daughter of Thomas and Welthian (Greene) Fry. AuDRY* Spencer, daughter of John^ and Mary, was born Dec. I, 1720. Peleg^ Spencer and Audry* Spencer were married in Coventry, R. L, Oct. 27, 1737, by John Spencer, J. P. (grand- father of Audry.) Their son, IV. PelEG* Spencer (Peleg,^ Peleg,^ John'*-), was born in Coventry, R. I. Jan. 23, 1756; married in 1783, at Shaftsbury, Vt., Sarah Wright, born Sept. 3, 1768, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Leach) Wright. He died at Johnstown, Canada, 1834; she died Jan. 2, 1844. Their daughter, V. Clarissa^ Spencer {Peleg,-^ Peleg.^ Peleg,- John^), was born at Johnstown, Canada, April 16, 1785; married Benjamin Pierce, Oct. 12, 1800; diedi at Koshkonong, Wis., March 11, 1854. The exact time or cause of the removal of the WrigTit family and Peleg* Spencer to Canada is not known. It was probably some time before the marriage of Peleg and Sarah, although they were married in Vennont. Our mother's understanding, in the case of her grandfather, Peleg, was that he was dissatisfied with the conscription or draft, as enforced in Vermont, and removed to Canada. His brother Charles, however, who married Zerviah Wright, his wife's sister, was a Revolutionary soldier. WRIGHT. PEDIGREE OF SARAH WRIGHT, WIFE OF PELEG SPENCER* This pedigree is taken from an article by Rev. Stephen 54 STEEL FAMILY. Wripht. of Glens Falls. N. Y.. 1881, in N. E. Hist. & Gencal. Register, \'oI. 35, page 74: I. LiEL-T. Adel Wright' was living in Springfield, Mass., in 1655, being then 24 years old. He may have been a nephew of Thomas of Wethcrsficld and Dea. Samuel of Springfield, 1639- On December ist., 1657, he married >Lartha. daughter of F^amuel and Martha Kitchcrell, of Hartford. Conn. He was representative to Gen. Court, 1696, and Lieutenant in the military. His wife was scalped by Indians. Oct. 19. 1708, and died of her injuries. H. Ensign Abf.i.^ (Abcn), born Sept. 25. 1664: married Sept. 16. 1691, Rebecca, daughter of Samuel and .\nna (Lob- dellj Terr)', of Springfield, i\Lass. HL Ebenezer"' f.-/M.^ Abcin, born Feb. 22. 1701, at Lel»anon. married April 20, 1721. Elizalx'th. daughter of Simon and Deliorah Newcomb. She died 1727, he April 22. 1786. I\'. Ebenezer* {Ehcnrzcr.^ Abel? Abrl^), bom Jan. 2, 1727. at Windham: married March 11. 1751, Mary, daughter of Amos Ix-ach. He was a fanner, and lived in Mansfield and New Fairfield, Conn. Went t(^ Newton, Sussex Co.. N. J., but returned and settled in Shaftesbury. Vt.. 1763. Re- moved to Johnstown, Canada, during the Revolutionary W^ar; died July 18, 1809. She died May 13, 1801. V. Sar.\h« inhntczcr* I'.hcticzcr-'^ Abel- Abetn, born Sept. 3. 176S; married. 1783. Peleg Spencer.* She died at Johnstown, Can., Jan. 2, 1844. He died alwut 18.^4. Clarissa Spencer. lK)rn April 16. 1785. .Married Benjamin Pierce. ;M,Air. ,,( UNGHLSS • 021 392 172 1