USA > Connecticut > Tolland County > Tolland > The early history of Tolland. An address delivered before the Tolland county historical society, at Tolland Conn., on the 22d day of August and the 27th day of September, 1861 > Part 3
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
not until the year 1792, that the town came to the conclusion not to dispense with this appendage any longer. At a town meeting held on the 12th day of January, 1792, they voted " That the town will build a steeple to the meeting-house, Provided, that a bell can be procured and given to the town without burdening the town with any expense for said bell." The bell was to be procured by voluntary subscription, and such progress was made in this direction, that the town, at an adjourned meeting on the second day of February, 1792, voted " to raise a tax on the last August list two pence and one far- thing on the pound to build a steeple to the meeting-house in Tolland." It is a traditional fact, that the inhabitants of the north-west and western portions of the town were very much opposed to the project of building the steeple, and it is said that two persons, viz., Gen. Chapman, and his uncle, Simon Chapman, were the only persons from that quarter of the town who voted in the affirmative on this question. It is also said that the old feud growing out of the location of the meeting-house was fully revived and had its effect upon those who voted in the negative. It seems the people were hardly satisfied with the action of the town on this subject, and another town meeting was called as will appear by the follow- ing vote copied from the town records under date of April 26,1792 :
"Voted at said meeting that the town consider the first article in the warning for a town meeting at this time first, (viz.) whether they will reconsider the vote passed at a former town meeting to build a steeple to the meeting-house. Voted, to take that up first. The question was then put whether the town would reconsider their vote passed at a former meeting to build a steeple to the meeting-house. Negatived by the whole."
The following vote furnishes some evidence that the old difficulty about the location of the house was not entirely for- gotten. It is under date of May 4, 1792, and is as follows, to wit :
"Voted to choose an agent to send to Hartford to attend the General Assembly at the present session to oppose the memorial of a number of inhabitants of the town of Tolland,
25
THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
referred to said Assembly, praying for liberty to move the meet- ing-house in said Tolland to some other place near the centre of said town."
It is probable that the steeple was built and the bell pro- cured and in use before December 3d, 1792, for on that day a town meeting was held at which the following votes were passed :
Voted, "That a tax of one penny, three farthings on the pound be laid and collected on the last August grand list, to pay up the committee the residue of their bills for building the steeple to the meeting-house ; and the overplus, if any, to remain to defray other town expenses. At the same meeting, Voted, That the selectmen of said town procure Mr. Hanks to run over the bell, if he will do it on reasonable terms, and to hang it again in the steeple."
Mr. Hope Lathrop, an influential citizen, was very active in procuring subscriptions for the bell. It is said he went into the west part of the town to obtain funds for this purpose, and being universally refused, he became a little excited, and declared that those who would not give anything for the bell should not hear it ring.
1
The collection of the tax for building the steeple was resisted by people in the western part of the town, and the collector, under the direction of the selectmen, distrained an ox, the property of Nathaniel Kingsbury, Jr., to pay his tax. This Nathaniel Kingsbury was an elder brother of Deacon Jabez Kingsbury, whose grand-children still own and live on the farm owned by him during his life time. Mr. Nathaniel Kingsbury brought an action against Daniel Edgerton and others, then selectmen of Tolland, to test the legality of this tax. The writ was dated January 28, 1793; the facts were agreed to by the parties, and the cause was carried to the Supreme Court of Errors. Two questions were made in the case :- 1. That the town had no right to tax its inhabitants to build a steeple to its meeting-house; and 2. If it had this right it could only be exercised by a vote of two-thirds of the voters at a legal meeting; and inasmuch as the tax in ques- tion was laid by a majority vote only, it was not legally laid.
4
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
But the court ruled both questions in favor of the town, and the plaintiff had to pay the costs.
Tradition informs us that the first public use to which the first bell was put, was tolling for the death of Capt. Hope Lathrop, who was so active in procuring it, and that it was cracked on that occasion. He died November 8, 1792, and the meeting, to have Mr. Hanks recast the bell, was held December 3, 1792; a fact that corroborates the traditional evidence.
NOTE. The steeple built by the town of Tolland in 1792, was just one hundred feet high, and was the first or nearly the first ever built in the county. It, of course, attracted great attention, and was scrutinized by people from other towns. One Oliver Arnold, happen- ing in Tolland, and knowing somewhat of the difficulties respecting the building of the steeple, stood gazing upon it, when a sort of inspi- ration came upon him, and he gave vent to his reflections in the follow- ing doggerel:
" Poor Tolland ; grand people ! Old meeting house, and new steeple !"
This doggerel distich has more meaning than at first sight is appar- ent. It not only exhibits the envious feelings of the speaker towards the people of Tolland, but contains a sarcastic criticism upon their conduct. The term "poor Tolland," was intended to describe the pecuniary condition of the town, as exhibited in its barren hills and broken land. The term "grand people," was used to express the contempt which the speaker felt for the distinguishing characteristics of the town as the county metropolis. The people had just built a court-house, jail, and a tall steeple. The other line is a biting criti- cism on the taste and judgment of the people in having an old build- ing to meet in with a new steeple for ornament.
Another incident will illustrate this feeling more fully. It was formerly the practice of the profession to attend the Superior Court on it's circuit, and remain until the court adjourned. Many leading members of the bar, in Windham and New London counties, were in the habit of attending the courts in Tolland, and were often engaged in the more important trials. On one occasion, after a session of some interest, a gentleman from Norwich took occasion publicly to congrat- ulate the people of Tolland on their recent improvements, and the brilliant prospects before them; and continuing his remarks with
27
THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
more of irony. than truth, said he entertained no doubt Tolland would yet be a port of entry, and vessels would be seen unloading their car- goes upon the banks of the Skungamug. A resident of Tolland, standing by, and not much relishing the sarcasm of the speaker, in- terrupted him by saying that the event of which he was speaking was, in his judgment, much nearer at hand than he, the speaker, antici- pated; for, said he, the small craft from the city of Norwich have already found their way amongst us, and their larger vessels will doubtless follow in their wake.
Although this meeting-house was so far finished as to be used for public worship in 1755, it was not entirely completed until several years afterwards, for I find a record of a vote, passed on the 3d day of March, 1760, raising a tax for finish- ing the meeting-house, which was made payable the first day of November then next following. The interior of this house was fitted up with square pews, having seats usually on three sides, so that a large portion of the audience had to sit with their sides or backs to the minister. These pews fur- nished very indifferent accommodations for worshippers who indulged in the somniferous habits of some of the present generation. The training of our ancestors, and their sense of propriety, seemed to incline thiem to think less of their bodily ease and comfort, during public worship, than of the manner and spirit with which it was conducted. In their day it was no particular hardship for females to walk two and three miles every sabbath to meeting, if the weather would permit; and very few were ever found in any congregation so overcome with bodily fatigue as to be unable or unwilling to stand erect during the entire devotional part of the exercises. It would doubtless have been a matter of surprise and aston- isliment could they have foreseen that their posterity, within half a century, would become so effeminate as to be unable to walk lialf a mile to attend public worship, or to stand during the singing of a short hymn.
The meeting-house, of which I have been speaking, was taken down in the summer of 1838, being eighty-four years after its erection. The meeting-house now used by the Con-
28
THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
gregational society was then built, and was publicly dedicated to religious services on the 25th day of October, 1838.
The house which belongs to the Methodist society was erected by voluntary contributions in the year 1794. Its in- terior was at first very rude and the seats uncomfortable. It underwent a most thorough repair in the year 1832, and by subsequent repairs and alterations has been somewhat im- proved. There has never been any money expended upon it from the town treasury, the whole expense having been borne by individuals. The house belonging to the Baptist denom- ination was built by subscription in the year 1832, and has been throughly repaired. Before the building of this house, this congregation held their meetings in the old court-house, when that edifice was standing, and afterwards in the old school-house of the Center district.
MINISTERS.
THE first vote on record in Tolland, respecting ministers, is under date of June 15, 1719, and is in the following words, to wit: "At a meeting of the inhabitants of Tolland, they did choose Joseph Benton to go to see if he can get a minister to be amongst us, to preach the gospel amongst us." From sundry votes of the town, passed in the months of January and February, 1719-20, it is certain that Rev. Stephen Steel. was then officiating as a clergyman in this town. On the 17th day of said February the town voted "to give the minister sixty pounds a year, and not to build him a house," and also, "that John Yeomans and Joseph Benton shall go to Mr. Ste- phen Steel to see if he will accept of what they have agreed to do for him." On the 22d of September, 1720, "it was voted, that Mr. West, Mr. Yeomans, Mr. Eaton and Joseph Benton shall be a committee to wait or call on Mr. Steel for a longer time to be with us; and to see whether he will settle with us." On the 7th of November "it was voted, that they will give to Mr. Steel, if he will settle amongst us, the sum
29
THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
of seventy-five pounds, to be paid in money or provisions, at the market price, and a lot and allottment amongst us; he settling himself in the work of the ministry amongst us." It does not distinctly appear from the records whether Mr. Steel accepted this call ; but that he was the minister of the town from the year 1719, under a contract to render services, there can be no doubt. January 31, 1721, the town voted, " they would not agree with Mr. Steel no otherwise but as it was last voted, to wit: seventy-five pounds and he to build his house." They also voted, " that his salary should begin when he began to preach with us, except the time when he was wanting." In September following, a committee was ap- pointed "to reckon with Mr. Steel to see what was paid to him, and what was behind of his due." The committee were Joseph Benton, William Eaton, Joshua Willes, and Joseph Pack. It appears that there was no organized church in Tol- land before the year 1722. When, or under what circumstan- ces, the first church was gathered, can not be learned from any records of its own, nor are there any traces of its separate action to be found until the settlement of Rev. Ansel Nash as its pastor in the year 1813. But in the town records, under date of 1722, (the month being torn off,) we find the follow- ing vote: "Voted, that Joseph Benton should get a prayer put into the General Assembly for gathering a church and ordaining a minister in Tolland." I can have no doubt that this vote was passed early in the year 1722, for there is now on file in the records of this State at Hartford, a document in the words and figures following, to wit:
" To the Honorable the Governor, Council and Representa- tives in General Court assembled, in Hartford, May 10, 1722. The prayer of Joseph Benton, of Tolland, humbly showeth : that under the conduct of Divine Providence, and by the favor of this honorable assembly, the aforementioned town of Tolland is settled with a competent number of inhabitants ; and having obtained a suitable person to preach the gospel amongst us to the good satisfaction of the inhabitants, we are desirous to enjoy the benefits of all gospel ordinances amongst us, to which end, we, as our law directs, apply ourselves to this honorable assembly for their approbation therein; and by a vote of said town, your petitioner is empowered to make his
-
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
application to this honorable assembly ; and your good count- enance herein will be a further obligation to your petitioner ever to pray, as in duty bound.
JOSEPH BENTON.
Upon this petition the following entries are made. "Granted in the Upper House. Test, Hezekiah Wyllis, Secretary." "The prayer above granted in the Lower House. Test, Jo- seph Whiting, Clerk." This document establishes the follow- ing facts: First, that the vote of the town, directing Joseph Benton to get a prayer put into the general assembly for gathering a church, was passed before May 10, 1722. Second, that the town had then obtained a minister to the acceptance of the inhabitants of the town. Third, that there was then no organized church in town. Fourth, that it was the duty of the town to obtain leave of the general assembly to gather a church, so that they might enjoy gospel ordinances. Fifth, that the general assembly did grant leave to the town of Tol- land to gather a church at its session in May, 1722. The next record in order I have been able to find is a town record under date of June 19, 1723, and is as follows, to wit:
" Voted, That the church hath liberty to ordain Mr. Stephen Steel pastor of a church in Tolland. Voted, That the charge of Mr. Steel's ordination be done at the expense of the town. Voted, That Noah Grant shall be one to see that provision be made for the ordination of Mr. Steel."
" Voted, That Daniel Cook shall be one to take care that provision be made for Mr. Steel's ordination."
From the foregoing documents and records it is apparent that the church of the Congregational Society in Tolland was organized between the month of May, 1722, and the month of June, 1723, but at what precise date, or who were its first officers or members can not now be accurately ascertained. The Rev. Stephen Steel, was ordained as pastor of the church and society in Tolland in 1723, but the precise date is not known. He continued to be the pastor of the church until the 21st day of December, 1758, when the connection between him and the church and society was amicably dissolved by the parties, on account of his ill health. He died in Tolland on the 4th day of December, 1759, in the 63d year of his age.
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
George Steel came from England, and after a few years residence in Cambridge, Mass., was one of the earliest settlers of Hartford, Conn., and was one of the forty-two Hartford soldiers who served under Captain Mason in the Pequot war. He died in 1663 at an advanced age. His farm, now a por- tion of the city, of immense value, was situated around the present Washington and Lafayette streets; his house stood on the latter just out of Washington street. James Steel, his son, married for his first wife Anna Bishop, of Guilford, who died in the year 1675. He afterwards married Bethiah, widow of Samuel Stocking. James Steel, the son of James and Anna Steel, and the grandson of George Steel, was born about the year 1658, and died in 1712. He married Sarah Barnard, who died his widow in 1730. STEPHEN STEEL, the son of James and Sarah Steel, and the great grandson of George Steel, was born in Hartford in the year 1696, in the house, yet standing, on the spot where George Steel first settled. He was the first minister of Tolland.
He married Ruth Porter, of Hadley, Mass. Their children were as follows :
Ruth, their daughter, was born August 30, 1722, and died February 6, 1740-41.
Stephen, son, September 29, 1724. Died October 23, 1802.
Eleazer, ٩٦ August 2, 1726.
Elisha,
October 7, 1728.
Mehitabel, daughter,
June 6, 1733.
James, son,
February 6, 1737.
John,
November 25, 1738.
Aaron, 66 66 November 1, 1744.
Ruth, the widow of Rev. Stephen Steel, died May 14, 1792, aged ninety-one.
There was also Sarah, daughter of Rev. Stephen and Ruth Steel, who was born in Hadley about the year 1730-there- fore not recorded in Tolland.
The sons of Rev. Stephen Steel, except James and Aaron, married and settled in Tolland. Stephen Steel, Jun., the eldest son, married Hannah Chapman, the daughter of Capt. Sam- uel Chapman. Her brother Elijah was married on the same day, (May 28, 1747,) to Sarah, daughter of Rev. Stephen Steel.
The following is a record of the children of Stephen Steel, Jr., and his wife Hannah.
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
Stephen, their son, was born July 10, 1749, and died November 26, 1750.
Hannah, daughter, November 2, 1750.
Stephen, son, August 31, 1752.
Ruth, daughter, September 17, 1755, and died December 31, 1758.
Perez, son, May 1, 1758.
Ruth,
daughter, April 29, 1762, married Samuel R. Kingsbury, August 13, 1779.
Mary,
July 25, 1765, mar. Asa Howard, died November 28, 1843, aged 78.
Daniel. son, June 24, 1769.
Hannah, the wife of Stephen, died August 27, 1801.
This Stephen Steel was an officer of the militia and captain of the company in Tolland ; and was selectman of the town for five years.
Perez Steel, the son of Stephen and Hannah Steel, married Hannah Simons, of Tolland, June 7, 1781. The following is the record of their children.
Lusalla, their daughter, was born May 1, 1782, and died June 14, 1782.
Aaron,
son. April 16, 1783.
Lusalla. daughter,
February 23, 1785.
Perez, son, April 10, 1787.
Clarissa, daughter,
August 29, 1789.
Orrenda,
April 4, 1792.
Juliana,
August 23, 1794.
Eleazer Steel, son of Rev. Stephen Steel and his wife Ruth, married Mrs. Ann White, of Bolton, December 28, 1749. She died February 22, 1750. Eleazer Steel married, for his second wife, Ruth Chapman, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman, of Tolland, November 7, 1751.
The following is their family record, to wit :
Eleazer, their son, was born August 20, 1753.
Ann, daughter, 66 April 10, 1755.
Samuel, son, May 7, 1757, died in revolutionary service, 1780
Ruth, daughter, April 27, 1760, died April 23, 1775.
Joel, son, July 24, 1762, died March 18, 1778.
Ashbel, 66
.. March 15, 1765.
David, 66 June 29, 1767.
Jeduthan, February 8, 1772, died September 25, 1775.
Abigail, daughter, May 5, 1774.
Mrs. Ruth Steel, wife of Eleazer Steel, died December 6, 1776, aged 43.
Eleazer Steel, of Tolland, and Lois Fenton, of Willington, were married May 7, 1778. He died February 26, 1799, in the 73d year of his age. He was town clerk of Tolland for nine years, from 1776 to 1784 inclusive, and was twice a repre- sentative in the General Assembly.
Ashbel Steel, the son of Eleazer and Ruth Steel, married Elizabeth, daughter of Col. Solomon Wills, of Tolland, March 26,1789.
The following is their family record, to wit :
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
Melicent Wills, their daughter, born August 9, 1790, married S. Kent, March 3, 1812.
Salmon, son, October 6, 1792, died August 22, 1823.
Seth Dwight, 66 March 14, 1796, died at Windsor, Ohio, September 1, 1834.
Roxey Chapman, daughter, 66 March 23, 1798, married Solo. L. Griggs, December 6, 1821.
Florilla,
66 September 24, 1800, died October 25. 1802.
Ashbel Smith, son,
66 December 7, 1804, died August 30, 1811.
Ashbel Steel died May 30, 1830, aged 66 years.
Elizabeth Steel died January 26, 1832.
Ashbel Steel was captain of one of the militia companies in Tolland, and was two years a selectman. He resided near the south end of Tolland street, at the corner of the road running to the western part of the town, in the house where his father lived and kept a tavern for many years. He was a kind, obliging neighbor and most excellent citizen.
Melicent Wills Steel, his daughter, married Samuel Kent, of Suffield. They had two children, viz. : Elizabeth Sophro- nia Kent, now a resident of this village, and James S. Kent, a resident of Richmond, Virginia.
Eleazer Steel, Jr., son of Eleazer and Ruth Steel, married Rebecca Lathrop, daughter of Hope Lathrop, December 16, 1779. The following is their family record, to wit :
Joel, their son, was born August 14, 1782.
Eleazar,
66 August 22, 1784.
Jeduthan,
February 25, 1787.
Ralph, 60 May 8, 1789.
Ruth, daughter, January 4, 1792.
Minerva,
September 10, 1794, married Jarvis Crandal, died February 25, 1831.
Marilla, 66
66 January 16, 1797.
Sanford, son, February 27, 1799, now residing in Bolton.
George, 66
66 November 4, 1801.
Mr. Eleazer Steel died June 24, 1809. Mrs. Rebecca Steel died March 3, 1806.
James Steel, son of Rev. Stephen Steel, married Abigail · Huntington, daughter of John Huntington, Esq., of Tolland, January 24, 1754.
The following is their family record, viz. :
Aaron, their son, was born October 19, 1754, died in the revolutionary army in New Jersey. James, October 30, 1756, died in Ellington, 1819.
Zadoc, December 17, 1758, died in Stansted, Canada.
Samuel, 66 May 10, 1761.
Andrew, 66 December 25, 1763.
Abigail, daughter, 66 August 16, 1766.
Deborah, 66 66 December 31, 1768.
Abigail, wife of James Steel, died January, 1769. He married for his second wife, Dorothy Converse, of Stafford, September 14, 1769. Their children were :
John, their son, was born November 8, 1770, died February 4, 1772.
John,
December 31, 1772, died January 8, 1773.
Dorothy, wife of James Steel, died March 10, 1773. He 5
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
married for his third wife, Abigail Wakefield, of Weston, January 18, 1775.
Abigail, their daughter, was born November 18, 1775.
James Steel removed with his family to Ellington, in 1776, and having resided there several years, removed to Brookfield, Vermont, where his son Zadoc had commenced a settlement, and where he died at an advanced age. His second son, James, settled in Ellington, one family of whose descendants, (that of Oliver Wolcott Steel, Esq.,) continue in that town. Andrew, fifth son of James Steel, Sen., residing in Randolph, Vermont, married Elizabeth Lathrop, of Tolland, August 17, 1785.
Elisha Steel, the son of Rev. Stephen Steel, married Sarah Wolcott, of Windsor, April 26, 1758. He graduated at Yale College in 1750, was educated for the bar, located in the town of Tolland, and engaged in the practice of his profession. He was chosen a representative in the General Assembly in 1761, and was reëlected five times. He was one of the two Justices of the Peace from 1761 to 1766 inclusive. He was the first lawyer ever located in the town of Tolland, and the only one while he lived. He died August 17, 1773.
The record of his children is as follows, to wit :
Sarah, his daughter, was born April 29, 1759.
Mara,
66 May 27, 1761.
Mary-ann,
April 28, 1763.
Elisha, son,
66 April 30, 1765.
Roger Wolcott, 66
January 19, 1768.
Mehitabel, daughter,
May 8, 1770, died August 21, 1772.
John Steel, the son of Rev. Stephen Steel, married Sarah Cobb, daughter of Dr. Samuel Cobb, December 15, 1763. The following is the record of their children, to wit :
Eunice, their daughter, was born March 19, 1767.
66 February 25, 1769.
Sarah,
John, son,
June 11, 1771, died September 8, 1777.
Eleazer,
February 27, 1774, died September 14, 1777.
Mary, daughter, 66 June 11, 1776.
Ruth,
66
66 August 11, 1778.
Rachel,
June 19, 1780.
Lovine,
September 29, 1782.
Of the numerous descendants of the Rev. Stephen Steel, only a few now remain in Tolland, and no one bearing the name of Steel. They are to be found, however, in other fam- ilies. The Chapman family furnishes several of these descend- ants. The widow and children of the late Col. Ashbel Chap-
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
man, the children of the late Mr. Reuben Chapman, Mr. Daniel Chapman, Mr. Elijah S. Chapman and their children, Mrs. George H. Kingsbury and her children ; Miss Elizabeth S. Kent and Charles O. Benton ; George M. Grant, Edwin L. Grant, Calvin Whiton and Stephen Whiton, and their chil- dren, are descendants of Rev. Stephen Steel. The family of Sanford Steel, Esq., of Bolton, and Oliver W. Steel, Esq., of Ellington, are also of the same descent.
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