Person:Ebenezer Steele (1)

4:179-180; STEELE; EBENEZER; "EBENEZER, Farmington, youngest ch. of Samuel of the same, m. 15 Feb. 1705, Sarah Hart, prob. d. of the sec. Stephen of the same, had Mary, b. 15 June 1706; and Sarah, 15 May 1708; and d. 6 Oct. 1722. His wid. d. 26 Feb. 1751. *"

4:181; STEELE; SAMUEL 1 of 2; "... as pr. in fam. geneal. 31 Aug. 1664, when his mo. was less than nine yrs. old; Hannah, 1668; and Ebenezer, 13 or 30 Aug. 1671 (in fam. geneal. mispr. 1701, wh. was 56 yrs. later than his f.'s m. and many aft. his d.), and d. at Wethersfield, 14 Aug. 1686. His will was 10 June preced.; and his wid. d. 1702. ..."

"Steele, … Ebenezer, s. Samuell, b. Apr. last, 1671 [LR1:2]"
"Steele, … Ebenezer, Capt., d. Oct. 6, 1722 [LR2:61]"

"Probate Records. Vol. IX, 1715 to 1723. Page 126-127.

Steele, Ebenezer, Farmington. Invt. £1406-11-07. Taken 27 November, 1722, by Joseph Hawley, John Thompson and Samuel Judd. Will dated 20 September, 1722.

I, Ebenezer Steele, do make this my last will and testament: Item. Unto Sarah, my wife, I give the one-third part of all my personal estate, with free liberty of choice therein, to be her own forever. Also, I give to my wife, for her use and profit during her natural life, 1-2 of all my lott I now live upon, and 1-2 of all the buildings thereon standing. I give my wife the use and profit of my pasture at a place called Dirty Hole; also the use and profit of all my land in a place called the Great Meadow, that at More's Corner and in the Indian Neck only excepted. Item. Unto my daughter Mary Steele, and to her heirs forever, I give the 1-3 part of all my personal estate; also the whole lott I now live upon and all buildings standing upon the same; also all my land in the Great Meadow, that at More's Corner and that in the Indian Neck only excepted; half the home lott and buildings; also the pasture at Dirty Hole and the land in the Great Meadow, by her not to be possessed until after her mother's decease; also, I give and bequeath unto her 1-3 part of all my land at Moore's Corner. Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Steele, and to her heirs forever, all the rest of my estate, both real and personal, not before in this instrument given and disposed of, excepting lands in the several divisions of outlands lotted out or that may hereafter be lotted out. This legacy to my daughter Sarah is with this proviso, viz.: Provided and in case she my said daughter Sarah shall at any time match and marry with Gershom Lewis, now living in Farmington, which she full well knows is a thing very cross and contrary to my mind and will; that my will in that case is that the bequest and legacy I have here given her shall be utterly null and void; and then my will further in that case is that my foresd. daughter Mary, her heirs and assigns forever, shall have and injoy that part of my estate herein bequeathed to my daughter Sarah; and then I will and bequeath to my sd. daughter Sarah the sum of £5 personal estate, and no more. Item. I give and bequeath unto my sister Hannah Hart, as a token of my love and a reward for her charity and service to me in my sickness, one of my horses, which she shall choose. Item. I give and bequeath unto my nephew David Steele, son of my brother James Steele, and to his heirs and assigns forever, all my lands lying in the several divisions of outlands in Farmington already lotted out or that may be lotted out and not yet disposed of; always provided, and this my legacy to my nephew is upon considerations, that he my said nephew live with and serve me if I should live; or if I die, that he then live with and serve my wife in her widowhood until he arrive at the age of 21 years; which if he shall not do, then this my legacy to be void and of non-effect; and then I will the said outlands unto my aforesaid two daughters in equal proportion, except my said daughter Sarah shall marry with Gershom Lewis, which if at any time she shall, then I will and bequeath all of the sd. outlands unto my aforesaid daughter Mary Steele. I appoint my wife Sarah Steele and my loveing brother-in-law Lt. John Hart to be executors, and I desire the Rev. Mr. Samuel Whitman and Mr. John Hooker to oversee and be advisors unto my two children whilst in their young and youthful days.

EBENEZER STEELE, LS.

Witness: John Hooker, Samuel Porter, Thomas Thompson.

Court Record, Page 178—6 November, 1722: Will proven.

Page 194—4 December, 1722: Invt. exhibited of the estate of Capt. Ebenezer Steele by the executrix to the last will. This Court do appoint Mrs. Sarah Steele, widow, to be guardian unto her daughter Sarah Steele, a minor aged 14 years. Rec., £200. And do appoint Deacon John Hart of Farmington to be guardian to Mary Steel, daughter of Capt. Ebenezer Steele. Recog., £200.

Page 16 (Vol. X) 23 April, 1723: Upon complaint of Samuel Judd, guardian to David Steele, a minor, that whereas Capt. Ebenezer Steele did in his will give certain lands to David Steele on condition that sd. David shall live with him if he should live, and in case he should die that then he should live with and serve his wife in her widowhood until the sd. David attain to the age of 21 years; and although the sd. David, being minded to fullfill the condition, did live with his uncle while he lived and since his uncle's death he hath lived with and served his aunt, widow to the sd. decd., for the space of 4 or 5 months, and is willing still to serve her according to the intent and terms in sd. will, but more lately she the sd. widow will not suffer him the sd. David to be in her service and keeps him out of the house by shutting the doors and turning the key upon him, also denys him sustinance: whereupon a writ was issued to cite the sd. widow to appear before this Court, the partys now appearing were heard upon sd. complaint, and it appears to the satisfaction of this Court that the sd. widow hath refused and doth refuse to improve the sd. David in her service or to take the care of him, do therefore order that Samuel Judd, his guardian, take sd. David Steele into his immediate care to the intent that he may not spend his time negligently and unprofitably so long as until the sd. widow desires him to return to her service again, and at all times when she don't see cause to improve him that the sd. Guardian improve him either in his own service or for some other person to the
best advantage he can."