ROGER TOLLE
The First Generations in America
Compiled by Thoren Tolle Meyers
Generation One
ROGER TOLLE1 Our Immigrant Ancestor
Roger Tolle arrived in America aboard the ship Adventure of Hull on 20 January 1663. He was one of twenty-nine persons transported to Maryland by Thomas Mountfort. If he were of age at that time, we could estimate his birth as 1642, or earlier. He was listed as "of Dorchester County" when on 16 Dec 1670, he received fifty acres of land for his indentured service. At the same time, he assigned his right and title to this land to William Hargrove.
"The 16th of December 1670 came Roger Tole of Dorchester County and proved right unto fifty acres of land it being due to him for his time of service performed in this Province, which he assignes as followeth. (viz) - I Roger Tole doe assign my right and title of fifty acres of land to me due for my time of service performed here in this province to William Hargrove, Witness my hand and seal the 17th of December one thousand six hundred and seventy. Roger Tole (seal)"
Whether Roger Tolle spent his first years in America in Dorchester County, Maryland isn't known, but we do know that he was in St Mary's County, Maryland before 1674. He seemed to have been a substantial citizen during his lifetime and his name appeared in the court records of St Mary's County many times. He was a jurist in the case of Thomas Lomax vs John Code & wife Susannah on 12 Dec 1674. In 1675 he appeared a couple of times in the records as a defendant. One case was of Charles Delaroch vs Roger Towle, which was dismissed because the plaintiff was dead. Another case was of Garret Vanswearingen vs Roger Towle. The action was agreed on, but the results weren't printed in this record. There was some kind of a law suit of Roger Tolle vs William Watts on 20 Feb 1677. The court date was moved forward twice and then settled, but again without details. On 22 Feb 1677 he served on a twelve man jury in the case of Peter Watts, executor for Robert Cager vs John Evans, and as juryman again in the case of Richard Dell vs Thomas Doxey on 24 Feb 1677. He was a deponent in 1681 for Henry Lewis, and again for Abraham Rhoth. On 30 Mar 1681 he served on a jury for the case of Abraham Read, lessee of Andrew Abington vs George Thompson. He also served on 3 Sep 1694 as an appraiser of the estate of William Jones. Then on 13 Oct 1694 his name appeared on a list of petitioners. He also testified on 25 Jul 1700 to the will of William Aisquith. During those years he also either received disbursements or paid debts to the estates of several deceased persons.
It is not known when he married, but on 17 Aug 1680, he and a man named John Saxon (relationship unknown) made claim to fifty acres of land each that had been earned for the indentured service of Roger's wife Elizabeth and John's wife Ann. Then on 26 Oct 1680 they had that land surveyed as "Towles Discovery". This land bordered on the East of the St George River, and the Northside of Hunting Creek, adjacent to Porke Hall. And on 7 Apr 1682 he transferred Towles Discovery to Daniel Moy.
Roger Tolle had Towles Last Shift, which was located within St Mary's Hundred, surveyed on 1 Apr 1682.
"Andrew Abington, Deputy Surveyor of St Mary's County, surveyed for Roger Towle, Towles Last Shift, beginning at a marked gum standing by the Blewstone run by a bound tree of the land of Edward Horne called Cole Harbor, and running N and by E 150 perches to a branch, then by a line drawn W 130 perches to a bounded red oak on the top of a hill of the land of Thomas Hatton now in the possession of the aforesaid Toll called Hunting Neck and from the said red oak bounding with the said Hattons land and a branch that falls into the Blewstone Run for 110 perches, then bending with the said run til it comes to the first bounded gum, 100 acres more or less Held of the Manor of West St Marys."
On 10 Sep 1683 Roger purchased the warrants earned for service by Frances Keen and William Window, and had "Towles Last Shift" surveyed, (100 acres). The 1707 Rent Rolls of St Mary's showed him listed for "Towles Last Shift" and this land was still in his possession at the time of this death. During this same time, he apparently made a lifetime lease of those three hundred acres called "Chancelors Old Orchard" which were mentioned in his will.
Roger Tolle wrote his will 8 November 1708, and it was probated on 22 January 1809. In this will, he named eight children. It appears that these heirs may have been named in order of birth. This will was signed and sealed by Roger Tolle, and witnessed by John Miller; Ann Miller and William Aisquith.
Roger Tolle was a man of some property, and the inventory of his personal estate shows an interesting list of his possessions. He was a planter, grew tobacco, had a lot of tools, and quite a few livestock, and he owned one hundred acres of land called Towles Last Shift. He also held a lease of another three hundred acres called Chancelors Old Orchard. He apparently had some education because he also owned "a parcell of old books, 1 large bible and 3 small bibles". The total of his inventory at the time of settlement amounted to L84.10.
Certainly a lot more could be written about the history of early Maryland, the people who were transported to America, and of the social times of that period. Perhaps it would help us to know our Roger Tolle better, but this compiler has not done the scholarly research needed to give an accurate account. That has been left for another time, and this work only deals with the known facts and documents as they pertain to Roger Tolle.
Presently, the only thing known about the wife of Roger Tolle is that her name was Elizabeth, she came to this country "in service" and earned her fifty acres, and that she was deceased at the time Roger made his will. It is still a mystery as to where Roger and Elizabeth actually came from, or who their parents were. Nothing is known of their marriage date or where it occurred, and nothing is known of the burial place of either of them.
The
children named in Roger Tolle's will were:
Generation Two
TOBIAS TOLLE2 (Roger1)
Very little is known about Tobias Tolle. He was the second named child in his father's will, and at the time of the death of the first Roger, Tobias had a son who was also named Roger Tolle and who was born before 1708. Tobias was probably born about 1670-1680, and probably in St Mary's County, Maryland. From his father he inherited 100 acres of the plantation called "Chancellors Old Orchard", for which he was to pay yearly rent according to the lease. He also was given a cow named Collumpas, and an equal share of his father's sheep. He was to have power as Executor in trust for his sister Eliza until she came of age.
His name appeared seldom in the records of St Mary's County. He received disbursment from the estate of Thomas Lowe (date missing), and paid in tobacco to the estates of George Higgins in 1711, and Henry Horn in 1720. Tobias Tolle sued in a case between John Mackey & Thomas Hebb in the July 1710 Term of the Provincial Court. He had made a lease with John Mackey in 1709, but had been ejected by Thomas Hebb. This was actually a land dispute between Mackey & Hebb.
Tobias died intestate and his estate was entered into probate on 9 July 1729. An inventory was taken on 13 July 1729. Next of kin was listed as John Tolle & Robert Taller (Taylor?). His wife was named Rebecca, but her maiden name is not known. He too, seemed to have had a substantial estate, and his inventory consisted of livestock, furniture, linens, tools, etc. At the time of his death in 1729 it amounted to L103.17. The estate was finally settled by December 1730. Rebecca was married again before 1 Oct 1730 to John Williams.
Tobias & Rebecca Tolle had only one
known child: