Bell Anthology - Toland Family

The Raymond M. Bell Anthology



The Toland Family of Washington Co., Pa.
The first record of John Toland is in 1782 when he is listed as a married 
taxable in Robinson Twp (Pa Archive, III, 22, 767). He is also on the 1784 tax 
list. He was a private in Capt. Thomas Rankin's company of militia July 8-1782 
(Pa Archives, VI, 2, 145). In the 1790 census John Toland is in Strabane Twp 
with one son and one daughter listed as children. he is on the 1793 tax list 
for Strabane. In 1785 he was granted 400 acres on King's Creek in what is now 
Hancock Co, W Va (Va State Liby). He was also taxed in Dickinson Twp 1787-1789.

In 1796 he bought a farm in East Finley Two (Deed Book 1Y626). About ten 
years later he moved to southwest West Finley Twp. In 1810 he bought land 
adjoining land he already owned. He sold the East Finley farm in 1809. He died 
about Jan 1-1812, according to the August 1836 Orphans Court, Book D, 269.

The guardian of Elizabeth Toland (incompetent for 48 years) in August 1836 
petitioned the court and reported that John Toland died about Jan 1-1812, 
leaving wife Mary (now dead), daughter Elizabeth, sons James (eldest), William, 
John, Thomas (dead - two sons - James 18 and Thomas 13). The 233-acre farm in 
West Finley on the Marshall Co, W Va line was given to James Toland, The widow, 
Mary, is on the tax lists 1812-24. The son, James, sold parts to his brother 
William: 1836 (DB 3A112) William then in West Finley; 1841 (DB 3A580) William 
then in McDonough Co, Ill.

The John Toland farm (124 acres) in East Finley was a part of Greene Co 
1796-1802. John sold it in 1809 to his brother, William.

Listed in Finley Federal Census 
John 1800 1810 
Thomas 1820 
William 1830 
James 1830 40 50 60 
Henry 1830 1840

John Toland b c1757 d Jan 1-1812 West Finley m c1779 Mary --- d c1822 
I. James Toland b. 1782 (1850 census), first listed 1808 tax list, d c1862 
(sold land 1861, several old deeds recorded 1863) West Finley m1 c1801 Margaret 
McWhirter d c1825 
1. John Toland b 1802, living Ohio Co, W Va 1879 
   m1 c1824 Martha Hartman (son, Thomas b Feb 22-1825 d Aug 5-1910) 
   m2 c1831 Susannah --- 
2. Jacob Toland, listed 1840 census W Finley 
3. Henry Toland b Sep 2-1808 d Mar 14-1882 Wash Co, m Sarah Farabee 
4. William Toland d 1839 W Finley, m Eliza --- (Cross Creek 1837-38) 
5. Smith Toland, taxed W Finley 1833-37 
6. Aaron Toland b Nov 7-1815 d Nov 30-1899 Schuyler Co, Ill 
   m 1840 Emeline Wells (Del Co, Ohio) 
7. Cephas Toland b Dec 18-1816 d Nov 13-1887 Fulton Co, Ill 
   m 1843 America Anderson 
8. Thomas Toland b Jun 6-1818 d Nov 23-1892 Fulton Co, Ill 
   m 1845 Mary Hays 
9. Clark Toland b 1821 d Jun 5-1896 Pittsville, Mo 
   m 1843 Sidey Crane (Muskingum Co, Ohio)

James Toland m2 c 1828 --- --- 
10. Wilson Toland, listed Wash Co deeds 1853, 1857 
11. Nelson Toland b Mar 27-1831 d Jun 16-1904 Bushnell, Ill 
    m1 1854 Sarah B Cox, m2 Elvira Hunt
    James Toland m3 Jun 2-1832 Catharine Ely d c1867 W Finley 
12. Riley Toland b 1833 d Muskingum Co, Ohio, in West Finley 1860 
    m Catharine --- 
13. Mary Toland d 1835 d 1912 Wash Co, m Samuel Plants 
14. Collin Toland b 1840 Jul 20 
15. Lucinda Toland b 1842 
16. Gillespie Toland b 1847 d 1883 Wash Co m Alice Jane Chesser

II. Elizabeth Toland, born 1788, living 1836, never married

III. William Toland b c1791, first taxed 1814, m after Feb 7-1814 Hannah 
McWhirter, who on that date bought a farm; she and William sold to Boyd 
McWhirter 1828 (DB 2U247). William wanted to go to Illinois so arranged 1836 
settlement. His name is gone from tax list 1837. Tax lists state in 1829 that 
William and Hannah had sons, Isaac 10 and Thomas 7, who needed county support 
for school. Another sheet lists William and Isaac as sons of William. 
1. William J Toland b Nov 9-1814 D Dec 22-1903 McDonough Co, Ill 
2. Isaac Toland b 1818 d Oct 21-1894 McDonough Co 
3. Thomas Toland b 1822 d Mar 21-1863 McDonough Co

IV. John Toland b c1793, living with brother, James 1850, 1860, never married, 
first taxed 1816

V. Thomas Toland b c1798 d c1824, on tax lists 1816-24, m c1817 Elizabeth. 
1. James Toland b 1818, West Finley 1870, m Elizabeth --- 
2. Thomas Toland b 1823, never married, with brother James 1870

The mother of John Toland (d 1812) was surely the Elizabeth "Tolin" (name 
signed with mark) who died who died in 1797 in Cecil Twp (see map, page 1) 
naming sons and daughters in her will. (WB1, 312) 
John (see Above) 
Thomas, 1800 Chartiers Twp. ?Mary, widow, 1820 Strabane 
James, ?1810 Beaver Co 
William m Elizabeth --- (1818 deed), 1800 Chartiers Twp, 1810 Strabane Twp. 
bought & sold land Chartiers 1805 and 1808, bought and sold land E. Finley 1809 
& 1818, taxed E. Finley 1808- 20 (in 1831 Jane Toland was administratrix for Wm 
Toland who filed a suit in 1809). 
Elizabeth m Robert McWhirter 
Ann m Robert Murdock, son James 
Margaret 
Susanna 
Mary m1 James Roberts, son William (d c 1814) 
     m2 John Logue at home of Isaac Richmond, Coal Hill, Allegheny Co. daughter 
Maria Logue m Christopher Warner (see testimony of Robert & Elizabeth McWhirter 
of Salt Creek Twp. Muskingum Co. Ohio 1844--in Orphans Court Aug 1844, E, 246) 
Elizabeth at her death in 1797 owned lot 196 in Washington, Pa. This lot was 
sold at the direction of court in 1844. The deed was recorded in 1896 (DB 202, 
399). Her husband was likely James or William. Where did she come from?

Help from: Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd M. Kelley, 2915 22nd St. S.E. 
S. Auburn, Washington 98002 
Mrs. Victor L. Garner, 611 N. Broadway, Saint John, KS. 
Mrs. Cleve Jones Jr. 325 W. Madison St. Rushville, Ill.

This article was transcribed by Liz DuBois of Bremerton, WA in September 1998.


Raymond M. Bell Anthology     Genealogy in Washington Co., PA

Published with permission of Raymond M. Bell.