Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/694

660 Wilson's Creek, and also in charge of the south- eaMern district of that state after February. He had become colonel of the 8th Iowa regiment on 23 Sept., 1861, and on 29 Jan., 1862, was commis- sioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He led a division in the Army of the Southwest from May till November, 1862, being engaged at Round Hill, 7 July, and in the occupation of Helena, Ark. On 2!i Nov. ! was made major-general of volunteers, and. after engaging in the Yazoo expedition, he commanded a division in the Vicksburg campaign, taking part in the operations at Young's Point, the advance to Grand Gulf, the attack on Jackson, and the siege of Vicksburg. For his services in this campaign he received the brevet of colonel in the regular army, 4 July, 1863. and on 26 Aug. he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. From July, 1863. till Jan., 1864, he was at the head of the Army of Arkansas, taking part in the capture of Little Rock, 10 Sept., 1863, and then till 29 Nov. he commanded the department of that state. He led a column in the Mobile campaign, and at the close of the war received the brevet of brigadier-general, U. S. army. for -ei-vice-. in tin- rapture of Little Hock, and that of major-general for services during the war. He was then transferred to Texas, and placed in com- mand on the Rio Grande, and from 21 Dec., 1865, he had charge of the Department of the Columbia. From 23 Nov., 1867, till his death he was on leave of absence. He had been promoted colonel of the 20th infantry. 28 July. 1866.

'''STEELE. Joel Dorman''', educator, b. in Lima, N. Y., 14 May, 1836; d. in Elmira, X. Y., 25 May. 1886. He was graduated at Genesee college in ls.">s, and then taught at the Mexico academy, of which institution he was appointed principal in is.-)!i. Soon after the beginning of the civil war he became captain in the 81st New York volun- teers, and served in the peninsula campaign, being severely wounded at Seven Pines. He was chosen principal of the Newark, N. Y., high-school in 1862, and in 1866 accepted a similar office in the Elmira free academy, which place he retained until 1872. Subsequently he devoted his time exclusively to the preparation of text-books. The degree of Ph. D. was conferred on him by the regents of the Uni- versity of the state of New York in 1870. and dur- ing the same year he presided over the New York state teachers' association. In 1872 he was I. .-i ed a fellow of the Geological society of London, and also in 1872 he was chosen by the alumni a trustee of Syracuse university, in which (o ee college had been merged, and to that univer.-ity hi' bequeathed 50,000 to found a professorship of theistic science. Dr. Steele was the author of a popular series of scientific text-books, each intended fora course of fourteen weeks, including "Chem- istry " (New York, 1867) ; " Astronomy " (1868) ; " Natural Philosophy " (1869) ; " Geology " (1870) ; "Human Physiology" (1873); "Zoology" (1875); and " Key to the Practical Questions in Steele's Sciences " (1871) ; also " Barnes's Popular History of the United States " (1875) ; and with his wife, ESTHER BAKER STEELE, a series of brief histories, including " The United States " (1872) ; " France " (1874) ; " Ancient Peoples " (1883) ; " Mediaeval and Modern Peoples " (1883); " General History " (1883) ; " History of Greece " (1883) ; and " History of Rome " (1884).

STEELE, John, soldier, b. in Augusta county. Va., about 1755; d. about 1805. He entered the Revolutionary army, served as an officer at the bat- tle of Point Pleasant, Va., 10 Oct., 1774. and at tin- battle of Germantown was shot through the body. He was for many years one of the executive coun- cil of his native state, and in John Adams's admin- istration served as a commissioner to treat with t In' ( herokee Indians. From 1798 till 1801 he was secretary of Mississippi territory.

'''STEELE. John''', soldier, b. in Lancaster county. Pa., 15 Aug.. 1758: d. in Philadelphia, 27 Feb., 1827. He was educated for a Presbyterian clergy- man, but on the breaking out of the war of the Revolution entered the army, in which he rose to the command of a company, 23 March. 1779. He was seriously wounded at the battle of the Brandy- w.ui. and retired from the service, 1 Jan., 1783. In 1801 he was elected state senator, but, as he held a United States appointment, his seat was dei-lari'd vacant. In 1804 he was re-elected, and in 1805 became speaker of that body. In 1806 he was the Democratic candidate for U. S. senator, but was defeated by Andrew Gregg. He served as one of the commissioners to adjust the damages -iistained by the Wyoming sufferers at the hands of the Indians. In 1808 President Jefferson ap- pointed him collector of the port of Philadelphia, which post he filled during the remainder of his life. He also held the rank of brigadier-general in the Pennsylvania militia. His brother, ARCHI- BALD (1741-1832), was adjutant at the siege of Quebec under Arnold, afterward deputy quarter- master-general, and at the time of his death was military store-keeper at Philadelphia. His cousin, James, soldier, b. in Lancaster county, Pa., 16 Jan., 1765 ; d. at Harrisburg, Pa., 30 Sept., 1845, received a classical education, and was a man of considerable enterprise. He erected a paper-mill on Octorara creek, and subsequently two cotton- mills. He served in the war of 1812-'14, and for meritorious conduct was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general of militia. Late in life he re- tired from business and removed to Harrisburg, where he died. His son, Francis B. Steele, was military store-keeper at the Falls of St. Anthony, Minn., for a long period.

STEELE, John, statesman, b. in Salisbury. N. C., 1 Nov., 1764; d. there, 14 Aug., 1815. His mother, Elizabeth, entertained at her house in Salisbury mi 1 Feb., 1781, Gen. Nathanael Greene, who was then discouraged and penniless, and insisted on his accepting two small bags of specie, her earnings for years. " Never," says Greene's biographer. - did relief come at a more needed moment." John was educated as a merchant, but when he had arrived at manhood became a successful planter, and was also active in politics. He was elected to the legis- lature in 1787 and 1788, and in the latter year, as a member of the convention to consider the U. S. constitution, made fruitless efforts to secure its adoption. He was a member of the first two con- gresses, from April, 1790, till 2 March, 1793, hav- ing been elected as a Federalist, and was again in the legislature in 1794-'5. On 1 July, 170(i, Sen. Washington made him first comptroller of the treasury, which office he held through Adams's administration, resigning on 15 Dec., isoi. though President Jefferson solicited him to remain. He was a commissioner to adjust the boundary between North and South Carolina in 1806, and was again in the legislature in that year and in 1811-'!:!, serving as speaker in 1811. He was elei trd for another term on the day of his death. He was active in militia matters, and attained the rank of Lreneral.

STEELE, William, soldier, b. in Albany. N. Y., in 1819; d. in San Antonio, Tex., 12 Jan.. !**.">. lie was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1840, assigned to the 2d dragoons, and -eived in the Florida war. the military occupation of Texas, and the war with Mexico, being promoted 1st