Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/18

 STEELE

STEELE

^larcli 13, 1865, for services at the capture of Lit- tle Rock. Ark., and major-general the same date for services during the rebellion. He commanded the forces on the east side of Mobile bay in 1865 ; on the Rio Grande. June-July, 1865, and in western Texas, July -October, 1865. He commanded the department of Columbia, December, 1865-67 ; and was promoted colonel of 20th infantry. July 28, 1866. He died in San Mateo. Cal., Jan. 12, 1868.

STEELE, George McKendree, educator, was born in Strafford, Vt., April 13, 1823 ; son of the Rev. Joel and Jerusha (Higgius) Steele and grandson of Eleazer, Jr.. and Rebecca (Lathrop) Steele. He was graduated from Wesleyan uni- versity. Conn., in 1850, and was a teacher of mathematics and Latin in Wesleyan academy, Wilbraham, Mass., 1850-52. He was married, July 1, 1852. to Susan Jane, daughter of John and Lydia (Snow) Swift of Provincetown, Mass. She died in Auburndale. Mass., Sept. 5, 1895. He joined the Xew England conference in 1853, and was stationed at Warren, Mass., 1853-54 ; Fitch- burg. 1855 ; St. Paul's, Lowell, 1856-57 ; Water- town, 1858-59 ; First Church, Lj-nn, 1860-61 ; Third Church, Boston, 1862-63 ; Fitchburg, 1864. He was a delegate to the U.S. Christian commis- sion during the civil war ; president of Lawrence university. Appleton, Wis., 1865-79 ; principal of Wesleyan academy, Wilbraham, Mass., 1879-92; cliaplain and teacher in Lasell seminary. Auburn- dale, 1892-97. He was a delegate to the General conference, 1868, 1872 and 1876 ; member of the board of visitors to the U.S. Naval academy, An- napolis, Md.. 1871 ; traveled in Europe, 1873 ; was trustee of Boston university, 1880-81, and received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Lawrence university in 1879. He is the author of : Infant Baptism (1859) ; Outlines of Bible Study (1880- 82) ; Character and Conduct, and over thirty con- tributions to magazines, etc. (1855-80). He died at the home of his son, George Francis Steele, at Kenil worth, 111.. Jan. 14, 1902.

STEELE, George Washing^ton, representative, wa-i born in Fayette county, Ind., Dec. 13. 1839 ; son of Asbury and Mary L. Steele. He attended Ohio Wesleyan university, and was admitted to the bar in 1861. He enlisted in the 12th Indiana infantry. April 21, 1861 ; rose to the rank of lieu- tenant-colonel, and was mustered out of service, July, 1865. He was commissioned lieutenant in the 14th U.S. infantry, Feb. 23, 1866, and left the army, Feb. 1. 1876. He engaged in farming and pork packing, 1876-80. and established the first national bank of Marion. Ind.. and served as its president. He was a Republican representative from the eleventh district of Indiana in the 47th- 50th congresses, 1881-89 ; was appointed the first governor of Oklahama Territory. 1890. and was again in the 54th-57th congresses, 1894-1903,

serving in congress as chairman of the committee on manufactures, and as a member of the com- mittee of ways and means.

STEELE, John, statesman, was born in Salis- bury, N.C., Nov. 1, 1764; son of William and Elizabeth (Maxwell) Steele ; the Maxwells and Steeles came to North Carolina from Pennsyl- vania. His mother gave a bag of gold and sil^'er to Gen. Nathaniel Greene in 1781 to help the cause of independence. John Steele entered busi- ness as a merchant, but later became a planter, and was married, Feb. 9. 1783, to Mary Nesfield of Crow Creek, now Fayetteville, N.C. He was a representative in the house of commons of the state legislature, 1787-88 ; a member of the convention of 1788 to ratify the U.S. con- stitution ; a Federalist representative in the 1st and 2d congresses, 1790-93, taking his seat in the 1st congress, April 19, 1790. He was returned to the state legislature, 1794-95 ; was appointed by President Washington first comptroller of the U.S. treasury, July 1, 1796 ; was reappointed by Presi- dent Adams, and resigned, Dec. 15, 1802. although urged to remain by President Jefferson. He was a commissioner to adjust the boundary between North and South Carolina in 1806. and served again in the house of commons of the state legislature, 1806. and was speaker of the house, 1811-12. On the day of his death he was elected again to the house of commons. He died in Salisbury, N.C, Aug. 14, 1815.

STEELE, John H., governor of New Hamp- sliire. was born in Salisbury, N.C, Jan. 4, 1789. His father, a native of north Ireland, immigrated to America at an early age and established him- self as a brick-mason in Salisbury. John H. Steele, left an orphan when very young, had little educa- tion ; was apprenticed to the '" chair-making" business in 1803 ; removed to Peterborough, N.H., in 1811, through the influence of Capt. Nathaniel Morrison, by whom he was employed as a carriage-maker and later as a machinist. He was superintendent of the Bell factory, 1817- 24, having put in operation the first power-looms in New Hampshire ; had charge of the erection of the Union mill at West Peterborough, and was its superintendent, 1824-45, and was superintend- ent of the Phoenix factory, Peterborough, 1830- 34. After retiring from the manufacturing business in 1845, he returned to his farm to en- gage in scientific agriculture, but subsequently abandoned the attempt, as it was not remunera- tive, and took up his residence in the village of Peterborough. He was a member of the state legislature in 1829 ; moderator. 1830-38 ; coun- cillor for the old Hillsboro district, 1840-41 ; vis- ited England and Ireland in 1842 : was governor of New Hampshire, 1844-46, and selectman of Peterborough, 1846. He was married first, Nov.