Biographies

BIOGRAPHY: Steele Family, Bibb County, Alabama

by Donna R Causey

This is an excerpt from the book Compiled records of BIBB COUNTY, ALABAMA PIONEERS VOLUME I: Biographies Genealogy Reports, Notes & Records

STEELE FAMILY

James Steele was born 1761 in Ireland. He immigrated to Fairfield, South Carolina where he married Elizabeth Ann Carr sometime before 1790. He died July 17, 1826 in Fairfield County, South Carolina where his will was recorded naming his wife, and children, Robert, Henry, William, John, James, Margaret McGill and Ann Morgan.

The children of James and Elizabeth (Carr) Steele who migrated to Alabama were John Steele, Robert Steele and William Steele.

The oldest son of these three, Robert Steele was born ca. 1789 in Fairfield, South Carolina. He married Rachel Duggan who was born ca. 1800 in South Carolina and they traveled very early to Alabama. After arriving in Bibb County, he became very active in the affairs of government. He was appointed by the Commissioner’s Court as Overseer on part of the Stage Coach Route from Centreville to Tuscaloosa, and again as Overseer on the Stage Coach Road from Centreville to Bucksville during the years of about 1828 to 1831.

As a Justice he was performing as late as 1838, and was purchasing land and real estate as late as 1842. He moved to Bienville Parish, Louisiana about 1849 and is listed there in the 1850 census with with children Amanda age 21, Oliver J. age 18 and Romulus age 12. His wife is not listed so she may have died. In the same census were living close by daughter Sarah (Steele) Canterbury and son Richard J. Steele. (From “The Steeles of Bibb, A Pioneer Alabama Family”, by Miriam & Parker Steele) According to Miriam Steele, Robert owned land near Simsboro in Lincoln Parish, LA. He apparently donated land for Oak Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He and his wife are buried there.

The children of Robert and Rachel (Duggan) Steele include:

  1. Alexander Steele born 1812, Fairfield County, South Carolina. He married Nancy Fry Feb. 9, 1835 in Bibb County, Alabama and they had several children in Alabama before they moved to Texas where they both died.
  2. Sarah Steele was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina in 1814. She married Zachariah Caswell Canterbury, (b.1809 TN) in Bibb County Dec. 10, 1834. They joined her parents in Louisiana before 1849. They had nine known children, some born in Alabama and some in Louisiana.
  3. Elizabeth Steele born 1816 in South Carolina married Kneedham Holland (b. 1810 NC) on Jan. 23, 1835 in Bibb County, Alabama. They had nine known children, all born in Alabama. They moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama around 1870.
  4. Edward Steele was born 1817 in South Carolina and married Rebecca Bunn or Brown (b. 1829 AL) Nov. 10, 1842 in Bibb County, Alabama. According to the 1860 Bibb County census they had one child Martha born 1844.
  5. Mary Pierson Steele was born 1826 in South Carolina and married Philemon Wesley Stewart Nov. 5, 1845 in Bibb County, Alabama and they had two known children.
  6. Richard J. Steele was born 1827 in Alabama. He married Mary Ann Mitchell in Bibb County July 15, 1847. They had two children.
  7. Amanda Steele was born around 1830 in Alabama. She never married.
  8. Oliver J. Steele was born 1832 in Alabama. He married Sarah J. Nichols Aug. 4, 1852 in Bibb County, Alabama.
  9. Romulus Augustus Steele was born 1838 in Alabama and married Mary Elizabeth Mitchell around 1857. They had many children and moved to Texas where he died in Navarro County.

John Steele was born around 1798 in Fairfield County, South Carolina. He married Nancy Major, daughter of James Major and Sarah Henry. Sarah was born in 1805. The children of John and Nancy (Major) Steele were:

  1. James Henry Steele born March 2, 1821 in Fairfield, South Carolina. James Henry married Charlotte Friday Dec. 15, 1842 in Bibb County, Alabama. They had seven children and moved to Oktibbeha, MS, USA.
  2. Nathaniel Young Steele who was born March 19, 1823 in Fairfield, South Carolina. He died October 12, 1864 during the Civil War.
  3. John M. Steele was born Feb. 2, 1826 in Bibb County, Alabama and married Mary Anne Pierson in Bibb County, Alabama. They had two known children.
  4. Mary Steele was born 1827 in Bibb County, Alabama. Nothing further is known of her.
  5. Elizabeth J. Steele was born Jan. 28, 1828 in Bibb County, Alabama. She married George Jefferson Stewart Oct. 28, 1845 in Bibb County, Alabama. They had eleven children and raised them all in Bibb County, Alabama.
  6. Martin Peter Steele was born September 22, 1829 in Bibb County, Alabama. He died June 16, 1854 and is buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Centreville, Bibb County, Alabam.
  7. Robert Alexander Steele was born Oct. 29, 1831 in Bibb County, Alabama. He married Mary E. Addine Woodward Jan. 26, 1853 in Bibb County, Alabama. They raised ten children in Bibb County. He died April 12, 1875 and she died Jan. 25, 1910.
  8. Sarah F. Steele was born March 6, 1834 in Bibb County. She married Edmund B. Fulgham Jan. 17, 1854 in Bibb County, Alabama. They had at least three known children and Edmund died before 1865. Sarah died Oct. 20, 1923 in Hackett Cty, Sebastian, Arkansas.

James Steele was born 1803 in Fairfield County, South Carolina. He married Mary Woodward around 1824 in South Carolina. They had possibly two children in SC then moved to Bibb County, Alabama and had additional children. James died sometime after 1880 in Bibb County and Mary died October 1885 in Bibb County.

They had the following known children:

  1. infant Steele
  2. George Washington Steele born Nov. 9, 1824 South Carolina. He married Isabella Friday Oct. 2, 1847 in Bibb County, Alabama and they had one known child Mary Ann Steele. Isabella died about 1849 and he married Martha (last name unknown). They had nine children. She died and then he married Margaret Catherine Carroll around 1865 and had four more children.
  3. Margaret Steele was bron 1827 in Alabama and died after 1860. She married Anthony Peter Sep 29, 1849 in Bibb County, Alabama. He was born 1818 in Germany and died 1860 in Bibb County. They had six known children.
  4. Mary Ann Steele was born Dec. 21, 1834 in Bibb County, Alabama. She married Alexander Avery, Sr. who was born 1833 in Bibb County, Alabama. They had four known children. She died June 28, 1900 and he died Sep 24, 1899.
  5. William Madison Steele was born Sep 8, 1838 in Bibb County, Alabama. He married Amanda Dreoka about 1865 in Bibb County, Alabama. She was born 1845 in Italy. They had six known children. William died Jun 6, 1898.
  6. Amazon Steel was born around 1841 in Bibb County, Alabama. Nothing further is known of her.
  7. Christopher Columbus Steele was born August 1842 in Bibb County, Alabama. On Dec. 19, 1860, he married Mary M. Cates who was born Oct 1843, the daughter of John Meeks and Huldah (Cottingham) Cates. After the birth of their first child, William P., they moved to Tennessee and had eight more children.
  8. Frederick Harrison H. Steele was born 1844 in Bibb County, Alabama. He married Mary (last name unknown) and they had at least five known children. In the 1860 census of Bibb County, Alabama, His Grandmother Rachel Woodward, age 90 was living with them.
    Many Steele descendants remain in Bibb County, Alabama.

Other unidentified STEELE and STEEL buried in Bibb County, Alabama according to Baptist of Bibb County by Howard McCord, who may or may not be relatedinclude:

PLEASANT HILL #1 CHURCH CEMETERY – PRESBYTERIAN – 5 MILE WEST FROM CENTREVILLE OFF HWY 82 ON PLEASANT HILL CHURCH ROAD.

Carrie Steele April 15, 1880- July 4, 1880

Addie Steele April 15, 1880- May 5, 1880

Clarence F. Steele July 7, 1876 D. not shown

Alice E. Steele April 9, 1877- D. not shown

Bethynia C., Wife of Murphy Steele, August 7, 1908- Jan. 4, 1939

George W. Steele (no dates) Co. H. 29 Alabama Inf. CSA

Richmond Murphy Steele Died Apri 11, 1976 – aged 72 years

Arthur R. Steele, May 24, 1928- July 25, 1953 Mil. Marker – Arther Roger Steele, Ala. PFC. U. S.

Marine Corps., Korea, PH

William Walter Steele, February 2, 1888- November 10, 1919

Richmond Steel, Dec. 4, 1919- June 9, 1961 Alabama Tec. Tec. 4. Co. A. 537 Engr. B. and S. Regt. W. W.H.

John W. Steele, April 11, 1917- July 11, 1950 – Killed in Action at Chachiwon, Korea, U. S. Army, 1st

Cl 21 Inf. 24 Div. Awarded Silver Star Medal for Gallantry in Action, July 11, 1950

infant daughter of E. A. and L. Steele Oct 14, 1902

Brent Cemetery, two miles south of Centreville on Hwy 25 in Brent

Evelyn Clark Steele June 3, 1914- January 30, 1950

James Edwin Steele September 21, 1911- January 12, 1917

our Baby Steele April 7, 19170 April 7, 1917

Frances Elizabeth Steele February 15, 1914- August 22, 1926

Etha Steele June 2, 1890- November 17, 1953

Bealer Steele, Died April 21, 1974 aged 92 years

Robert Daniel, twin of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Steele, August 5, 1928 – August 6, 1928

Mt. Carmel Cemetery on old Hwy 5 in West Blocton

C. L. Steele – no dates

Centreville Memorial, Bibb County, Alabama

Ludie, wife of F. R. Steele, Aug. 8, 1890- Mar 31, 1908

Haysop Church Cemetery – ten miles west from Centreville on US hwy 82 Turn rt 1 ½ miles

Isom P. Steele 1885- 1964

J. B. Steele – April 19, 1913 (near James Wesley Kornegay September 28, 1922- March 5, 1945)

Cedar Grove Church cemetery – Bibb County, Alabama

Virgil G. Steele, November 13, 1936- June 27, 1937

Compiled records of BIBB COUNTY, ALABAMA PIONEERS VOLUME I: Biographies Genealogy Reports, Notes & Records

During the “Alabama Fever” period of United States history, early settlers migrated to Alabama from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee in search of more land to grow tobacco and/or distance themselves from the Revolutionary War. Bibb County, Alabama Pioneers Volume I focuses on the pioneer families of FREDERICK MONROE JAMES (b. 1793-d. 1863) ADAM JAMES (1800-1884) HOPKINS LEE (b. 1765-d. 1834) STEELE FAMILY (who immigrated from S.C. ca. 1780), WILLIAM WRIGHT, (b. 1778 SC) and GEORGE PETERS (b. 1790 Italy) Genealogy reports with supporting evidence, notes, brief biographies, wills, deeds and census records, when available are included – descendant surnames include: ADAMS, ARNOLD, AVERY, BAKER, BAMBERG, BARNES, BATES, BLAKE, BISHOP, BOLING, BOLLING, BOSCHUNG, BOYD, BRACKNELL, BRADLEY, BRAG, BRANSDORF, BROADHEAD, BURNS, CANTERBURY, CARDEN, CARR, CARROLL, CAUSEY, CATES, CHAMPION, CLARY, CONWAY, COOK, COOPER, COTTINGHAM, CREEL, CREWS, CROCKER, CRUNK, DAUGHERTY, DAILEY, DIXON, DOCKERY, DOVER, DREOLIA, DUGGAN, EASTERWOOD, ERVIN, FAIR, FARMER, FAUCETT, FAUCETTE, FERGUSON, FIKES, FONDREN, FRANCIS, FRIDAY, FRY, FULGHAM, GEORGE, GOLDEN, GREATHOUSE, GRIFFIN, HANCOCK, HAND, HART, HAYES, HILL, HOLLAND, HORTON, HUBBARD, INGRAM, ILES, JACKSON, JAMES, JOHNSTON, KINNAIRD, KIRBY, KORNEGAY, KROUT, LAGRONE, LAND, LARKIN, LEE, LEMLEY, LEWIS, LEVERT, LIGHTSEY, MADDOX, MAJOR, MARTIN, MASON, MCALLEN, MCBRIDE, MCCALEB, MCCULLEY, MCDOWELL, MCLEOD, MCMILLAN, MEDDERS, MEIGS, MERPHY, MESSER, MILLER, MILLS, MITCHELL, MONTGOMERY, MUELLER, MURPHY, MYRICK, NICHOLS, OGLESBY, OWENS, PALMER, PARKER, PEARSON, PETER, PETERS, PETERSON, PHELPS, PIERSON, QUINN, RAGLAN, RAGLAND, RAINES, REACH, REED, RITCHIE, ROAN, ROBINSON, SATTERWHITE, SHAW, SHOWS, SHUTTLESWORTH, SMITH, SNIPES, STACEY, STACY, STAMPS, STARLING, STEELE, STEFANICK, STEWARD, STEWART, STRICKLAND, THOMPSON, TIBBS, TUCKER, TURNER, VARNEL, VERNON, WAGGONER, WAGONER, WALKER, WALLACE, WARD, WOOD, WOODWARD, WOOLLEY, WRIGHT, WYATT, YEAGER, YOUNG

1703426207, B00522WWR0

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