Steel Family Emails
Thanks to all who gave me permission to place on my site! -----Original Message----- From: Wayne Steel To: PAGREENE-L@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 9:46 AM Subject: [PAGREENE-L] a 1908 LETTER I came across this letter several years ago while digging at Cornerstone G. Soc. Its a window to the past. Thanks to who ever took time to cut and paste the old fashion way. Maloy Iowa May 13, 1908 Editor Democrat, (Greene County Democrat Paper) Dear Sir, I have just been perusing the Democrat this morning and thought I might interest some of the readers of this paper by writing a few lines for publication as I left home on short notice on the 30th of March.I received a dispatch at twelve o'clock on that day of the death of my brother John H. Steel and I started at 2 o'clock and expected to meet the 4 train at Point Marion. (He was leaving from Davistown) But owing to the condition of the roads, was 1 1/2 hours late, but struck the train at 6 the next morning, and arrived in Pittsburg at 10 and remained till 5, got to Chicago at 9 the next morning, one hour behind time. Remained there till 6 in the evening, took the Great Western for Denton Iowa and arrived there at 10 Am April 2, where I was met with a team and conveyed to the church at Delphos where I met the funeral of my brother, as we as a large audience which had met to pay the last tribute of respect to a neighbor as well as myself to a brother. Then, after a most excellent discourse was preached to the large audience, his remains were followed to the cemetery at Mount Ayr, about 8 miles. They have a fine cemetery there, from observation, about 20 acres with a fine blue grass carpet and finely arranged. That was as far as we could go with a brother, so we retired and took dinner in town with a sister, Mrs.. Ruth Long, wife of Minor Long, the returned to my brothers home and stayed over night, where my son Ramer met me the next morning with a buggy and team and conveyed me to our farm where he resides and I am here yet, writing this letter and have been assisting him in getting in the spring crop. We sowed 28 bushels of oats and planted 3 bushels of corn and will plant another bushel tomorrow if not prevented and that will be the amount of our crop. John H. Steel (H was for Hemphill, his grandmother's maiden name) was born July 11, 1838 and was 67 years and 8 months of age. He was son of John and Nancy Bowen Steel on the farm near Davistown, Dunkard township,Greene County, He was reared on the farm and sent the common schools till 23 years of age when he was married to Rebecca J. Wright and moved to the head waters of Colvin's run and lived for three years and then removed to the house place with his father, then sold his personal property and moved to Ringgold count Iowa and bought one hundred acres of land where he lived until the time of his death. He paid $10 an acre for the land and since then has added 200 acres more to it with all new buildings which is worth $60 per acre with $3200 on the assessor's book and considerable stock. No one but his wife survives him as they never had any children. He was the brother of eight sisters and two brothers. Well I must say here that I am sorry to say I attended the funeral of William Garard, brother of Corbly, cashier of the Citizens National Bank about a week after I landed. I saw him the day I landed and talked with him at the depot. Ramer's wife, where I am stopping, is a daughter of his. They live on our farm. The weather has been fine here this month for farming and getting in corn and the grass is looking fine. Wheat looks well, oats is doing well. Corn is 40 cents, hogs 6 cents, cattle 4-3/4, Horses are $200 for good ones, land from $50 to 90 per acre. One of our closest neighbors is planting 160 acres of corn. He has three boys and a hired hand. They work three horses abrest. It takes 12 head. He own about 2400 acres of land and he still wants to buy more. I must bring my scribbling to a close, hoping to find a place in you paper, if not in the waste basket... T.B. STEEL My note: All above were born in Greene County. Wayne -----Original Message----- From: Steven DeBolt To: PAGREENE-L@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 2:09 PM Subject: [PAGREENE-L] 1908 letter Thanks Wayne. That was truly enjoyable. To move from Davistown to Denton, a world away, that quickly, probably seemed even now amazing in those days. I wonder how long it would have taken on horseback. (And the trains weren't even running on time! :) ). You're right, it's like looking through a window into the past. Enjoyed the info about Davistown, too. Just in case any may not know, there is a cemetery at Davistown, and I think it's called the Debolt-Steele cemetery. There is a cemetery by that name. I think it's listed in Hennen's work. There was a David Debolt in Davistown in the very early 1800's. Probably a cousin. Your letter was quite appropriate for this list. I have some from that time period, but another place, written by my grandfather's lillte sister and brothers, to him during WWI. There is one written by his mother, to him, telling how the phones rang in the wee hours of the morning to spread the good news, and that Church bells in the area were ringing (about a mile away), to heral the event:WWI had just ended. The letter was dated Nov. 11, 1918. It's hard to read that letter from mother to son without getting a little teary-eyed. Thanks Steve teary-eyed. -----Original Message----- From: Brian D Core To: PAGREENE-L@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 6:44 PM Subject: [PAGREENE-L] Re:1908 LETTER/Kinda Ironic The Steeles and Garrisons have a long history together, with 3 or 4 known intermarriages. The John Steele, subject of this letter, died in Mt. Ayre, IA. Garrison descendants also lived in Mt. Ayre; Leonard Garrison's eldest son Jonathan moved from Greene County to Butler Co., OH ca. 1802.Several of Jonathan's sons moved from Butler Co. to Schuyler Co., IL in the 1830's. Jonathan's son Isaac was one of three brothers who all married sisters in the Vaile family before moving to IL. I have the obituary for their son William Henry Garrison, who died in Mt. Ayre: "DEATH OF WILLIAM H. GARRISON" William H. Garrison, oldest son of the late Isaac and Amanda Garrison, of Littleton, was born June 27, 1844 and departed this life, June 16, 1923, at Mt. Ayr, Iowa at the age of 79 years. He was united in marriage with Ann Horney, of Adams county, June 4, 1872, who passed to her reward more than twenty years ago. He was of a family of seven children who grew to adult age, three of whom are living, Moses M. Garrison of Pratt, Kansas, Mrs. Emma Alkire, of near Des Moines, Iowa, and Mrs. George W. Green of Rushville. One brother Walter and two sisters, Mrs. Permelia Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Chamberlain preceded him in death. The remains were taken to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa." I received a photocopy of the obit with no proper citation, but I would presume that it was from the Rushville Times, which was the paper of record for Schuyler Co., IL. Kind of ironic that Greene County kin could take such disparate paths and wind up planted in the same patch of earth. Brian -----Original Message----- From: GRAMPHYL@aol.com To: PAGREENE-L@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 10:05 PM Subject: [PAGREENE-L] Obits for 1908 Letter I'm going to try to post a few obits to go along with this Steele family and connecting lines, but I'm sure it will take me a while, so keep watching for me. This is the obit for the wife of John Steele Jr. Her maiden name was Nancy Agnes Bowen. They were the parents of three of the people mentioned in the 1908 letter: John Hemphill Steele, Thomas B. Steele and Ruth (Steele) Long. "Mrs. Nancy Steel died at her home near Davistown, Greene county, Pa. Sept. 3, 1890. She was a daughter of Thomas Bowen and was the only surviving member of the family. Her mother, whose maiden name was Spicer, was, together with her brother, captured by the Indians at the massacre of the Spicer family. After being held a captive for some time she was released. Mrs. Steele was born in Greene township, and was the mother of eleven children, nine of whom are living. These are Hemphill Steele, of Iowa; Lot and Thomas of Dunkard township; Mrs. Joanna Stephens of Blacksville, W.Va.; Mrs. Clara Stephens and Mrs. N.L. Torrington of Ringgold County, Ia; Mrs. Martha Stephens of Greene county; Mrs. Ruth Long, of Colorado; and Miss Sally Steele, remaining at home. Besides the immediate family there is a large connection. Although Mrs. Steele had lived in the county almost since the founding of it she had never been to the county seat. She united with the Baptist church more than sixty years ago and had been a faithful member. Her remains were laid to rest in the Steel burying ground after funeral services by Elder ?? in the Methodist Church."Anyone who has connections to this family, I'd love to hear from you. Phyllis Gillaspie 28848 Glen Oaks Drive Sun City, Ca. 92586-2894 (909) 672-3922 This is the obit for Thomas B. Steele (the person who wrote the letter) From "The Democrat Messinger", Waynesburg, Pa. Friday, 14 Apr 1916: "THOMAS B. STEELE" Thomas B. Steele, a lifelong and prominent citizen of Davistown, Dunkard township, died early Wednesday morning, April 12, 1916. He had been ill for the past two months of dropsy. He was 75 years old, having been born March 1, 1841, on the farm where he died. He was a son of John and Nancy (Bowen) Steele, who were natives of Greene county. He was one of a family of eleven children, who all grew to maturity. On January 13, 1864, he was united in matrimony with Miss Rebecca, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Stephenson. To this union were born five children: John M, Artie B., Sadie L, R.B. and Nannie. The widow and two daughters, Mrs. R.C. Keener and Mrs. W.J. Sheets, of Davistown and Raymer B. Steele of Iowa and John Steele of Missouri, survive. Four sisters and one brother are also living as follows: Mrs. Joanna Stephens of Blacksville, West Virginia, who is 96 years of age; Mrs. Ruth Long, Iowa; Mrs. Nancy Herrington, of Nebraska; and Miss Sally Steele, and Lot Steele of Davistown. The funeral will be held Saturday aforenoon. The friends will meet at the Steele home and from there go to the Methodist Episcopal church where the funeral service will be held. Interment will be in the Steele cemetery. As stated above, Mr. Steele's mother was a Bowen, being a daughter of "Granny Bowen" whose maiden name was Elizabeth Spicer. She and her brother William were carried away captive by the Indians when all the other members of the Spicer family consisting of father, mother, and five children were massacred. A part of the Spicer house still stands in Greene township on the west slope of Keener's Knob. William never returned to civilization but "Betsy" as she was called came back and married a man by the name of Bowen, reared a family and died at the age of 84 years. "I'd love to hear from anyone connecting with these families. This obit is for John Hemphill Steele (whose funeral Thomas B. had gone to Iowa for) From: Mt. Ayr (Ia.) Record News; 12 Apr 1906: "J. H. STEEL" John Hemphill Steel was born near Davistown, Greene county, Penn. July 11, 1838. He was married to Rebecca J. Wright Sept. 4, 1862. They moved to Iowa in October 1867, settling on the same farm in Benton township where he still lived until the time of his death, which occurred Friday morning, March 30, 1906. In early live he received a hope in Christ and in September of 1896 he, with his companion, united with the Primitave Baptist church at Orsberg, Mo. "Uncle Hemphill", as he was known to a host of relatives and friends, was a man of strong character, positive in his opinons, yet with a high standard of right and an unselfish devotion to truth and duty. The large number of friends who followed him to his last resting place was a tribute paid which voiced more eloquently than words the universal sorrow felt at his death. His long and close walk with the Master whom he loved and served had inspired in him a faith that faltered not even at death. During his last illness, tho his suffering was severe, he did not murmur, but repeatedly said "All is well. I know there is a mansion prepared for me. "To his wife he said, "Do not grieve; the same hope that was with me in youth and health is with me now and the Everlasting Arms are underneath me." He is gone from among us but we are thankful he has lived. His life was a benediction and will always be a blessed memory to those who knew him best. He leaves a wife and two sisters---Mrs. I.M. Long of Mt. Ayr, and Mrs. Nancy Herrington of Omaha, Neb; two brothers and three sisters in Pennsylvania; a host of nieces and nephews, and friends inumerable to mourn his death. Funeral services were conducted Monday morning in the Baptist church at Delphos by Elder Young of Milo, pastor of the church of which he was a member, assisted by Rev. Hiram Tharp of Benton, and interment made in the Rose Hill cemetery at Mt. Ayr. Six of his own nephews acted as pallbearers and with loving hands bore to its last resting place the casket, containing all that was mortal of one we loved so much. "Not now but in the coming years, It may be in the better land. We'll read the meaning of our tears. And then, ah, then, we'll understand. "This is the obit for Rebecca J. (Wright) Steele, wife of John Hemphill Steele: From 'Mt. Ayr (Ia.) Record News'; 20 Nov 1910: "REBECCA STEELE" Rebecca Wright was born in Whitely, Pa. September 25, 1840. She was converted and united with the Baptist church at her old home at the age of fourteen and continued stedfastly until death. She was united in marriage to John H. Steele September 22, 1862, and five years later they moved to Ringgold county, Iowa, where they lived continuously until death claimed her companion about five years ago. Since then she has made her home with her niece, Mrs. Glazier Prentis, and her sister, Mrs. Sams. A little more than two years ago she suffered a paralytic stroke from the effects of which she never recovered although she rallied and at times was cheerful and happy. But the last ten weeks of her life were full of suffering although borne with patience and calmly awaiting the Lord's summons which came Sunday morning, November 13, 1910 at 3:30 at the home of her sister, Mrs. Sams, near Maloy, Iowa. Her life was full of good deeds and besides a sister and two brothers, a number of nephews and neices and other immediate relatives she leaves a great number of friends and neighbors who will sadly miss her. The funeral was conducted by the writer at the Delphos Baptist church after which a large company of people followed the remains to Rose Hill cemetery at Mt. Ayr, where she was laid to rest to await the Master's call. J.B. CashThis is an obit for another daughter of John Steele and Nancy Agnes Bowen, but was received from someone else. "MRS. NANCY ELLEN HARRINGTON" Nancy Ellen, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Steele, was born in Greene county, Pennsylavnia February 3, 1846. She was the youngest of eleven children. She came in early life as a pioneer of Ringgold county, Iowa, where she resided until 1900, when she moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where she spent the last 28 years of her life. She was united in marriage to Mr. Marion Herrington, 1867. To this union were born seven children, four boys and three girls. She possessed faith in Christ in early life and united with the Baptist church at Delphos, Iowa, where she remained a faithful member until death called her to her reward. She passed away at the home of her daughter at 4505 Camden Ave, Omaha, Neb. October 25, 1928, aged 82 years, eight months and 22 days. Her companion having passed away about 39 years ago and one son having preceded her in death. She leaves to mourn their loss one sister, Miss Sally Steele, of Pennsylvania; three sons, Richard H., of Sioux, Iowa; John of Benton, Iowa; Frank of Powell, Wyo; three daughters, Mrs. G.W. Abarr, Mrs. A.D. Maloy; Mrs. I. Moen, all of Omaha, Neb.; twenty grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren besides many other relatives and friends. Mrs. Harrington was a person whose friends were numbered by her acquaintances. She gave the best of her life for her seven children whom she reared to manhood and womanhood. She was always ready to sacrifice herself to be a blessing to others. We feel that our loss is her eternal gain. 'A precious one from us gone, A Voice we lived is stilled; A Place is vacant in our home, Which never can be filled.' Funeral services were held at the Baptist church in Mount Ayr Sunday afternoon, October 28, conducted by Rev. C. J. Hamilton and interment made in Rose Hill cemetery. Those from a distance attending the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Herrington and daughter, of Sioux City; Mrs. and Mrs. A.D. Maloy and daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Abarr and two sons; Mrs. Ethel Moen and daughter Lousie; Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Petersen of Omaha, Neb; Frank Herrington, of Powell, Wyo; Mrs. Ienza Parshall, of Clearfield; Mrs. Bell Hoover, of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Bowlby, of Beaconsfield. "Here is the obit for another daughter of John Steele and Nancy Agnes Bowen. From Mt. Ayr, Iowa newspaper, 26 Oct 1900. "DEATH OF MRS. AZARIAH STEPHENS" Mrs. Azariah Stephens of Clinton township died at 12:10 yesterday morning at the home of her son-in-law, R.M. Bowlby of Rice township. She came about two weeks ago to care for her daughter, Mrs. Bowlby, who was ill, but took ill herself, and died yesterday at the age of 74 years. Mrs. Stephens had lived in the county about 20 years, having come here from Greene county, Penn. She was a consistent Christian, and a member of the Baptist church. She was the mother of T.J. and Ross Stephens, Mrs. J.F. Wright, and Mrs. R.M. Bowlby, of Rice township, and Mrs. J.K. Parshall of Clearfield. Her bereaved husband is in his 80th year. Short services were held at the Bowlby residence at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon by Rev. Julius Nelson. The funeral was to be conducted at 1 o'clock today from the late residence of the deceased. Interment will be made in the cemetery two miles southwest of Redding. "This is the obituary for Azariah Stephens, husband of Clarissa Steele (d/o John Steele and Nancy Agnes Bowen) "AZARIAH STEPHENS" Azariah Stephens died very suddenly of heart failure at his home in Clinton township October 29, 1902. He was born in Greene county, Pa. June 30, 1821, was married Feb 1843 to Miss Clarissa Steel. To this union eight children were born, six of which survive him. Mrs. Stephens died October 23, 1900, since which time Uncle Azariah made his home with his son, T.J. Stephens. Deceased was a life-long member of the Missionary Baptist church. He died as he had always lived, a devoted Christian, a conscientious citizen and a scrupulously honest man. He always carried his Christianity with him in all his dealings with his fellowman, and his open, Straight-forward manner of transacting business always left good impressions. His early life was spent in a Christian home and those noble influences and impressions that he so dearly cherished in his boyhood remained with him through his four score years, and the stars that shone so brightly in his Christian life here will continue to shine on through eternity. The funeral services were held at his late residence and were conducted by Rev. William Golding, of Blockton. His remains were buried at Bruchy cemetery beside those of his wife who preceded him just three years ago.This ends my obits for this evening. Please forgive me for any typing errors I have made in these obituaries.
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