Steele, Samuel

The following data is extracted from Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement.

The demise of Samuel Steele, a well known resident of Mount Pleasant Township, was deeply regretted, for he was recognized as a successful farmer, a good citizen and a man of sterling qualities. He was born in Ireland, December 25, 1822, and began his education there, but when ten years old came to America and for several years attended school in Rochester, New York. In early manhood he took up the profession of school teaching, being so employed in Tennessee for several years and in Racine County, Wisconsin. He arrived here in 1847 and after dividing his time between teaching school and working as a farm hand for two or three years he went to Racine and was connected with the city schools for three years. He decided, however, that farming offered a greater opportunity for advancement and purchased ninety acres of land in Mount Pleasant Township, to which he subsequently added until at the time of his death he owned two hundred and eleven acres, all of which was well improved and in a high state of cultivation. For many years he devoted his time to farm work and his well planned labors were rewarded by excellent crops, for which he received a good price. He gained more than a competence as the result of his enterprise and careful management and was also a factor in the agricultural advancement of his locality. He was a great fancier of horses and a breeder of high class, standard bred trotters and found this business very profitable.

In 1855 Mr. Steele married Miss May A. Osborn, a daughter of John and Rebecca Osborn, who located in Racine County in 1843. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Steele, namely: Jennie R., now the wife of John Davis; William J., deceased; John H., who married Susan Davis; Nellie M., William and Charles, all deceased; Arthur, who married Margaret Jones; and Margaret Elizabeth, who married Shirley Worthington, by whom she has two children, Helen Gertrude and Francis Steele.

Mr. Steele was a republican and was called to a number of local offices; serving for years as a member of the school board, for a considerable period as school superintendent, during which period he brought about many improvements in the public schools, as assessor for nineteen years and as a member of the town board. In religious faith he was a Presbyterian, and fraternally he was identified with the Woodmen. In all that he did he exercised sound judgment and energy, and his death in 1894 deprived Mount Pleasant Township of one of its valued citizens.

Source: Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement

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