After reading law in the office of Grant and Allen, he was admitted to the New York bar in 1840. He moved west in 1841, practicing law in both Illinois and Wisconsin. Steele was a member of the first Wisconsin constitutional convention of 1846, and briefly served in the Wisconsin State Senate.[3]
In 1850, Steele traveled to California, prospecting at Shasta, Scott River, Greenhorn and Yreka, among other claims. Before returning to the practice of law on a permanent basis during the mid-1850s, he engaged in a variety of occupations, including express company operator and driver, butcher and rancher. As a Republican Party leader, Steele campaigned actively for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and was himself elected to the California State Assembly in 1867, where he served as chairman of the judiciary committee.[4] Steele was elected a Superior Court judge for Siskiyou County in 1879 and held the office until his death. In 1865, he was the founder of the Siskiyou County Agricultural Society and served as its first president. During the early 1860s Steele was Agent of Indian Affairs for the Northern District of California, in which office he secured a treaty (known as the Valentine's Day Treaty) with the Modoc Indians which may well have averted the later Modoc War, had the treaty been ratified. During the war with the Modocs (1872–1873), Steele worked tirelessly to secure both peace and justice for the tribe, drawing accusations and recriminations, particularly from Oregon settlers who sought the executions of Modoc raiders.
Personal lifeedit
Steele was married three times, to Lucia Hart (1843–1853), to Louisa B. Hamblin (1858–1866) and to Louisa Lanze (1875–1883). Steele's first name is frequently erroneously reported as Elisha. This is due to an original misreading or misrecording of an early California voter list. This error first received wide circulation in Keith A. Murray's groundbreaking, The Modocs and Their War in 1959 and it has often been repeated. Steele's grave marker, in Yreka, California's Evergreen Cemetery, clarifies this discrepancy, as does his obituary in the Yreka Journal of June 30, 1883.
Referencesedit
^"Elijah Steele". www.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
elijah, steele, november, 1817, june, 1883, american, attorney, jurist, indian, agent, pioneer, wisconsin, northern, california, served, delegate, wisconsin, first, constitutional, convention, member, wisconsin, state, senate, california, state, assembly, last. Elijah Steele November 13 1817 June 27 1883 was an American attorney jurist Indian agent and pioneer of Wisconsin and Northern California 1 2 He served as a delegate to Wisconsin s first constitutional convention and was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and the California State Assembly For the last four years of his life he was a California superior court judge Elijah SteeleJudge of the California Superior Courtfor Siskiyou CountyIn office November 1879 June 27 1883Succeeded byE ShearerMember of the California State Assembly from the Siskiyou County districtIn office December 2 1867 December 6 1869Serving with John A FairchildPreceded byThomas H Steeleand J K LuttrellSucceeded byWilliam Shoresand R M MartinMember of the Wisconsin Senate from the 16th districtIn office January 7 1850 January 1851Preceded byChristopher Latham SholesSucceeded byOrson S HeadPersonal detailsBorn 1817 11 13 November 13 1817Watervliet New York U S DiedJune 27 1883 1883 06 27 aged 65 Yreka California U S Resting placeEvergreen Cemetery Yreka CaliforniaPolitical partyDemocraticSpousesLucia Hart m 1843 died 1853 wbr Louisa B Hamblin m 1858 died 1866 wbr Louisa Lanze m 1875 died 1883 wbr RelativesWilliam Steele brother Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editBorn near Albany New York Steele was raised in Oswego Career editAfter reading law in the office of Grant and Allen he was admitted to the New York bar in 1840 He moved west in 1841 practicing law in both Illinois and Wisconsin Steele was a member of the first Wisconsin constitutional convention of 1846 and briefly served in the Wisconsin State Senate 3 In 1850 Steele traveled to California prospecting at Shasta Scott River Greenhorn and Yreka among other claims Before returning to the practice of law on a permanent basis during the mid 1850s he engaged in a variety of occupations including express company operator and driver butcher and rancher As a Republican Party leader Steele campaigned actively for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and was himself elected to the California State Assembly in 1867 where he served as chairman of the judiciary committee 4 Steele was elected a Superior Court judge for Siskiyou County in 1879 and held the office until his death In 1865 he was the founder of the Siskiyou County Agricultural Society and served as its first president During the early 1860s Steele was Agent of Indian Affairs for the Northern District of California in which office he secured a treaty known as the Valentine s Day Treaty with the Modoc Indians which may well have averted the later Modoc War had the treaty been ratified During the war with the Modocs 1872 1873 Steele worked tirelessly to secure both peace and justice for the tribe drawing accusations and recriminations particularly from Oregon settlers who sought the executions of Modoc raiders Personal life editSteele was married three times to Lucia Hart 1843 1853 to Louisa B Hamblin 1858 1866 and to Louisa Lanze 1875 1883 Steele s first name is frequently erroneously reported as Elisha This is due to an original misreading or misrecording of an early California voter list This error first received wide circulation in Keith A Murray s groundbreaking The Modocs and Their War in 1959 and it has often been repeated Steele s grave marker in Yreka California s Evergreen Cemetery clarifies this discrepancy as does his obituary in the Yreka Journal of June 30 1883 References edit Elijah Steele www rootsweb ancestry com Retrieved 2 October 2016 Bio data Members of the Wisconsin Legislature Archived December 9 2006 at the Wayback Machine Bio dataExternal links edit nbsp Biography portal Elijah Steele at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elijah Steele amp oldid 1210251156, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
