William Henry Steele (November 1, 1838 – September 21, 1911) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.
Life
Steele was born on November 1, 1838 in Windham, New York, the son of Col. Stephen Steele and Lucy Buel. His grandfather was assemblyman Perez Steele.[1]
Steele attended a private academy in Roxbury, Connecticut from 1848 to 1849, the Delaware Literary Institute in Franklin, New York from 1849 to 1854, and Yale College from 1854 to 1858.[1] One of his Yale classmates was Chauncey Depew.[2] He then worked as a private tutor in New York City and as a teacher in Camden and Williamstown, New York for a few years. In 1862, he began studying law under John Olney at Windham. He was admitted to the bar in 1863. In 1865, he became a member of the law firm Cowles & Steele in Roxbury. He practiced law for a short while in Valley Falls and Hart's Falls, followed by two years in Camden as a member of the law firm Cromwell & Steele. In 1869, he moved to Williamstown. In 1871, the firm became Cromwell, Steele & Conlan. He then gave most of his law practice to his partners and focused on insurance. After the firm was dissolved in 1873, he formed a banking partnership with J. F. Morse called W. H. Steele & Co. The firm was renamed Steele & Morse in 1874. In 1876, he resumed his law practice, practicing on his own.[3]
In 1878, Steele was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Republican, representing the Oswego County 3rd District. He served in the Assembly in 1879,[4]1880,[5] and 1881.[6] In 1882, he ended his insurance business and took over the hardware business E. Dixon & Co., renaming the business W. H. Steele & Co. In 1887, he moved to Pulaski. In 1889, he settled in Oswego. He bought a store and farm in Altmar in 1897, although he continued to live in Oswego. He was a delegate and Second Vice President of the 1894 New York State Constitutional Convention. He worked on the revising and indexing the Convention's records, a task that occupied him until 1899 and produced five printed volumes with a total of six thousand pages. In 1896 and 1897, he assisted Commissioner Lyman organize the state's new Excise Department.[3]
Steele was active in the Freemasons, organizing a lodge for them in Schagticoke. He also organized the first Order of the Eastern Star lodge outside of New York City. He was a Congregationalist. In 1866, he married Augusta Burnhans of Delhi. They had three children, although only one survived them, their daughter Mrs. W. F. Ballou.[2]
Steele died in his room at the Altmar House in Altmar on September 21, 1911. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Oswego.[2]
References
^ abThe Convention Manual of Procedure, Forms and Rules for the Regulation of Business in the Sixth New York State Constitutional Convention, 1894: Delegates Manual and Introduction. Albany, N.Y.: The Argus Company. 1894. pp. X – via Google Books.
^ abc"Hon. Wm. H. Steele". The Pulaski Democrat. Vol. LXI, no. 5. Pulaski, N.Y. 27 September 1911 – via NYS Historic Newspapers.
^ abObituary Record of Graduates of Yale University Deceased from June, 1910 to July, 1915. New Haven, C.T. 1915. pp. 199–200 – via Google Books.
^McBride, Alexander, ed. (1879). The Evening Journal Almanac, 1879. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons & Co. p. 137 – via Internet Archive.
^The Evening Journal Almanac, 1880. 1880. p. 128 – via Internet Archive.
^McBride, Alexander, ed. (1881). The Evening Journal Almanac, 1881. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons & Co. p. 139 – via Internet Archive.
william, steele, york, politician, william, henry, steele, november, 1838, september, 1911, american, lawyer, politician, from, york, life, editsteele, born, november, 1838, windham, york, stephen, steele, lucy, buel, grandfather, assemblyman, perez, steele, s. William Henry Steele November 1 1838 September 21 1911 was an American lawyer and politician from New York Life EditSteele was born on November 1 1838 in Windham New York the son of Col Stephen Steele and Lucy Buel His grandfather was assemblyman Perez Steele 1 Steele attended a private academy in Roxbury Connecticut from 1848 to 1849 the Delaware Literary Institute in Franklin New York from 1849 to 1854 and Yale College from 1854 to 1858 1 One of his Yale classmates was Chauncey Depew 2 He then worked as a private tutor in New York City and as a teacher in Camden and Williamstown New York for a few years In 1862 he began studying law under John Olney at Windham He was admitted to the bar in 1863 In 1865 he became a member of the law firm Cowles amp Steele in Roxbury He practiced law for a short while in Valley Falls and Hart s Falls followed by two years in Camden as a member of the law firm Cromwell amp Steele In 1869 he moved to Williamstown In 1871 the firm became Cromwell Steele amp Conlan He then gave most of his law practice to his partners and focused on insurance After the firm was dissolved in 1873 he formed a banking partnership with J F Morse called W H Steele amp Co The firm was renamed Steele amp Morse in 1874 In 1876 he resumed his law practice practicing on his own 3 In 1878 Steele was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Republican representing the Oswego County 3rd District He served in the Assembly in 1879 4 1880 5 and 1881 6 In 1882 he ended his insurance business and took over the hardware business E Dixon amp Co renaming the business W H Steele amp Co In 1887 he moved to Pulaski In 1889 he settled in Oswego He bought a store and farm in Altmar in 1897 although he continued to live in Oswego He was a delegate and Second Vice President of the 1894 New York State Constitutional Convention He worked on the revising and indexing the Convention s records a task that occupied him until 1899 and produced five printed volumes with a total of six thousand pages In 1896 and 1897 he assisted Commissioner Lyman organize the state s new Excise Department 3 Steele was active in the Freemasons organizing a lodge for them in Schagticoke He also organized the first Order of the Eastern Star lodge outside of New York City He was a Congregationalist In 1866 he married Augusta Burnhans of Delhi They had three children although only one survived them their daughter Mrs W F Ballou 2 Steele died in his room at the Altmar House in Altmar on September 21 1911 He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Oswego 2 References Edit a b The Convention Manual of Procedure Forms and Rules for the Regulation of Business in the Sixth New York State Constitutional Convention 1894 Delegates Manual and Introduction Albany N Y The Argus Company 1894 pp X via Google Books a b c Hon Wm H Steele The Pulaski Democrat Vol LXI no 5 Pulaski N Y 27 September 1911 via NYS Historic Newspapers a b Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University Deceased from June 1910 to July 1915 New Haven C T 1915 pp 199 200 via Google Books McBride Alexander ed 1879 The Evening Journal Almanac 1879 Albany N Y Weed Parsons amp Co p 137 via Internet Archive The Evening Journal Almanac 1880 1880 p 128 via Internet Archive McBride Alexander ed 1881 The Evening Journal Almanac 1881 Albany N Y Weed Parsons amp Co p 139 via Internet Archive External links EditThe Political Graveyard William H Steele at Find a GraveNew York State AssemblyPreceded byDeWitt C Peck New York State Assembly Oswego County 3rd District1879 Succeeded byDistrict AbolishedPreceded byGeorge E Williams New York State Assembly Oswego County 2nd District1880 1881 Succeeded byByron Helm Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William H Steele New York politician amp oldid 1134813843, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
