"DeWitt" Steele, the son of John David Steele and grandson of Jeremiah "Wick" Steele kept a copy of the biography of Jeremiah Steele that was first printed in The History of Kentucky in 1888.
All of the following records are in possession of Jodi Steele Catano and Dodie (Smith) Browning. The original pictures were from the collection of Bronston Steele and then passed to Frances Steele Miller, used here by permission.
Jeremiah W. Steele, a well-to-do farmer of Morgan County, Kentucky, is a
native of Tazewell County, Virginia, born March 16, 1826. His father, David Steele, was a
native of the same county, a farmer by occupation, and a man highly esteemed by all
who knew him. He died in his native county in the fall of 1827. He had one child by his wife,
Matilda (Claypool) Steele, viz: Jeremiah W., and after the death of her husband Mrs. Steele
married James Quicksall, of Virginia. To their union were born four children viz:
Jonathan E.,
Rebecca E.,
Lemuel B.,
John W.
Jeremiah W. Steele settled in Morgan County in 1847, having been reared on the farm, and obtained a good education at the common schools.
He has devoted eight years and five months’ time to school teaching during his life, and is a man with ability in that direction, well read and well informed. He has a fine farm of about 300 acres, four miles south of West Liberty, and is in vercomfortable circumstances.
In 1858 he was elected school commissioner of Morgan County, and served one term. He is also a good engineer, and does the greater part of the surveying in the county. In 1872 he was elected county surveyor, and served as such until 1878.
On March 11, 1845, he married Miss Martha Lockhart, of Virginia. To their union have been born twelve children. Viz:
J.W. STEELE PASSES AWAY
(Reprint from Licking Valley Courier, West Liberty, Kentucky)
Jeremiah Wilkerson Steele, one of Morgan county’s oldest and most venerated citizens, passed away at the home of his son, J.F. Steele, near Malone, at 1 o’clock a.m. Thursday, March 8, 1917, of infirmities due to old age.
Mr. Steele was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, March 16, 1826. He came to this county when a young man and resided here continuously until his death.
No man was more predominantly identified with the history and development of Morgan county than Wick” Steele, as he was familiarly called. He was a pioneer, school teacher and served as County Superintendent of Schools about the time the rural school system was organized. It is said that he conducted the first teacher’s institute ever held in this county.
He was County Surveyor at one time and also represented his district in the Kentucky Legislature. He was of a studious nature and scholarly attainments, and until a few years ago, when his eyesight failed him, was an inveterate reader. Few men of his day were better posted on current topics than J.W.Steele.
He was a consistent member of the regular Baptist church and his hope and belief were strikingly exemplified in his daily life. In his passing the county loses another of its patriarchs whose place it is impossible to fill.
He is survived by four sons: Marion Steele, of Nickell; Thos. J. Steele, of Jackson; and Geo. W. and J. Floyd Steele of Malone.
Funeral services were conducted Friday at the home of Eld. John L. Fergus of the regular Baptist Church after which the remains were laid to rest in the family grave yard at old South Fork church Cemetery.
Martha Lockhart was born July 17th, 1824, and joined the Baptist church in Tazewell County Virginia in August 1844 (She) was married to J.W. Steele on the 11th day of March 1845.....lifted her letter from Liberty church in Virginia in 1847...and moved to Morgan County Ky. in September 1847. (She) laid her letter in Southfork Church on the second Sunday in November 1847. (She) lived in fellowship with said church until her death on May 30th, 1900. Her age was 75 years, 10 months and 13 days. She was the mother of 12 children and 8 of them lived to be men and women, but 3 of them died before she died. She left 20 grand children living, and her husband - 4 sons and one daughter to mourn her loss, which was very great to us....Her marriage to her death was 55 years, 2 months and 20 days...
To those whom it concerns,
I was elected common school Commissioner the first Monday in August 1858 and served 22 months as Judge Lykins failed to appoint at the June Court. I lost two months before I got the office, and Judge Day appointed James Hugett Sen. at the June Court 1860. I handled 8,646 dollars, visited 86 schools each year and received county claims for $200.00 for my services which was worth in cash $160.00.
The first Monday in August 1872 I was elected County Surveyor to fill an unexpired term of two years. The first Monday in August 1874 I was elected Surveyor for four years and served my time out in all six years with out any deputy and my claim against the county was $10. Or $10.50. I am not certain..(the rest of the letter is not readable..)
