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george w. steele

1839 - 1922

     George Washington Steele was born on December 13, 1839 (United, 2005) to Asbury and Lousia (Waddom) Steele in Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana. George's father was native to Kentucky and his mother to Indiana (1850 Census). The family moved to Marion, in 1843, when George was just three years old (Rector, 2002, p. 17).

 

     Steele married Marietta E. Swayzee on October 11, 1866 in Grant County, Indiana (Grant, n.d.). George and Marietta had two children, daughter Marietta ‘Meta’ V. Steele, born March 21, 1870; and George Washington Steele Jr., born June 19, 1879.  George W. Steele died at the age of 82 on July 12, 1922.

Created from (Steele, 1990) information

Civil War Service

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     Steele enlisted in Marion on April 24, 1861. He was to be a private in the 8th Indiana volunteers. However upon arrival to Indianapolis, the company of volunteers was much larger than anticipated. Steele was reassigned to the 12th Indiana infantry in the rank of first lieutenant. (Maj., 1922)

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     George W. Steele became a second lieutenant of the 101st Indiana volunteers in summer of 1862. By September 6, he was promoted to Captain of Company I. Steele was elected major by the officers of his regiment January 8, 1963, and elected lieutenant colonel in June.

     "While acting as lieutenant colonel, Maj. Steele fought at the head of the 101st regiment at Hoopers Gap, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge and Taylor's Ridge in Georgia, after which came a series of victories that culminated in the capture of Atlanta. The regiment was sent to Indianapolis, where it was discharged July 5, 1865.(Maj., 1922)"

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     George W. Steele was commissioned to serve as a first lieutenant in the 14th United States infantry on February 23, 1866. He continued his army service until 1876. (Maj., 1922)

U.S. House of Representatives

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     George W. Steele represented the eleventh Indiana district in Congress for sixteen years. Steele was first elected in 1880, and he was reelected in 1882, 1884, and 1886, leaving office in 1889. Steele had the distinction of being the first Republican from Indiana to serve on the House Ways and Means committee. (Maj., 1922) In May 1890, he was appointment by President McKinley to be the first Governor of the Oklahoma Territory and after 17 months in the position, Steele resigned.

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     Steele was elected to Congress again in 1894 once again serving the eleventh Indiana district. With reelections in 1896, 1898, and 1900, he served his final day in Congress March 3, 1903.

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     George B.Lockwood, RNC secretary and close friend, said of Steele upon news of his death in 1922, “Indiana has never had a member of Congress whose career reflected more credit to the state than that of Maj. Steele. He was lacking in some of the showy qualities which many people confuse with greatness, but he had integrity, ability, courage and common sense and a deep sense of devotion to duty which made him the ideal public servant (Colleagues, 1922).”

Governor of the MArion Soldiers' Home​

     

     After serving on the Board of Managers from 1890 - 1904, George W. Steele was selected to be the third Governor of the Marion Soldiers' home. Steele was the head of the NHDVS, his position is also referred to interchangeably as governor, director, and manager by some sources. Steele served in the governor role from 1904 until his retirement on May 31, 1915. (Hubbard, 1999, p. 48)

   

Colleagues mourn death of Steele: Congressmen praise life of veteran as solon. (1922, July 14). Indianapolis Star, p. 9.

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Grant County, Indiana. (n.d.). Marriage Records Volume I Book C (Sept 1831-June 1, ) 

(3A). Grant County Genealogy Club. Ancestry.com. p. 428

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Hubbard, N. J. (1999, March 15). National register of historic places registration form for Marion

branch, national home for disabled volunteer veterans historical district. State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD). https://secure.in.gov/apps/dnr/shaard/r/4db55/N/Marion_Branch,_National_Home_for_Disabled_Volunteer_Soldiers_Historic_District_nomination.pdf

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Maj. George W. Steele, Ex-Governor Marion National Military Home, Dies. (1922, July 13). Indianapolis

Star, p. 1.

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Steele McGeary, M. (1990). The house of Steele: Abraham Steele of Harford County, Maryland, and ten

generations of his descendants (C. 1751-1990). The Anundsen Publishing Company.

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United States. Congress. (2005). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005.

Government Printing Office. Ancestry.com.

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U.S. Census Bureau. (1850). Marion, Indiana, (Roll 147). Ancestry.com. p. 273a

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