Copyright 1999 - all rights reserved

When Ron and I visited with Hazel McGuire in 1984, a descendant of Mary Steele, the aunt of Sam of this narrative, Hazel told us that the larger part of this home had at one time been the home of Samuel Steele. I have not researched this indepth, so I have no idea if this is accurate. Hazel remembered some things but she said that her memory had failed. She was in her eighties when we visited with her. Ron took pictures anyway. We were never able to find the owners at home when we went back on subsequent trips.

Eva Belle Steele, the daughter of Samuel and Emily Jane, wrote the story of her family in the 1950s. The little book is called, "A Steele Tribe of Virginia." The official copy of this work can be found in the Library of Congress. Many data bases contain the informaztion on this family and I have seen the genealogy published in several places. The dates for the most part can be found in public records, but I have not seen any credit given to Eva Belle Steele for the work that she did for her own nieces and nephews. The book was "Aunt Eva's" legacy to the children and descendants of her brothers and sisters. She deserves credit for the work that she so generously shared by leaving her work in the Library of Congress. It was only about sixty four pages, but it spoke volumes about real people and real relationships.

"Aunt Eva" wrote an interesting and candid history of her family and herself. Any descendant of Samuel and Emily Jane should make the effort to obtain a copy (never published comercially) for a true picture of their ancestors from that line. She remember the "parlor" and the organ in the home of her grandparents, Robert and Julia Steele. She related that she only remembered seeing it once and that she was not allowed to touch it. She gave physical descriptions and character traits of Robert and Julia, both positive and negative. She talked about them owning slaves and the continued relationship with their former slaves after slavery was abolished.

She spoke of "Uncle El" (Elgin) and "Aunt Malinda" lovingly. Eva Belle was born over twenty years after slavery was abolished. She talks about the friendship between Elgin and "Mister" Sam. She mentioned the behaviors of both men as a "carry over" from the old days.

Eva Belle wrote about how they moved so often, living in different parts of Virginia and in Greenbrier County West Virginia for awhile. She mentioned her father as an "adventurer" This is a characterisic that is evident in the majority of the Steele men and their male descendants that I have researched. She also mentioned that her brothers left home as soon as they were old enough because her father used them for free labor and they resented it. They wanted a better life- they wanted freedom! In tracing the family back to the seventeen hundreds, we see this pattern repeated over and over. They were all truly pioneers.

Actually, this is a characteristic of numerous female descendants as well. It is a characteristic that is engrained into the very soul of most of us, both male and female! Jodi Steele Catano shares her story with us, about her quest for freedom. We can see it in my father, in Jodi's father and ALL of the "pioneers" who left Tazewell County. I was not surprised to see that it was a characteristic of Eva Belle Steele also. Is it in our genes or is it learned behavior? I suspect that it is some of both, but it does seem to be a dominant trait in the Steele family. Eva Belle did not research the family past her grandparents. Eva Belle Steele never married . She was a beautiful lady, even in her "golden years." She kept her freedom for a lifetime and left no direct descendants, but she maintained a close connection with most of her family and left a legacy of love for the descendants of her neices and nephews.

The Children of Samuel Sylvester Steele and Emily Jane (Morton):
William Robert Steele, born November 30, 1871, died August 7, 1873
Rosa Steele, born September 11, 1873, died March 10, 1874
Mary Alice Steele, born November 7, 1874, died May 16, 1954, married James Leonard Jeter March 1, 1898- eight children and thirteen grandchildren; Grandson, Lt James Wilbur Jeter lost his life over Belgium , November 25, 1944. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.
Anna May Steele, born April 15, 1878, died February 27, 1933- married Jesse Parker March 28, 1900. One son and eight grandchildren.
Edward Dore Steele, born January 20, 1878, died August 5, 1924
James Ernest Steele, born May 14, 1880, died February 2, 1940 - married July 20, 1910 (wife's name not given)
Robert Morton Steele, born May 19, 1882, died November 30, 1943; married June 1911 (wife's name not given) - Eight children, five grandchildren
Olive Leland Steele, born March 15, 1885, died February 16, 1955- married J.H. Yost, June 28, 1909; Two children and two grandchildren
Eva Belle Steele, born September, 19, 1887. Eva was living in Washington, D.C. in 1956 when she wrote her family history and placed it in the Library of Congress.
Samuel Kahle Steele, born January 26, 1892; married Martha Georgia Campbell; Lived Huntington West Virginia when Eva Belle wrote the family history. Samuel K. had six children and eight grand children.