Copyright 1987 by Dodie E. Browning

John Steele was the second son and second child of Ralph and Levisa (Ferrell) Steele. He was born 25 March 1825- (information from family Bible of George and Rosannah (Fannin) Steele) in Tazewell County Virginia.

The family "tradition" of John Steele, is most interesting, and probably has some truth like all "family traditions", but may not be completely accurate. Tradition dictates that John Steele served in the Confederate Army

Allegedly, John Steele told his family that if the South won the war, he would return, but if the North won, no one would ever see him again. This John Steele never appeared (as far as can be determined) on any census nor public record after the war. Still further, "tradition" dictates that he was not killed during the war, but when others from his company were boarding a boat to return to their homes, John told them "Just a minute, I forgot something." Supposedly John Steele was never heard from again This John Steele never appeared on Public records in the area where his family and relatives lived, so he probably never did return. When the original sketch was written in 1988, I had not searched Civil War records except through correspondence with the National Archives for War records of my direct ancestors and my husband's ancestors. Since that time I have compiled a list of Steeles in southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and what is present day West Virginia, who were in the Confederate Army, and there is a bit of interesting but sad information on one John Steele.

There was a John Steele who was captured at Winchester, Virginia on 19 September, 1864. He remained in prison at Point Lookout Maryland (as did my husband's great grand father, David Hale) until the war ended. On 18 February, 1865, John Steele along with others was transferred to Richmond, Virginia in a prisoner of war exchange.

This is more than likely the same John Steele, but descendants need to do further research to determine if in fact, this is the same John Steele. The John Steele who was a prisoner at Point Lookout, Md. was shown as age 35. Four days after the exchange, he died of pneumonia at the Confederate Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. There is a five year age difference in this John and the John who was son of Ralph and Levisa (Ferrell) Steele, but more than likely this was a clerical error. It is quite possible that he did in fact leave his companions because he was ill. It is also very possible that his family never knew what happened to him. Thus, John Steele's statement to his family that if the North won the war, that he would never return was accurate, because he never did return. Some of John Steele's descendants believed that he survived the and had another wife and family, but I found nothing to indicate this was factual.

Whoever the John Steele was who died of pneumonia, died without his loved ones being present, as did thousands of other soldiers from both the North and the South. It is the belief of this writer, that the man who died of pneumonia was in fact the grandson of George and Rosannah (Fannin) Steele and the son of Ralph and Levisa (Ferrell) Steele.

We do know for certain that John Steele's family remained in that part of Logan County, West Virginia that later became Mingo County, West Virginia. The family moved back and forth across the Tug River into Pike County, Kentucky and what is present day Mingo County, WV.
The children of John and Patsy (Mounts) Steele:
1. Ralphael Steele, b. ca.1845-1846
2. Margaret Steele, b. ca. 1847
3. Nancy Steele , b. ca. 1848, married Asa Hensley, 4 September 1873, in Pike County, Kentucky
4. Harrison "Harry" Steele b. 14 May, 1852
5. Rebecca Steele, b. 31 July, 1854
6. David Paul Steele, b. 18 May, 1855
7. Pricy Steele, b. ca. 1858
8. Eliza Jane Steele, b. 6 November, 1859, (one record shows her born 1860) married Joseph Murphy -They were living in Mingo County WV on 1900 Census.
9. Perry A.(Paris?) Steele b.1857, died 1931, married Emma Varney. Emma Varney was d/o J.H. Varney and Martha Hatfield, (sister of Devil Anse).
10. Rutha Steele, b. ca. 1861, married Evermont Staton, circa 1887
11. Charlotte Steele, b. ca. 1862

Perry A. and Emma (Varney) Steele

Front-L-R: Ali Steele, P.A. (Perry) Steele, Emma (Varney)Steele, Stella Steele, Meldie Steele, & Lon Steele
Back: Iager Steele

The information on Perry's family was provided by Wilma (Charles) Steele, wife of Terry Steele.

According to the 1900 Mingo County Census where Martha "Patsy" Steele was living at the time, she had 12 Children and nine of them were still living in 1900. There was a S(mith) Epson, b. circa 1868 that some say is the son of Patsy. I believe he is the one who married Jenny Stafford on 10 May, 1894. This may have been a grandson, because if John never returned from the Civil War, he could not have been the father of this Smith Epson if this was the right age for him. Harrison had a son named Smith Epson, but he was born ca. 1876.

As can be seen from the above marriages, these are some of the predominant surnames that were connected with the "feudists" as the participants of the Hatfield - McCoy feud became known.