The name John Steele is indeed a common one in our Steele family histories. Our 'Johns' were in OH 1774-1870, and in White Co. IN 1838-1870. They are indeed hard to track down. One of my John Steeles had a son samed Samuel Lawson Steele who is the father of my Grandmother, Hattie Steele. One of many brothers, Samuel somehow ended up in KS. While in KS, daughter Hattie married into the Witcher family. But she and her Witcher husband eventually returned to IN because of work and her Steele roots. njdempster@aol.com