The only thing I can help you with is that it's unlikely he was born in KY (County, VA) 1770. There wasn't much settlement at all before 1773/4, and then it was just mostly surveyors and hunters. The earliest forts were 1774/5, and not many people then. Very few women. I have quite a bit on KY from 1769-1780, as some of my ancestors were involved. Several folks claim to be "the first white child", and there were some few children born about 1775. If your Hugh was b. before 1775, it's not likely he was b. in Ky. I don't find any Hugh Steel/e in old Rowan Co. NC. betw. 1753-1800 (the area I have the most reference books) "First Census" of KY has: David -- Fayette Co. 2/26/1790 James -- Bourbon Co 3/ /1791 James --Nelson Co. 11/8/1792 Joseph -- Bourbon Co. 3/ /1791 Richard, Robert, & Robert Fayette Co., 2/26/1790 William -- Bourbon Co. 3/ /1791 Wm. Col. -- Fayette 5/6/1789 Wm. Fayette 11/29/1789 I think the Bourbon Co. James, Joseph, & William are related. There are a couple of Steel/es from PA, who came to Bourbon Co. with the Millers, in late 1770s (I have the date, but not off the top of my head.) They returned to PA (Northumberland or Cumberland Counties, I believe) for several years, and then returned to Bourbon Co. Those guys are on my list to track down. The Bourbon Co. website has some info on them. I am wondering about the John & Andrew Steele who had land on Steel's Run, Fayette Co., KY next to John Morrison 1787, as I have several other folks who interacted with a John Morrison. If it's the same Morrison, I think he was from old Rowan. Wish I could be more help. I am keeping an eye out for any mention of a Hugh. Wondering if some of these orphan Steel/es are connected to each other. Families tended to migr. together, both from the "old country", and within our new country.... It is interesting that your Hugh m. in Bourbon co., 1796, as my John (bef. 1760-1823) was in that part of Bourbon that became Pendleton Co. I haven't seen any Hughs in the family line of my John Steele, but I don't have all the grandchildren. I have a couple of Dunns in another line, but they were in NJ early in the 1700s. Lots of Dunns in MD, I think. befuddled, Kathryn Steel75642@aol.com wrote: > > I have seen this somewhere before, and noticed it, but have no > reason--yet--to connect it to my family of Steel(e)s. I have only seen a > handful--maybe 2-3--Steel(e)s mentioned in the earliest accounts of KY, > always the same names, none of which are my Hugh. I have 9 John Steel(e)s, so > far, but none born before 1803. This one was one of the children of my > gr-gr-grandfather, Hugh Steel and his wife, Catherine Dunn. They married in > Bourbon Co. in 1796, and had 9 children between 1797 and 1816. Hugh's grave > in Madison, Jefferson, Indiana says he was born in 1770, but I don't know > where, and this has become a real brick wall for us! In 1770, KY was a county > of VA, if he was in the same area as where he was married. Any thoughts, > observations, etc. would be welcome! Sherry Steele (Seattle) > >