-----Original Message----- From: ernest B Thompson <ebt@coastside.net> To: samstee@tds.net <samstee@tds.net> Date: Saturday, June 30, 2001 11:25 PM Subject: Fw: The origin of the Steeles of Augusta/Rockbridge VA >Hi Robert, > >As I sent out in a brief note, I have been able to order a copy of "A >Gathering of the Clan" by Carl Steele. However, as I read your original >note below, I am puzzled. The Chalkley court citations of the Steeles in >Augusta Co. (Borden/Beverly patents) are numerous and involve many Steeles >from 1738 to at least 1815. The thought that most of the Steeles left >Borden due to deed problems doesn't seem probable? However, further, the >notes about locations in your original email don't show any of the listed >Steeles ever living in Augusta Co.? >I know you are quoting the Carl Steele book, so not being critical of your >note. > >Anyway, the book has not arrived yet and I can't wait to read it. However, >if you have any new insights, I'd appreciate your comments. > >I question the remarks I made in my original note below. > >Regards, > >Ernest > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: ernest B Thompson <ebt@coastside.net> >To: STEELE-L@rootsweb.com <STEELE-L@rootsweb.com> >Cc: will <wwatson@newsusa.com>; rtprop@ibm.net <rtprop@ibm.net> >Date: Saturday, February 10, 2001 11:55 PM >Subject: Re: The origin of the Steeles of Augusta/Rockbridge VA VERY >IMPORTANT > > >>Hi all VA Steeles, >> >>I have been in this group for a number of years and my only goal was to >>trace the Steeles of Steele's Tavern Augusta/Rockbridge Co's >>VA (in the Borden/Beverly Patents) to the immigrants. Below is the first >>clue I have seen and if the material is tied to original documents it is a >>major break through a brick wall for a lot of us. Bravo Robert and Carl >>Steele! >> >>Now, I think this issue was not properly researched because of the untrue >>rumor that our Steeles were descendants of the very famous author, Sir >>Richard Steele of Ireland, and everyone starting to work on this line >>accepted the rumor. >> >>It seemed that the original immigrant to Augusta was Sam. Steele (born >>1709). However, a number of years ago I had an old family letter that >>said the Steele immigrants to Augusta were three brothers. Unfortunately, >I >>lost the letter, but did not gthe the ive it creditability since it tied >the >>brothers to Sir Richard Steele. It now seems to me that we have a >plausible >>case, based upon the plot maps of the farms that there were at least two >>brothers, Andrew and Sam. Birth dates, Patent dates, family names (note >>that Andrew and Samuel were carried down through the generations by all of >>the Steeles from Augusta). >> >>I would like to have a copy of the Carl Steele's book. Robert - I will >>contact you directly. >> >>Carl may have completed unique and original research which is of great >>interest to we eccentric few who focus only on the Steeles of Steele's >>Tavern. >> >>Let me note that I have no information on the these Steeles as they moved >>west so can't help with any queries as to the later generations. >> >> >>Regards, >> >>Ernest Thompson >>Moss Beach, CA >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Robert Steele <samstee@tds.net> >>To: STEELE-L@rootsweb.com <STEELE-L@rootsweb.com> >>Date: Saturday, February 10, 2001 11:18 AM >>Subject: [Steele-L] Reuben Steele, Scotland?, Virginia, North Carolina 18th >>Century >> >> >>>I would like to find more information about Reuben Steele, and his >>>descendants. >>> >>>The genealogy of one of his sons, Robert Steele, has been published by >>Carl >>>Steele of Tulsa, OK in his book "Gathering of the Clan" but what happened >>to >>>the rest of Reuben's fourteen children has not been established. >>> >>>This what Carl Steele wrote about Reuben's family in his book: >>> >>>"Reuben Steele was probably born about 1720 in Argyll County, Scotland. >>>Legend purports him to be a son of Alexander Steele and his English wife, >>>Hanna. Alexander, born about 1680, lived in Glen Strae, Glen Orchy and >Glen >>>Locky, Scotland. He was a famous leader of the McGregor clan, being >>>declared chief of the clan Gregor in July 1714. The wife of Reuben was a >>>Crockett. She appears to have descended from Gabriel Gustave de >>>Crocketagne' through his son, Antoine Desasur Pernonette de Crocketagne a >>>Huguenot and the father of three sons, one of whom likely was the father >of >>>Reuben's wife. >>> >>>Whether they came directly from Scotland or via Ireland is unknown. They >>>landed in Philadelphia and went soon, perhaps at once, to the Shenandoah >>>Valley. There, in the present county of Rockbridge, Benjamin Borden was >>>granted a large tract of land by Virginia's Colonial Government in 1739. >>>Many settlers, and perhaps our Steele's, bought their land from the >"Borden >>>Grant." >>> >>>When Borden died in 1743. There was considerable confusion in the >>>settlement of his estate, and many settlers were unable to obtain final >>>title to their land. They left their tracts and pushed on to new >>>settlements, leaving no trace in the public record of their stay in the >>>valley. >>> >>>River Valley which lay on the edge of the "great wilderness." This fertile >>>valley was a favorite hunting grounds for the Canawhay, Catabus, Cherokee, >>>Delaware, Shawnee and Wyandot Indians. Many bloody and bitter battles were >>>fought among the various Indian tribe to protect their hunting rights. >>>Although no Indian tribe claimed the New River Valley as a permanent home, >>>the intrusion of the white settlers was generally resented. In those days, >>>only the Cherokee was regarded as friendly. They bartered and taught the >>>white man "home remedies" to cure his ills with herbs and animal fats. >>>Undoubtedly, our ancestors had many friendly encounters with the Indians >>and >>>learned techniques necessary to their survival in this new land. >>> >>>Hostility was abundant and brutal. During this period our pioneer >>ancestors >>>lived in constant fear of attack from any one of a number of Indian tribes >>>which frequented the area. The fears of these ancestors were intensified >>as >>>news of the massacre of a neighboring settlement at Draper's Meadow was >>>received. On the eighth of July 1755, every soul at Draper's Meadow was >>>killed, wounded, or captured. Hardly a settlement in the New River Valley >>>had escaped the frightful massacres that occurred in the latter half of >the >>>175O's. Our Steele family once narrowly escaped death at the hands of >>>Indians which may have been a factor in their decision to leave the New >>>River Valley. >>> >>>New River Valley, the proclamation line of 1763 did. This line forbade the >>>purchase or settlement of Indian lands which extended westerly of a line >>>running through the heads of the rivers which fell into the Atlantic from >>>the west or northwest. By the early 1760's, Reuben had relocated his >family >>>in a more settled area. Although he could have taken the family back into >>>the Shenandoah Valley or perhaps into North Carolina, it seems likely the >>>family found Prince Edward County a more desirable choice. Both Steeles >and >>>Crocketts were living in Prince Edward County along the Buffalo River in a >>>Scotch-Irish settlement established some years earlier in 1735 learning to >>>live without the constant threat of Indian attack. There was time to renew >>>acquaintance with seldom seen relatives and time to develop new >>friendships. >>>Robert may well have met his wife-to-be, Mary, also known as Polly, >Keeling >>>or Kelen, during this time. But their future seemed to lay in North >>>Carolina, and soon the family was on the move again. Tradition places them >>>in the "Forks of the Yadkin," a valley lying between the main Yadkin and >>>the South Yadkin River comprising present Davie and Yadkin counties. >>There, >>>Reuben reared the remainder of his fourteen children." >>> >>>Two of his sons, Robert and Samuel, moved back to the New River Valley >>>where they remained for the rest of their lives. What happened to the rest >>>of Reuben's fourteen children? >>> >>> >>> >>>First Generation >>>---------------------------------------- >>> >>>1. Reuben Steele. Born abt 1720 in Argyll, Scotland. Reuben died in At >>Sea. >>> >>> abt 1740 when Reuben was 20, he married __________ Crockett, in Scotland? >>>Born in Scotland. >>> >>>They had the following children: >>> 2 i. Robert (~1745-~1821) >>> ii. Samuel. >>> >>> iii. Margaret. >>> >>>Margaret married Walter Crockett. >>> >>> iv. Jennie. >>> >>>Jennie married John Crockett. >>> >>> v. Lettie. >>> >>>Lettie married Sam Crockett. >>> >>> >>> >>>Second Generation >>>---------------------------------------- >>> >>>2. Robert Steele. Born abt 1745 in VA. Buried abt 1821 in Wythe County, >>>VA. Robert died in Wythe County, VA abt May 1821, he was 76. >>> >>> abt 1771 when Robert was 26, he first married Mary "Polly" Keeling, in >>>Prince Edward County, VA. >>> >>>They had the following children: >>> i. James (~1773-) >>> ii. Samuel (~1775-1822) >>> iii. Edmond (1777-1850) >>> iv. William (1778-1857) >>> v. Jeffrey Oliver (~1782-) >>> vi. John (~1782-) >>> vii. Elizabeth (~1783-) >>> >>> abt 1785 when Robert was 40, he second married Rebecca Oury. >>> >>>They had the following children: >>> i. David (~1795-~1863) >>> ii. Reuben (1797-1866) >>> iii. Robert (~1798-) >>> iv. Catherine (~1800-) >>> v. Crockett (~1802-~1857) >>> vi. George (~1808->1880) >>> vii. Nancy (~1810-) >>> viii. Owry (1810-1863) >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>==== STEELE Mailing List ==== >>>List address STEELE-L@rootsweb.com >>>Replies are set "reply to list" facilitating STEELE connections. >>>List Manager's address STEELE-admin@rootsweb.com >>> >>>============================== >>>Add as many as 10 Good Years To Your Life >>>If you know how to reduce these risks. >>>http://www.thirdage.com/health/wecare/hearthealth/index.html >>> >>> >> >