My Genealogy Hound

ROBERT ROSS STEELE. The Steele family have a right to the title of American citizens, as their ancestors came to this country prior to the Revolutionary War. John and Margaret Steele, the grandparents of the subject of this sketch, died about 1780, in Somerset County, N. J., and it is supposed they emigrated to this country from Ireland. They had three children; John, born in 1750; Esther, in 1770; and Alexander, the father of our subject. He was born in Somerset County, N. J., December 25, 1757, and married Nancy Scudders, of Essex County, N. J. They took up their residence in Readington, Hunterdon County, and the fruits of this union were nine children, of whom Robert R. was the youngest, he having been born at that place December 12, 1805.

While Robert was yet young, his parents and the entire family, excepting John and Richard, removed to the shores of Seneca Lake, in Seneca County, within four miles of where the village of Romulus now stands. The homestead then located has remained in the family ever since. The other members of the family were John, Richard, Mary, Stites, Rebecca, Thomas, Margaret and Hetty Ann, in the order named.

The father died February 14, 1820, survived by all his children, and Nancy, his wife, who lived to be eighty-four years of age, died March 6, 1851. Mary, Thomas, Margaret and Hetty remained single, while all the others married and added to the family growth. Rebecca married Peter L. Dey, of Varick, and has two sons: David P., an engineer; and John, manager of the New York Evangelist, both of whom live in New York City, and a daughter, who resides in Missouri. In 1840 Stites Steele came to Romulus and entered into the mercantile business with Robert R., which was continued up to the time of his death, five years later. He left a widow, Sarah (Ten Eyck) Steele; a daughter, Mary Ann, now Mrs. Charles H. Sayre, of Romulus; and a son, Alexander, who is deceased. After their father’s death Richard and John also came to Romulus. When about seventy years of age, the former married Mrs. Mary Fleming, and by her had two children, John and Mary. The former resides in Romulus with his mother, and the latter is the wife of Henry Becker, and resides at Geneva. All the sons and daughters of Alexander Steele died and are buried at Romulus, being near in death as they were in life.

Robert R., the subject of this sketch, spent the days of his boyhood and youth on the family homestead. When about eighteen he returned to New Jersey, taking a clerkship at Readington. While there he was married to Amanda Taylor, and three children were born to them during their residence in that state. While he was living in New Jersey he had a remunerative trade, which he sold in 1840 to his chief clerk, and returned with his family to Romulus, N. Y. In connection with his brother Stites, he opened a merchandise establishment at Romulus, which he controlled until both his brother and himself were laid with the father in the old churchyard cemetery. At the time of his death he was the oldest merchant in the western section of New York, having done business for forty-three consecutive years in one location, selling goods to many families for several generations. This in itself is the best possible evidence of his upright business methods.

In politics our subject was a Democrat, and represented his county in the State Legislature from 1857 to 1859, and again from 1872 to 1874. While not a polished speaker, he was recognized as a man of force, serving on many important committees in the House, also in his party, and was a delegate at the famous Charleston Convention, where his party split. He took strong sides with Douglas, and when the war broke out there was no more stanch Union defender than Robert R. Steele. He was known as a “war Democrat,” though he favored peace when the war was over. In the campaign of 1872 he supported Greeley, and thereafter affiliated with the Democratic party, of which he was one of the recognized leaders in his section until his death. The people of the town of Varick showed their confidence in his integrity and good judgment by repeatedly choosing him to fill town offices. Although not a church member, he was Parish Trustee all his mature life.

For a short time after returning to New York our subject occupied the old homestead, but soon built a mansion of his own. He was interested in various enterprises in and about Romulus and Waterloo, also with his son George W. at Peoria, Ill. He died April 18, 1883, and his wife in 1881. To them were born seven children, the eldest of whom is Richard M. The other members of the family were George, who died in 1885, aged forty-eight; Elizabeth, Mrs. George H. McClellan, of Chicago, Ill.; John R., who married and resides at Ontario, N. Y.; Robert, who never married, and died here in 1873, aged twenty-seven years; William G., who resided for a time at Peoria, Ill., and died in 1887, aged thirty-nine, leaving no family; and Eugenia S., who married George Bryan, of Peoria, Ill., where she now resides.

Richard M. was born at Readington, N. J., and was six years of age when his father removed to New York. When sixteen years old he entered his brother’s store, and at maturity was taken into partnership, the firm being styled Robert R. Steele & Son. In 1873 he retired from the firm to accept the position of Vice-President of the Geneva & Ithaca Railroad, now a part of the Lehigh Valley System. It was largely through his exertions that the road was built, it being the first road constructed in the county, and he opened it up for both east and west connection. While he was identified with the road it was extended from Ithaca to Sayre, a distance of about one hundred miles, with headquarters at the former place.

The completion of this road and the driving of the last spike at Romulus was an event in the history of the town that will not be forgotten as long as one of the participants survives. Good financering put the road in a rising position, and after a connection with it for about five years Mr. Steele and his associates disposed of it to advantage to themselves, a rather rare occurrence in the history of railroad building. After disposing of his railway interests he went to Peoria, Ill., where he was engaged in business for five years. His health failing, he returned to Romulus, where for the past ten or twelve years he has devoted his time to the cultivation of the soil. He has a fine grape farm, consisting of some forty acres, and has assisted in making New York the greatest grape-growing state in the Union. He has always taken an active part in politics, affiliating with the Democratic party. In 1852 he was married to Miss Frances A. Swan, daughter of Henry Swan, of Romulus. They have one son, Henry Frederick, who was engaged in business for a time in Chicago, Ill., but is now residing in Romulus with his parents on the old homestead, and is in partnership with his father in grape culture and other interests. He married Mary Grier, daughter of Robert G. Grier, of Peoria, Ill.

Richard M. Steele is a public-spirited citizen, taking much interest in the advancement of the town. He is a Trustee of the Episcopal Church at Romulus, and was instrumental in building the Catholic Church at this place. Since his father’s death he and his family have resided on the old homestead.