My Genealogy Hound

HENRY S. STEELE, one of the respected farmers of Elm Creek township, Buffalo county, Nebr., is the only son of James and Caroline Steele, natives of Virginia. Mr. Steele, having lost his father and mother in early childhood, was thrown upon his own resources at a tender age. Without the caressing hand, the admonishing words and earnest prayers of a loving mother, he was compelled to steer his own bark. He was a native of Virginia, born in 1840; from there he moved to Ohio, settling in Ross county, thence to Fayette county, where he engaged in farming; thence to Woodford county, Ill., remaining there seven years; he then moved to Nebraska, in 1871, settling in Buffalo county. He was here through grasshopper times; lost all his crops, excepting wheat, for three successive years; but, not despairing of better times coming, he still continued to plant, and from 1877 has reaped good harvests.

In 1870 Mr. Steele was married to Miss Mary Frances Lucas, a native of Kentucky born in 1851. She is connected with the Methodist Episcopal church, but for years has been an invalid, consequently unable to take an active part in church work, but at home lives a life consistent with her profession. Their family consists of six boys and one girl, viz. — Laura May, born August 26, 1871; Charlie Lee, born January 1, 1876; Bertie, born March 22, 1881; Elmer and Ellsworth (twins), born July 18, 1884; Clifford, born Sept. 30, 1885; Wm. Henry, born, Nov. 8, 1889.

Mr. Steele enlisted at South Plymouth, Fayette county, Ohio, in Company A, Fifty-fourth Ohio infantry, under S. B. Yoeman, and was in the following engagements: Shiloh, Chickasaw Swamps, Fort Heinman, Corinth, Vicksburg, Atlanta and Jonesburg, also in a number of skirmishes. At Shiloh he had the bottom shot out of his canteen; also had a minie-ball pass through his belt, his musket knocked out of his hand and just escaped a spent cannon-ball. Notwithstanding these narrow escapes, Mr. Steele passed through over three years of service without receiving a wound. He was mustered out in 1864 at Cincinnati, Ohio.