STEELE, John, Jr-[835] ^{1 2 3}

   Ancestral File Number: 17G5-LQ.

   General Notes:

Heart Throbs of the West: Volume 2
Women of the Mormon Battalion and Mississippi Saints
Life and Death in the Valley
Copied from Ancestry.com 4/26/2002

The fact of human life and death was early asserted in the Salt Lake colony. A daughter was born to one of the Battalion families which had wintered at Pueblo. The 9th of August was the date, a tent on temple square, the place. The father and mother were John and Catherine Campbell Steele, and the child was named "Young Elizabeth Steele," being named for President Young and Queen Elizabeth of England. A second child was born on the 15th of August, in the family of George W. Therlkill, one of the families of the company of Saints from Mississippi, which had wintered at Pueblo and joined the Pioneers from Winter Quarters at Fort Laramie on the first of June, and journeyed with them to Salt Lake valley. An examination of the roster of Orson Pratt's advance company will disclose the fact that quite a number of the Mississippi contingent was enrolled in that company.

SUP-Pioneer Memorial Gallery Index Cards. Copied from Ancestry.com 4/26/2002

Name: John Steele
Spouse: Catherine Campbell
Pioneer: before 1869
Birth Date: 21 Mar 1821
Death Date: 31 Dec 1903
Birth Place: Holywood, Down, Ireland
Death Place: Kanarraville, Utah
Donor: Arthello M. Steele

Our Pioneer Heritage
Volume 18
The Las Vegas Fort
John Steele
Weber County

Born in Hollywood, County of Down, Ireland, March 21, 1821, John Steele was twenty years old when he married Catherine Campbell. In the year 1840 he settled in Glasgow, Scotland where he obtained work at a first-rate shop at boot and shoe making. On the 2nd of June 1842, a son was born to this union. About this time, the family was contacted by the L.D.S. missionaries and accepted the gospel, being baptized on the 14th of March 1844. Immediately they made plans to join with the Saints in America.

Upon arrival at Council Bluffs, John enlisted in the Mormon Battalion. His wife and a daughter, Mary, accompanied him, therefore they didn't arrive in Salt Lake Valley until July 30, 1847. August 9, 1847, Catherine Steele delivered a baby girl whom they named Young Elizabeth Steele. In 1851 they went to Parowan where on April 6, 1855, he received a call to take a mission to Las Vegas. On November 8th that year he went back to Parowan and found his family all well. Then President Young wrote telling him to return to Vegas and do all the good he could among the Indians. On March 25, 1856, he returned to Las Vegas and for a time acted as postmaster. He died December 31, 1903, in Toquerville, Utah. From his writings filed in the History Library of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, we find what is one of the best accounts of the Las Vegas Mission.

Amongst the many missions that I have taken on my own responsibility exploring the mountains and the valleys before, both on the Rio Virgin and the Muddy and also at the headwaters of the Rio Virgin and LaVerkin and round the mountains of the Colorado and round by the headwaters of the Sevier and the mountains all around Parewan, Iron County, for 60 days, of which as yet I have written no official report, but upon this mission I have kept a daily journal which in time may be useful to my children or someone to know about who and when these places were explored. I will say here that I have been the first Mormon that ever explored the headwaters of the Virgin and Sevier along with some of my brethren and being called at conference April 6, 1855, to take a mission to Las Vegas to make a settlement and cultivate the Indian, I started on Tuesday the 29th of May 1855 from Parowan where I left my family. Started in company of William Bringhurst, Captain, and about thirty others, mostly young men and many of them I had been before associated with both in the Mormon Battalion and elsewhere. A first-rate set of boys came to Cedar City the first day and transacted some business, setting in order my affairs. Paid into the Deseret Iron Company some money and gave some orders to some of my brethren that I was owing, and took a farewell of some of my old friends that felt very sorry to see me go away, but as it was the will of the Lord I was going and I left my family in the hands of the Lord and the brethren.

Wednesday the 30th, started from Cedar City and came to the first water through the mountains, 14 miles. Stopped for noon, then came on to the next water 9 miles. Plenty of good feed and water, making to Penty Creek, 23 miles. Here we organized and as they were in Tens all the way from Salt Lake City, I joined Sylvester Hulett's Ten, he and I being old acquaintances in the Mormon Battalion. Thursday 31st, came 5 miles to the next spring. Stopped here for noon. Came on to the Mountain Meadows, a distance of five miles, making 10 miles, and camped for the night. All peace and happiness so far as I could judge.

Friday, the 1st of June, came to Canyon Springs in the mountains. Took dinner here. Some teams under command of W. W. Willis came up going to the Muddy for iron, having the luggage of Rufus C. Allen, Peter Shirts, T. D. Brown and Brother Riddle on board. J. T. S. Allred got them to haul 300 lbs. for him to the Muddy. Came on 10 miles and camped on the St. Clara. All Well. The Indians came to us here and herded our stock for us at night. Wm. C. Mitchell drew his wagon 5 miles over the worst kind of roads, having lost his bushpins in coming down the mountain, and still the wheels stayed on, which was marvelous to me and others stating that they knew the Lord was with us for He had manifested His kindness to us before we started in many ways.

Saturday, June 2. Came down the St. Clara or, as the Indians call it, Tonquint—the Indians are very friendly here—and had to cross it a score of times or more. The Indians flocked around us land wanted to know why Salt Lake could not send them some missionaries with oxen and wagons, and argued the case well with us, and we told them maybe pretty soon the big Captain, or as they said, Salt Lake, would think of them and send some more missionaries, but we told them we were going to the Vegas Springs as missionaries to them. Then they told us that there was no timber there and they said that the sun shone down so hot that it would burn us. So we told them to watch our cattle and we would give them something to eat and they did so and we went to sleep.

Sunday, June 3, lay to all day in order to rest our cattle for a long drive. At noon the company was called together and the Captain arose and said that he had instructions from Orson Hyde that the first good clear stream we came to to baptize one another. Accordingly, Brother Covert, the first counselor to the President went into the water and baptized him. Afterwards the President baptized Covert. Then I was baptized and afterwards baptized a number of the brethren. Then came out of the water and assisted in confirming the brethren. Afterwards confirmed Captain Bringhurst, Brother Covert confirming me and so on. In the course of the forenoon a little difficulty occurred between Steven Perry and William Follet. Perry thought that Follet run the jokes too hard upon him and made him the laughing stock for the company. The affair was soon settled and peace restored. I had that same evening a good chat with the Indian Chief upon the upper part of the Tonquint. He said he wanted Salt Lake to send them some missionaries who would stay with them and help them by showing them how to work. I told him that we were his friends and that when they would prove themselves our friends that we would not need to come armed as we now do with guns and pistols to protect ourselves in case they should get mad and want to kill us. He said it was good and maybe soon I would see that day. I said I would send word to our big Captain. He said Taoy, (good).

The St. Clara is 16 feet wide and 11 inches deep, with a good smart current and many places is very good for farming purposes, and the Indians tried all they could to have us stay and farm on their land, and I never saw a better spirit in my life manifest among any people, much to the credit of our missionaries that have labored among them.

Monday the 4th, started at 4 o'clock p.m. and got to the summit of the Cahoon (Cajon) Pass before dark. Fed and gave our teams some water, which we hauled to this point. Lay to until 11 o'clock, then started on and got to Cottonwood Springs at the dawn of day, a distance of 30 miles. Tuesday 5th lay to all day. Wednesday 6th, came over the spur of the mountain into the Rio Virgin, or as the Kiadis call it Paruch and traveled down it 14 miles crossing it six times. The road is very sandy and hard on teams. We have along a number of the St. Clara Indians. They say they will go along and keep other Indians from stealing from us and so it was in all our trip we did not lose anything. This evening we met Mr. Sanferd's train of goods on their way for Salt Lake City. All well, heavy wagons and 5 span of mules to a wagon.

After making very slow marches for four days through the sands of the Virgin, on the 5th day, being Sunday the 10th, made the top of the hill leaving the Virgin and the muddy salty waters behind. It took us all day from the morning early until after sundown to get all our wagons up the hill.


Treasures of Pioneer History: Vol 4
Stories of the Mormon Battalion
John Steele Tells His Story
Copied from Ancestry.com 4/26/2002

John Steele was born in Hollywood, County of Dourn, Ireland the 21st day of March, 1821. In his 20th year he married Catherine Campbell. He was baptized in his native land and shortly after started for America. He was at Council Bluffs when the call came for the Battalion and enlisted in Company "D." When he left with his company, he had with him his wife and daughter, Mary, then about five years of age. He said: "I left all my earthly effects with Brother Louis Zabriskie, took one blanket apiece for me and my wife, a tin cup apiece, knife and fork apiece, and a spoon, and for the first time laid us down on the cold ground, one blanket under and one blanket over us and then I felt as though it was a hard fare. We were both sick with ague and fever, I had two shakes a day, and I had been in that situation for many months. We made several short drives. Colonel Allen was a very good kind man and felt for us in our situation and he had the doctor wait constantly upon the sick, especially my wife.
"My mess consisted of myself, Levi Savage, Ezra Fatoute, Hayward Thomas, my wife and little Mary. When I drew out tent and camp equipage for the mess, I got another tent which I used for my family. Here Capt. Higgins and several families left us for Bent's Fort. After crossing the Arkansas we came up with Colonel Price's command and delivered up to them the ammunition we had in charge for them. On Wednesday the 16th of September we lay to all day where John D. Lee and Howard Egan came up. They had many letters for the boys.

"We arrived at the far famed town of Santa Fe, October 12, 1846, where our two hundred and fifty brethren got the day before. The American Flag was flying and all was merry. Must say here a few words about our officers of Company "D." Captain Higgins, as I have said, left us with a detachment of families for Bent's Fort.

"Our next in command was George P. Dykes who, also, acted as adjutant to the Battalion which left the command upon Second Lieutenant Sylvester Hulett who acted very kind to those under his command. There was nothing of the tyrant about him. Our 3rd Lieutenant was Cyrus Canfield. He was a rough, harum scarurn man. Our orderly sergeant was N. V. Jones; 2nd sergeant, David Wilkin; 3rd sergeant, Thomas S. Williams.

"At this time our adjutant G. P. Dykes, had made out his returns for a division of the company as Col. P. St. George Cooke was to lead the Mormon Battalion to California and the sick men and women were to go to Bent's Fort and join Captain Higgins and, as all the men who had their wives along were able bodied, I found there was likely to be a separation of the men and their wives. So, I went to the adjutant and told him I wanted my name put down to go back. He said he could not do it, but that Dr. Sanderson could. I went to the doctor and told him I wanted him to put my name down to go back. He asked if I were sick. I said, 'No.' Then he said he could not put my name down. [p.536]I asked who could and he said the adjutant could. I saw there was something wrong and so I went to all the men who had wives and asked them to go along with me and see Col. Cooke, but I could not find a man who would go. At last I found John Hess who said he would go. We went and found him in a low cellar in the company of about thirty officers. I asked which of the gentlemen there was Colonel Cooke. Then there arose a man from the farther side of the table measuring about six feet and four inches. I told him I had understood that he had issued orders for all the sick men and all the women to go back to Bent's Fort. He said, 'Yes, that was so.' I told him I had my wife there and would like the privilege of either having my wife go on to California with me or going back to Bent's Fort with her. He spoke very saucy and said he would like to have his wife along with him (but he never had a wife). I told him very likely his wife was in Washington or some other good seaport among her friends, while mine was in Santa Fe among her enemies, and to have her left there with only a guard of sick men-I would not stand it, and the more I talked the more angry I got, until at last 1 could have threshed the ground with him. Colonel Cooke, seeing that things were becoming serious, said he would go and see General Doniphan. I said I would, also, and he walked as fast as his long legs would carry him, but I kept alongside of him and the faster he walked, the faster I walked. It made him very angry because I would not fall behind, so I stopped outside when he got to General Doniphan's door.

"They had a small consultation, and in a few minutes Col. Cooke came out, looking altogether another man and asked me very politely to call his orderly who was a Mr. Muir, a Scotchman. I did so and the Colonel told him to go tell the adjutant to stop making out the returns, and come down to him immediately. Then I knew I had gained my point. The Colonel was very anxious that I should go with him to California. He thought the Mormons were an ugly set, as he had taken a bout with Thomas S. Williams just the day before, and the impression made on him was that the Mormons were all fighters, and as we had been used to mob violence but a few months before, it did not take much opposition to make us mad at Colonel or General.

"Thus I fought the battle alone and gained the victory for twenty men and their wives who otherwise would have been separated, perhaps for years, perhaps for life. This order being issued, Captain Brown of Company "C" was chosen to take command of this detachment of sick men, laundress women and their guards, in the neighborhood of 100 persons.

"Captain Brown selected me and Sergeant David Wilkin (although I was only a private) to go and select cattle from the herd to draw our baggage wagons, and I, being well acquainted with the stock, soon selected out seven yoke for each wagon and seven yoke of beauties for the team I was to drive, as I was to take as many of the sisters as could [p.537]be stowed in one wagon. There were several changes made here. Sergeant Major James H. Glines was reduced, and Quartermaster Gully was also reduced, as Lt. Smith, who took command after the death of Colonel Allen, wanted to be quartermaster as Colonel Cooke had taken the other place he wanted. Many blamed Adjutant George P. Dykes for some of these things. Five days passed away and on the sixth day we drew our pay, October 17th, 1846 and sent back eight or ten dollars to Heber C. Kimball to help him on his journey.

'"On the morning of the 18th we commenced our journey for Bent's Fort. We had 87 men and 20 women and our destination was Pueblo on the Arkansas under Captain James Brown, Lieut. Luddington, Sergeant Orson B. Adams, Sergeants Hanks, Wilkin, Williams and a full quota of non-commissioned men.

"On October 28th, Brother Milton Smith died. We dug his grave and smoothed down his pillow, got the boys to gather grass and cane and covered him the best I could. Near a tributary of the Purgatory River, on the right hand side of the road as we go to Bent's Fort, there he lies deep in the ground. We also covered his grave with large stones to keep the wolves away. Traveled over mountains and valleys where snow would lie long in the spring of the year. At last came to the Purgatory River, a fine stream. Here Abner Chase died about noon and was buried the same evening before we crossed the river. He lies near the river on the right hand side of the road as you go to Bent's Fort. He was buried in his robes with a bed of grass below and above him and large stones to keep the wolves from his body. At last on Sunday November 8th, we came to the Arkansas River near Bent's Fort after traveling 321 miles in 20 days, averaging 16 1/2 miles per day. We were all hungry. My wife and I divided our rations with our little daughter although it was only four ounces per day. But now we got a new supply of all kinds for which we were very thankful. We drew a supply for sixty days. After traveling 68 miles we came to Pueblo, our intended winter quarters.

   Research Notes:

SOURCES:
2. Diary of John Steele Jr., 1877. Original in LDS Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City, UT.
3. Journals of John Steele, Jr. and Mahonri Moriancumer Steele, Sr.
4. Steele, Mahonri Moriancumer, Jr. Impressions Along Life's Highway. See his SOURCES notes.]
5. Temple Record Index Bureau.
6. Essholdm Frank. Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, p. 1183.
7. Panguitch Ward Records FHL film #6459 pt 1 & 2
8. Toquerville Ward Records FHL film #6543.
9. Kanarraville Ward Records FHL film #6348.
10. Letters from Elizabeth Steele (sister in Sidney, Australia).
11.


DESCRIPTION: Steele, Mahonri Moriancumer, Jr. Impressions Along Life's Highway. 1937 [see his SOURCES notes]: John Steele was about 5 ft. 8 in. tall, weighed about 150 lbs. and hard and resilient as a steel spring. He never seemed to tire. He had a firey temper, and keen sense of right and wrong, and the man never lived that he feared.

OCCUPATION: Steele, Mahonri Moriancumer, Jr. Impressions Along Life's Highway. 1937. See his SOURCES notes.] He was a sailor, soldier, mason, shoemaker, surveyor, and had a good clerical education for a man of his time; delved in astronomy and withal took the place of physician and surgeon when no doctor was to be had.

1821 BIRTH: Ireland, Down, Holywood. 21 Mar 1821. Steele, Mahonri Moriancumer, Jr. Impressions Along Life's Highway. 1937. See his SOURCES notes.]: b. 21 Mar 1821, of Belfasst. . .John Steele was native of Northern Ireland. He lived in and around Belfast. He lived in Ireland until about 21 years of age.

1840 MARRIAGE: Ireland, Antrim, Belfast. Church record of Fisherwick Place Church, Synod of Ulster, Belfast Ire. by mail 24 June 1955 for his marriage to Catherine Campbell: 1 Jan 1840. Diary of John Steele, original in LDS Church Hisgorian's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah. Published in Journals of John Steele and Mahonri Moriancumer Steele Sr.: Belfast, Ire.

1840 CHILD: Ireland, Antrim, Belfast. Daughter Mary Campbell Steele, b. 23 Dec 1840.

1842 RESIDENCE: Scotland, Lanark, Glasgow. He remained there until 1845.

1842 CHILD: Scotland, Lanark, Glasgow. Son John born 2 Jun 1842.

1843 BAPTISM: Scotland, Lanark, Glasgow. 10 Apr 1843.

1844 CHILD: Scotland, Lanark, Glasgow. Daughter Margaret b. 17 Jun 1844.

1845 RESIDENCE: IL, Hancock, Nauvoo. Came to America and settled in Nauvoo, Illinois.

1845 CHILD: IL, Hancock, Nauvoo. Son John d. 10 Dec 1845. Daughter Margaret d. 18 Dec 1845.

1846 ENDOWMENT: IL, Hancock, Nauvoo. 28 Jan 1846. [Alt endowment date (source??) 1 Apr 1860.]

1846 ENDOWMENT: IL, Hancock, Nauvoo. [16 Nov 1846, taken from TIB. This is wrong, as the Saints left Nauvoo in Feb/Mar 1846 and the temple was destroyed.]

1846 MILITARY: He joined the Mormon Battalion in 1846 taking wife and daughter with him. Travelled to Santa Fe, NM, then to Pueblo, CO and then to Salt Lake City.

1847 RESIDENCE: UT, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City. He arrived in Salt Lake City 29 July 1847.

1847 CHILD: UT, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City. Daughter Young Elizabeth b. 9 Aug 1847, first white child born in Utah.

1849 CHILD: UT, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City. Son Mahonri Moriancumr Steele b. 1 May 1849.

1850 RESIDENCE: Moved to Southern Utah when Mahonri Moriancumer was one year old, 1850, to help found the city of Parowan.

1851 CHILD: UT, Iron, Parowan. Daughter Susann Adams b. 28 Apr 1851.

1852 SEALING_SPOUSE: UT, Iron, Parowan. John Steele sealed to wife Catherine Campbell at the time the stake of Zion was organized in Parowan. Sealed to Catherine Campbell by Orson Pratt in the home of G. A. Smith, Parowan, Iron, Utah 1 May 1852. [archive record by family organization in 1976 gives 12 May 1852 as the sealing date. Wanda Steele Cox gives sealing to spouse date as 1 May 1852. Probably a typo somewhere, but where?]

1853: OCCUPATION: UT, Iron, Parowan. Judge of probate 1853/54. Judge of Parowan 1853 to 1854/5
1853 CHILD: UT, Iron, Parowan. Son John Alma b. 6 Apr 1953.

1855 CHILD: UT, Iron, Parowan. Daughter Jane Catherine b. 26 Apr 1855.

1857 CHILD: UT, Iron,Parowan. Son Robert Henry b. 1 Sep 1857.

1858 CHILD: UT, Iron, Parowan. Son Robert Henry d. 1 Jun 1858.

1859 CHILD: Daughter Mary Campbell m. Joseph Fish 22 Mar 1859.

1863 SEALING_SPOUSE: UT, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City. Ordinance repeated 18 Jul 1863 in Endowment House.

1864 CHILD: Daughter Young Elizabeth m. James Stapley 21 Feb 1864.
.
1867 CHILD: Daughter Susann Adams m. William Augustus Bringhurst 25 May 1867

1869 CHILD: UT, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City. Son Mahonri Moriancumer m. Emily Bunker 19 Apr 1869.

1871 RESIDENCE: UT, Garfield, Panguitch. Moved to Panguitch.

1874 CHILD: Daughter Mary Campbell d. 12 Dec 1874.

1875 CHILD: Daughter Jane Catherine m. John Peter Jensen 18 Jan 1875.

RESIDENCE: Moved next to Toquerville Utah where he lived until his death.

1877 MISSION: Tuesday, May 22, 1877, John Steele and Mahonri Moriancumer Steele, Sr. set apart for their missions.

1891 WIFE: UT, Washington, Toquerville. Wife Catherine d. 15 Jun 1891.

1893 MARRIAGE: John was 72 years old when he married Tamara Elizabeth Booth. This was a civil marriage. Divorced.

1898 SEALING_SPOUSE: John Steele had the following sealed to him: Jane Greenfield, Rachel Conolly, Sarah Wilson, Mary Oliver. [These were deceased relatives or friends from Ireland. He never lived with any of them.]

1903 DEATH: UT, Iron, Kanarraville. Kanarraville Ward Records FHL film 6348 - 205: Died 1 Dec 1903. Steele, Mahonri Moriancumer, Jr. Impressions Along Life's Highway. 1937. See his SOURCES notes.]: d. 31 Dec, 1903, Kanarra, UT.


1904 BURIAL: UT, Iron, Parowan. Buried 2 Jan 1904.
SOURCE: Ancestral File download February 2000.

John Steele Jr. Journal, 1877.

Steele, John. Letters exchanged between John Steele, Jr., residing in Utah, and his sister Elizabeth Steele Connelly in Australia, about 1847 to 1882.

Church record of Fisherwick Place Church, Synod of Ulster, Belfast Ire. by mail 24 June 1955 for his marriage to Catherine Campbell.

Shoemaker.

Sealed to Catherine Campbell by Orson Pratt in the home of G. A. Smith, Parowan, Iron, Utah.

Sealed again by Kenneth G. Jensen in the Los Angeles temple 24 Oct 1957.

Moved to Southern Utah when Mahonri Moriancumer was one year old to helpfound the city of Parowan. A number of years later moved family to Toquerville. John Steele was native of Northern Ireland. He lived in and around Belfast. He lived in Ireland until about 21 years of age and then married and moved to Glasgow, Scotland. He remained there until 1845 when they came to America and settled in Nauvoo, Illinois. He joined the Mormon Battalion in 1846 taking wife and daughter with him. Travelled to Santa Fe then to Pueblo and then to Salt Lake City.He lived in Toquerville until his death. John Steele was about 5 ft. 8 in. tall, weighed about 150 lbs. and hard and resilient as a steele spring. He never seemed to tire. He was a sailor, soldier, mason, shoemaker, surveyor, and had a goodclerical education for a man of his time; delved in astronomy and withal took the place of physician and surgeon when no doctor was to be had. He had a firey temper, and keen sense of right and wrong, and the man never lived that he feared.He arrived in Salt Lake City 29 July 1847. Moved to Parowan in 1850. 1871 moved to Panguitch, Utah. Moved next to Toquerville Utah where he lived until his death.

John Steele sealed to wife Catherine Campbell at the time the stake of Zion was organized in Parowan.

Line 1688 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long:
SLGS 12 MAY 1852 PO 18 JUL 1863

SOURCE:
Line 1688 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long:
SLGS 12 MAY 1852 PO 18 JUL 1863

Line 1688 from GEDCOM File not recognizable or too long:
SLGS 12 MAY 1852 PO 18 JUL 1863




SEALING_PARENTS:
21 Jan 1879

John married Catherine CAMPBELL-[834] [MRIN:286], daughter of Michael CAMPBELL-[2680] and Mary KNOX-[836], on 1 Jan 1840 in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Catherine CAMPBELL-[834] was born on 16 Nov 1816 in Strabane, Tyrone, Northern Ireland, died on 15 Jun 1891 in Toquerville, Washington, Utah, USA and was buried on 18 Jun 1891 in Parowan, Iron, Utah, USA.)

John also married Mary Jane OULD-[2704] [MRIN:910], daughter of Emanuel OULD-[486] and Elizabeth UREN-[487], in 1869. (Mary Jane OULD-[2704] was born on 24 Feb 1851 in Deep River, C-G-Hp, Africa and died.)

John also married Tamara Elizabeth BOOTH-[2705] [MRIN:911] on 8 Apr 1893. (Tamara Elizabeth BOOTH-[2705] was born about 1825 in <Holywood, Down, Ireland> and died.)