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Steele, William, 1762-1851
Manuscripts and Archives Division
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An album of original verse by William Steele (1762-1851), inspired by incidents of personal and family life, life events, and celebrations, as well as local, historical andpolitical events. Dated poems span 1781-1850, with earlier poems noting the locations of Springfield and other places in New Jersey, and later poems noting the locations of Painted Post and Big Flats, both near Corning,New York. Poems marking births, marriages and deaths provide genealogical information on members of the Steele,Dayton, Salter and Winans families, and other individuals.A note by William Steele pasted inside the front cover states that the poems have been transcribed for the pleasure of his family and friends. A "Genealogy of the Steele Family of Springfield, N.J.," compiled from the poems at a later date, is pasted inside the back cover. Also present is a 12-page pamphlet, "Elegy on the Rt. Honorable William Pitt, late Earl of Chatham on his accepting a peerage" (Boston, 1808; Shaw & Shoemaker 14692), and a few research notes.
William Steele (1762-1851) and his wife Mary Dayton Steele(1769-1834) resided with their family in New Jersey and later moved to upstate New York. William Steele was born in New York City and served in the Revolutionary War. In 1791 he married Mary Dayton, daughter of physician Jonathan Dayton (1731-1778) of Springfield, New Jersey. The Steele family moved from New Jersey to Painted Post, Steuben County, New York in 1819. William Steele died in Big Flats, Chemung County, New York in 1851.
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