Steele, Allen, a minister of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, was born at Salisljury, N. Y., May 24, 1808. He was converted at the age of thirteen years, and studied for a while at Wilbraham, Jlass., and then began to teach school in Western New York. In 1831 he was admitted into the Genesee Conference. He re- ceived appointments, among others, in Buffalo, Roches- ter, Troy, Albany, and New York. After nearly forty years of ministerial labor, he retired as a superannuate to West Barre, N. Y., wiiore he died, Jan. 14. 1873. At the time of his death he was a member of the Western New York Conference. He was a critical scholar, a sound theologian, and an eloquent and powerful preach- er. See Minutes oj' Annual Conferences, 1873, p. 110.
Steele, Anne, a hymn-writer, usually called Mrs. Steele, although she really was never married, was born at Broughton, Hami>shire, England, in 1716. Her fa- ther, the Rev. William Steele, was a Baptist minister in the place of her nativity. She developed early in life poetical talent, which showed itself in the composition of devotional hymns, many of which have been intro- duced into our collections of hymns. She united with her father's Churcli when she was fourteen years of age. A few years after this she became engaged to a young man named Elscourt. The day for the wedding was fixed, and her friends were assembled to witness the ceremony, when the sad intelligence was brought to the house tiiat the expected bridegroom, liaviiig gone into the river to bathe, ventured beyond his depth, and was drowned. In 1750 two volumes of her poetry were published imder the name of Theodosia. She died in 1778. Her collected Poems and Hymns, publislied in 1780, were edited by Dr. Caleb Evans. They were published also in Boston in 1808, and a new edition, ed- ited by John Sheppard, was published in 1863. See Christopher, Ht/mn-writers and their Ihpnns, p. 225; Butterworth, Story of the Hymns, p. 58-60 ; Belcher, llistorind Sketches of Hymns, p. 237-239. (J. C. S.)
Steele, David, a minister of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, was born about 1791. When about eigh-
STEELE
1004
STEGER
t<>en vears of ape he joined the Church, and in 1820 was adniittcii im trial into the Bahimorc Conference. From that time he laliored with great acceptance and success until l><47. when lie took a supernumerary rela- tion. Tliis relation was changed to superaniuiated in IM'.t, anil was continued until his death, at Washing- ton. 1>. C. May 4, l«.r2. See Miiiulis of Annual Coii- ftiairtf, 1m:>>>. p. 313.
Steele, Joel, a Methodist Episcopal minister, was iK.rn at Tolland, Conn.. Aug. 14, llHi. Converted when twenty-two vears of age, he entered the itinerancy in Ifittti. anil was stationed successively as follows: Lunen- l.urg Circuit: Bristol, Me.: Vershire, Vt.; Tolland, Conn.; Ashburnham, Mass. ; New London, East Greenwich, Conn.; 15jjrre. Mass. ; Barnard, Vershire, Vt.; Wethers- Jielil. Conn. ; Unity, Me. ; \\'elltleet. East ham. Sandwich, Saiigus, Edgartown, Barnstable, Chatham, Truro, Wey- mouth, East<)n,M'alpole, and (Gloucester, Mass. In 184.5 lie tiKjk a sii|>erannuated relation, and died Aug. 28, 1?'4G — a father in Israel— having been forty years in the ministry. Mr. Steele possessed an amiable and humble spirit, a clear understanding, and his preaching was plain, manly, and deeply in earnest. See Minutes oj' Annual Conf'iiencts, iv, IIG.
Steele, John (H, a minister of the .Associate Pe- formed Church, was born in York County, Pa., Dec. 17, 1772, and received his collegiate education at Dickinson College, where he graduated in 1792. He studied the- ology- imder the Hew .lohn Young, of (ireencastle, I'a., and was licensed by the First Associate Keformed Pres- bytery of Pennsylvania May 25, 17;t7, and ordaineii in August, 1799. lie then went to Kentucky, where he )iad charge of four congregations till 1803, when he was relieved of two. In 1817 he removed to Xenia, O., where he remained until October, 1836. He had just moved to Oxford, aiul had made some arrangements for his family, when he t^ied sudilenly, .Jan. II, 1837. He was an alile, clear-headed theologian, well read in Church history, and versed in ecclesiastical afl'airs: and served long and ably as clerk both of his presbytery and synod. See Sprague, Annuls of (he Amtr. Pulpit, ix. 111-.'.
Steele, John (2\ a Preshvterian minister, was born at Belhfonte, Centre Co., Pa., Dec. 11, 1812. He received a careful parental training, joined the Church at the aire of iwenty-two. pursued his academical stud- ies at Milan Academy. Huron Co., O. ; graduated at .leffcrson College, Pa,, in |H42, and at the Theological Seminary at Allegheny City in 184.'); was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Blairsville, Ind., April llj, \XM\\ onlained by L"ake"Presl)ytery April 8, 1849; and ill IK.'H) was installed pastor of the Church of Laporte t'ounty, Ind. In 1H,').5 he labored at Jlaconib, MacDon- ough Co.. 111.; in 1H,')(; he returned to Indiana, and la- Inited at .South Bend, in Lake Presbytery; in 1X.')9 at Newton, la.; in 1H()() as a missionary to Pike's Peak, in coni|iauy with several members of his Church; was ap|H>inted chaplain of the 13th Hegiment Iowa Volun- teers Nov. ,5. IHC.l, and died in that service Sept. 10, 1>«'>2. Mr. .Steele was an aide ex|iounder of the doc- trines of the Bible, fjiiihful anil self-sacri (icing as an army chaplain, and niild, amiable, and social as a man. Se Wilson, l'r<.<b. Hist. Almanac, lHfi4, p. 196. (J. L. S.)