Monday, February 29, 2016
Photo with Spinning Wheel
While looking through some old papers with my Dad, I found this photo of a girl and a spinning wheel. Judging from the clothing, I would guess that the date is around the 1970's. Would anyone know the setting or any of the people in the photo?
Sunday, February 21, 2016
First Families - Hall
Mattie Lou Teague Crowe says in her "History of St. Clair County (Alabama)" that the first settlers of what is today Steele were the "Halls, Logans, Jourdans, Tramels, Smiths, Beasons, and Chandlers." She gives credit to Mrs. Vivian Qualls' book on Steele history for her information about Steele. I thought it might be fun to look back at the earliest pioneers together so let's just start with the Hall family.
David Hall (1795-1868) and his wife, Sarah (1798-1870), moved to the area about 1850 from Murray County, Georgia where he owned about 160 acres. He had been born in South Carolina. Looking at the basic facts about him, I'm struck by the fact that he was not a particularly young man, being about 55 when he moved. I admire the spirit of someone who left to settle in a fairly uninhabited place at an age when most of us are pretty firmly rooted. Some of his children were already married, and since the census didn't list names of wives and children before 1850 it's really hard to find out exactly how many there might have been. Some might have remained in Georgia, but a few children are known so we can look at their descendants, at least.
Frances Melissa Hall was born in 1821 in South Carolina and married on 10/6/1835 in Lumpkin County, Georgia to Jesse L. Baggett. They moved to the Steele area around the same time as her parents. They had two sons and three daughters that I know about. Two sons fought for the Union during the civil war, enlisting in Company K of the 3rd Tennessee Cavalry. She died in 1912 in Blount County, aged 90 years.
James Elsberry Hall was born in 1823 and married 1/24/1872 in St. Clair County, Alabama to Annis N. Jordan (or Jourdan). She was the widow of James Franklin Trammel who died in Chattanooga during the Civil War. To my knowledge, James E. Hall had not been married before. James and Annis had two children, along with her 9 year old son from the first marriage. During the civil war, James was not able to fight, due to a severe limp but he did blacksmith work for the confederate army, however he was also charged at one point with being a union sympathizer. He died in 1917 and was buried at Deerman's Chapel Cemetery.
Cynthia M. Hall was born in 1825 and married John G. Wilson. The 1860 census lists them in Ashville, but the 1870 census shows Cynthia with two children and without John. It's possible that he died during the civil war. She later lived in Steele with her daughter's family, but I have not found where she was buried when she died in 1907.
I'm trying to keep things rather short, but some of the descendants of this family remain in Steele even now and the list would be extensive!
David Hall (1795-1868) and his wife, Sarah (1798-1870), moved to the area about 1850 from Murray County, Georgia where he owned about 160 acres. He had been born in South Carolina. Looking at the basic facts about him, I'm struck by the fact that he was not a particularly young man, being about 55 when he moved. I admire the spirit of someone who left to settle in a fairly uninhabited place at an age when most of us are pretty firmly rooted. Some of his children were already married, and since the census didn't list names of wives and children before 1850 it's really hard to find out exactly how many there might have been. Some might have remained in Georgia, but a few children are known so we can look at their descendants, at least.
Frances Melissa Hall was born in 1821 in South Carolina and married on 10/6/1835 in Lumpkin County, Georgia to Jesse L. Baggett. They moved to the Steele area around the same time as her parents. They had two sons and three daughters that I know about. Two sons fought for the Union during the civil war, enlisting in Company K of the 3rd Tennessee Cavalry. She died in 1912 in Blount County, aged 90 years.
James Elsberry Hall was born in 1823 and married 1/24/1872 in St. Clair County, Alabama to Annis N. Jordan (or Jourdan). She was the widow of James Franklin Trammel who died in Chattanooga during the Civil War. To my knowledge, James E. Hall had not been married before. James and Annis had two children, along with her 9 year old son from the first marriage. During the civil war, James was not able to fight, due to a severe limp but he did blacksmith work for the confederate army, however he was also charged at one point with being a union sympathizer. He died in 1917 and was buried at Deerman's Chapel Cemetery.
Cynthia M. Hall was born in 1825 and married John G. Wilson. The 1860 census lists them in Ashville, but the 1870 census shows Cynthia with two children and without John. It's possible that he died during the civil war. She later lived in Steele with her daughter's family, but I have not found where she was buried when she died in 1907.
I'm trying to keep things rather short, but some of the descendants of this family remain in Steele even now and the list would be extensive!
Friday, February 19, 2016
John W. Martin & wife, Lyda
In researching families who lived in Steele, I came across this couple who lived in the Flatwoods/Crump Road area. First, what I know:
John was born in 1865 in Mississippi. By 1930, he and Lyda were living in Steele. She was born in 1884 in Kentucky. They were married around 1901-1902. John died in 1944 and his obituary says that he was a farmer and that he left only Lyda as his survivor. He did have nephews who were pallbearers, but I don't know whether they were sons of his siblings or of Lyda's siblings. His funeral was at the Methodist church in Steele and he was buried at Steele cemetery. Rev. Lawrence Wood officiated at the funeral.
Lyda lived until 1967, but I don't have more information about her. I believe that her maiden name may have been May, but that may have been her middle name. She is also buried at the Steele cemetery.
Okay, longtime Steele residents, does anyone have clues about who they were? Any connections to others living in Steele?
John was born in 1865 in Mississippi. By 1930, he and Lyda were living in Steele. She was born in 1884 in Kentucky. They were married around 1901-1902. John died in 1944 and his obituary says that he was a farmer and that he left only Lyda as his survivor. He did have nephews who were pallbearers, but I don't know whether they were sons of his siblings or of Lyda's siblings. His funeral was at the Methodist church in Steele and he was buried at Steele cemetery. Rev. Lawrence Wood officiated at the funeral.
Lyda lived until 1967, but I don't have more information about her. I believe that her maiden name may have been May, but that may have been her middle name. She is also buried at the Steele cemetery.
Okay, longtime Steele residents, does anyone have clues about who they were? Any connections to others living in Steele?
Friday, February 12, 2016
Beginnings
I've never thought of myself as a writer, but here I am typing my thoughts into a computer expecting someone to read and be interested in them. The very idea.. but this seems to be a good way to communicate with people who are as interested as I am in the families and history of Steele, Alabama.
As I've searched the internet (for ages it seems) I've found precious little about our town. There are plenty of pictures of Ashville and Pell City, Springville and Odenville, but almost nothing about Steele. And yet I know about people who lived there and who had a part in shaping my life along with many other lives. I knew some of them personally and have heard or read about many others.
Years ago I began to collect "data" about the people of Steele. I hope you don't think that I'm nosy. (My husband says that I am.) I just love to know about our families... how they're related to one another, what brought them to Steele of all places, and why do they behave the way that they do sometimes? I love to know about the churches and schools and civic organizations. They all influenced my upbringing in the very best of ways.
I'll say it again: I'm not much of a writer. I do hope to provide a place where we can share a love of this sweet place that remains so dear to me and to you. Steele, St. Clair County, Alabama!
As I've searched the internet (for ages it seems) I've found precious little about our town. There are plenty of pictures of Ashville and Pell City, Springville and Odenville, but almost nothing about Steele. And yet I know about people who lived there and who had a part in shaping my life along with many other lives. I knew some of them personally and have heard or read about many others.
Years ago I began to collect "data" about the people of Steele. I hope you don't think that I'm nosy. (My husband says that I am.) I just love to know about our families... how they're related to one another, what brought them to Steele of all places, and why do they behave the way that they do sometimes? I love to know about the churches and schools and civic organizations. They all influenced my upbringing in the very best of ways.
I'll say it again: I'm not much of a writer. I do hope to provide a place where we can share a love of this sweet place that remains so dear to me and to you. Steele, St. Clair County, Alabama!
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