WILLIAM JOHN STEELE, SR.

     William John Steele, Sr., b February 29, 1876 at Stranger, Falls County, Texas, d May 28, 1959 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas and buried there in Calvary Cemetery by his wife - was a son of Robert A. and Ellen (Poll) Steele, who came from Antrim County, Ireland, via New Orleans and Galveston, in 1867 - settling in Stranger, Falls County, Texas where his brother, Henry Steele, had settled in 1853. Traveling with Robert A. and Ellen were his father, William S. Steele, Jr., and other of Robert's siblings. William S. Steele, Jr.'s wife, Mary McGill, died in Ireland in 1852.
     On October 16, 1901 in Thornton, Limestone County, Texas, William John Steele was married to Tempa Ophelia Watson, b February 28, 1879 in Thornton, d June 14, 1940 in Marlin and buried in Calvary Cemetery- a daughter of William Augustus and Martha Joanah (Lown) Steele, who lived in Thornton only
a few miles east of Stranger, Falls County, Texas.
     William John and Tempa Ophelia (Watson) Steele were the parents of twelve children, with only eight surviving birth:
     William Robert Steele, born and died March 13, 1905, was buried in the Stranger Cemetery.
Weldon Augustus Steele, b January 25, 1907 at Stranger, d March 17, 1933 and buried in Calvary Cemetery at Marlin. He died just prior to his plan to marry.
     Huey Maurice Steele (called "Curley"), b June 1, 1909 at Stranger, d August 1934 in a motorcycle accident, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin.
     Lila Mae Steele, b November 22, 1912 at Stranger, d July 4, 1966 at Marlin -married June 21, 1936 at Marlin to Major Valentine Bradshaw, Jr. (called "Brick"), b February 5, 1911 in Marlin, d March 18, 1975 in Marlin and buried by his wife in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin.
     Alyce Fae Steele, b March 13, 1914 at Stranger married June 8, 1941 in Marlin to Floyd Patrick Specht, Jr., b June 10, 1916 at Vashti, Clay County, Texas.
     Katherine Blalock Steele (called "Kitty"), b April 24, 1916 at Stranger - married June 24, 1941 in Marlin to Nick Whitney Goodrich, Jr., b December 27, 1916 in Marlin.
     William Hampshire Steele (called "Doe"), b August 13, 1916 at Stranger - married August 17, 1947 in Marlin to Kathryn Wilhelmine Stevenson, b May 13, 1923 in Dallas, Texas.
     Martha Ellen Steele, b June 6, 1918 at Stranger, d December 1, 1965 in Washington, D.C., and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Falls County, Texas married April 15, 1945 to Clifton H. Chamberlain, Jr., b March 26, 1918.
     William John Steele, Jr., b October 25, 1919 at Stranger - married August 31, 1947 in Marlin, Texas to Anna Lois Taylor, b March 22, 1926 in Dallas, Texas.
     Infant Son Steele, was stillborn on May 30, 1921.
     Infant Daughter Steele, was stillborn on February 10, 1923.
     Infant Daughter Steele, was stillborn on July 15, 1927.
     William John and Tempa Ophelia (Watson) Steele, Sr. lived in their lovely at Stranger, until they moved to a new two-story on Potomac Street in Marlin, where they lived the remainder of their lives. After her death, he continued to live in the home, and worked consistently in his yard and garden. When poor health restricted his activities, the family of his son, William John Steele, Jr., shared the with him until his death. The old was then sold out of the family. The landmark is now in a state of disrepair.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 432 column 1 and 2.  
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.