Remarkable six centuries and 17 generations of recorded Steele Family Lineage supplemented with family DNA and heraldry beginning in the 8th century. Their journey began in Scandinavia as Norse Men or Vikings then moved to France where they became Normans and invaded England with William the Conqueror. The family resided in County Essex, England for 5 generations before becoming Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut colonies and founders of Hartford, Connecticut. Five generations lived in New England before Aaron Steele traveled the Great Wagon Road south through Virginia's Shenandoah Valley into the Carolinas and Georgia. During their trek, the Steeles and related families of Polks, Andersons, Mavericks, Martins, Crocketts, Skaggses, Smiths, Wheelers, Irelands, Delks, Huntons, Thompsons and Waplers created a tapestry of faith, military and civic service, explored the wilderness frontiers of Connecticut and Appalachian Mountains, panned for gold in Georgia, Colorado and Montana, fought for American independence and the independence of Texas, and pioneered in Kansas and Wyoming. Whether farmers, merchants, soldiers, government leaders, miners, frontiersmen, landed gentry, nobility or land barons, the Steeles and their extended family prospered always seeking freedom and opportunity. This is their story.
Author Biography:
W. Michael Steele is a seventeenth generation Steele. His interest in family history began as a youngster listening to his grandfather, William Henry Steele, tell oral history stories about his Steele ancestors. After serving thirty-four years in the United States Army, retiring as a Lieutenant General, and thirteen additional years in the defense industry, he and his wife, Pam, retired to Charleston, South Carolina. There, he recalled his personal commitment to research his Steele family history for his grandchildren. The result is "Steele Family Lineage, Legacy, and Lore", which spans six centuries and documents seventeen generations of Steele history. He and Pam have been married fifty-one years. They live on Seabrook Island in South Carolina's beautiful Low Country. There, they focus on making new memories with family and friends.
