John N. Steele

For other people named John Steele, see John Steele (disambiguation).

John Nevett Steele (February 22, 1796 – August 13, 1853) was an American politician.^[1]

John Nevett Steele
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland's 1st district
In office May 29, 1834 – March 3, 1837
Preceded by	Littleton Purnell Dennis
Succeeded by	John Dennis
Personal details
Born	February 22, 1796 (1796-02-22) Weston, Maryland, U.S.
Died	August 13, 1853(1853-08-13) (aged 57) Cambridge, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Whig
Spouse	Ann Ogle Buchanan
Relations	Isaac Nevett Steele (brother) Charles Steele (nephew)
Children	Thomas Buchanan Steele John Nevett Steele, Jr.
Parent(s)	James Steele Mary Nevett

Early life

Steele was born on February 22, 1796, in Weston, Maryland. He was the son of James Steele (1760–1816) and Mary Nevett (1769–1836). His many siblings included Mary Nevett Steele, who married John Campbell Henry, the eldest son and heir of Gov. John Henry,^[2] Ann Billings Steele Upshur, James Billings Steele, Henry Maynadier Steele, Catharine Sarah Maria Steele Ray, Sarah Maynadier Steele, and Isaac Nevett Steele.^[3]

He lived on an estate called "Indian Town" near Vienna, Maryland, in Dorchester County, where he completed preparatory studies. He later studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1819, and commenced practice in Dorchester County, Maryland.^[4]

Career

He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1822 to 1824, in 1829, and again in 1830. He continued to operate the family plantation, Indian Town.^[4]

Steele was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Littleton Purnell Dennis, and was reelected to the Twenty-fourth Congress, serving from May 29, 1834, to March 3, 1837.^[4] He was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for Governor of Maryland in 1838.^[5]

Personal life

Steele was married to Ann Ogle Buchanan (1799–1839), the daughter of Thomas Buchanan (1768–1847) and Rebecca Maria Harriett Anderson (1770–1840). Together, they were the parents of:^[6][2]

• Dr. Thomas Buchanan Steele (1822–1905),^{[7][self-published source][8]} who married Isabella Elizabeth Henry (1825–1912), granddaughter of Gov. John Henry.^[6]
• John Nevett Steele, Jr. (1824–1884), who married Ann Ogle Buchanan Henry (1842–1912), another granddaughter of Gov. John Henry.^[6]

Steele worked in agriculture until his death in Cambridge, Maryland, and is interred in Christ Protestant Episcopal Church Cemetery.^[4]

Descendants

Through his eldest son Thomas, he was the grandfather of Ogle Steele (1855–1918), Campbell Steele (1857–1884), and Mary Isabella Steele (1858–1944), who married Louis William Trail (1843–1923).^[6]