Augustus Steele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Augustus Steele
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| Born | June 4, 1792 Connecticut
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| Died | October 25, 1864 (aged 72) |
| Burial place | Evergreen Cemetery (Gainesville, Florida) |
| Nationality | American |
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| Known for | Pioneering Florida |
| Term | Florida State Legislature, 1850–1852 |
| Opponent(s) | Thomas Brown |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Coddingham |
Augustus Steele (born June 4, 1792, died October 25, 1864) was an important person in Florida's history. He was a businessman, a state lawmaker, and is often called the founder of Hillsborough County.
Contents
Who Was Augustus Steele?
His Early Years
Augustus Steele was born on June 4, 1792. He was born in Connecticut, a state in the northeastern United States.
His Family Life
Augustus Steele was married to Elizabeth Coddingham. Not much is known about her. They had a daughter named Augusta Florida Steele. She was born in 1847 on an island called Atsena Otie Key. Augusta was taught by special teachers, including Lignoski and James Ryder Randall.
Moving to Florida
Steele first came to Florida in 1825. He settled in Northern Florida. He helped start a town called Magnolia. But another town, St. Marks, grew bigger and became more important. So, Steele decided to move south to Fort Brooke in Tampa.
Planning Tampa
Steele arrived in Tampa in 1830. He had big plans for the city. At that time, Tampa was just a small village. Steele thought there should be a county there. He wanted Tampa to be its main town, called the county seat.
He convinced his friends in Tallahassee, the state capital. They created Hillsborough County. It was a very large area, about 8,580 square miles.
During the Second Seminole War, Steele became the postmaster at Fort Brooke. A postmaster is in charge of the mail. He was asked to deliver important news about the Dade Massacre to the governor. However, his plans for the town were later canceled. This was because his plan included land that belonged to Fort Brooke.
Life in Cedar Key
Steele was disappointed after his Tampa plans were canceled. He left Tampa and moved to Cedar Key. He bought land at an auction on Atsena Otie Key. There, he built a resort.
Steele wanted Atsena Otie to be a busy port. A port is a place where ships can load and unload goods. He planned to use its deep waters to ship out products. These products included cotton, lumber, sugar, and tobacco from farms inland. In 1843, Steele bought all the buildings on the island.
Later, Steele took on several important jobs in Cedar Key. He became the postmaster. He also worked as a port inspector for both Tampa and Cedar Key. A port inspector checks goods coming in and out of a port. He was also an Internal Revenue Service collector, which means he collected taxes.
Getting Involved in Politics
Augustus Steele ran for the Florida State Legislature in 1850 and 1852. This job allowed him to push for a new railroad. A railroad is a train track. This was one of the first railroads planned in Florida.
Steele wanted the railroad to go to Cedar Key. Cedar Key was one of Florida's most important ports. In 1852, he teamed up with David Levy Yulee. They disagreed with Governor Thomas Brown. Governor Brown wanted the railroad to go to St. Marks instead.
In 1860, people in Levy County chose Augustus Steele to represent them. He was sent to the Florida Secession Committee. This committee was deciding if Florida should leave the United States. They were considering joining the Confederacy.
His Death
Augustus Steele passed away on October 25, 1864. He died in Wellborn, Florida.
