Hiram R. Steele facts for kids

Hiram Roswell Steele (born July 10, 1842 – died November 21, 1929) was an important person in both Canada and the United States. He was a lawyer and a judge, and he even served as the top lawyer for the state of Louisiana.

Hiram Roswell Steele's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Hiram Steele was born on July 10, 1842, in Stanstead, Quebec, which was then part of the Province of Canada. His parents were Sanford Steele and Mary Hinman. When he was young, his family moved to Vermont in the United States.

He went to school at St. Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. After finishing his studies, he became a teacher. He taught in a local school in St. Johnsbury, then in Lyndon, Vermont. He even became the principal of Cassville High School back in Stanstead, Quebec. By 1861, he was an assistant teacher and a math expert at Lyndon Academy.

Serving in the Civil War

Hiram Steele studied law with his brother, Benjamin H. Steele, who later became a judge. This was in Derby Line, Vermont. In July 1862, during the American Civil War, he helped gather people to join the army in Vermont.

In August 1862, he became a Captain in Company K of the 10th Vermont Infantry Regiment. He served with this group for two years. In May 1864, he was seriously hurt during a battle. A few weeks later, President Abraham Lincoln promoted him to Captain and put him in charge of supplies for the army. He was sent to New Orleans, Louisiana, and later helped manage supplies for cavalry (soldiers on horseback). He continued to serve in different roles, making sure soldiers had food and other necessities. He left the army in January 1866.

A Career in Law and Politics

After the war, Steele stayed in the Southern United States. He first worked in cotton farming. In 1868, he started his law practice in St. Joseph, Louisiana. That same year, he was chosen as the Parish Judge for Tensas Parish, and he was re-elected in 1870.

In 1871, he became the District Attorney for a part of Louisiana, and he was elected to that job for a full term in 1872. He was then appointed Assistant Attorney General for Louisiana in 1875. Later that year, Governor Kellogg made him a judge for a special court in New Orleans. In 1876, he became the Attorney General of Louisiana, which means he was the state's chief legal officer.

After his time as Attorney General, he was elected again as District Attorney. He also helped write parts of the Louisiana state constitution in 1868 and 1879. Hiram Steele was a member of the Republican Party. Even though some people called him a "carpetbagger" (a term for Northerners who moved South after the Civil War), he was well-liked by people from both major political parties.

Later Life in New York

In 1890, Steele moved to New York City and settled in Brooklyn. He became a senior partner in a law firm. He was also important in the Republican Party in Brooklyn. In 1898, Governor Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as the District Attorney for Brooklyn, but he was not elected to the position the next year.

He also served on the boards of several companies, including the Brooklyn City Railroad Company and the New York Life Insurance Company. He was also a trustee and lawyer for the South Brooklyn Savings Institution.

Hiram Steele was a member of several important groups, including the Sons of the American Revolution and the Grand Army of the Republic (a group for Union Civil War veterans). In 1877, he married Elizabeth Porter. They had five children: Porter, Elizabeth Hinman, Roswell Hiram, Charles Messenger, and Henry Sanford. All their children were born in Natchez, Mississippi.

Hiram Steele passed away at his home on November 21, 1929. He was buried in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.