Col. William R. Steele (Terms 1883-1884 & 1894-1896)

Colonel William R. Steele (July 24, 1842 – November 30, 1901) was a Civil War veteran, attorney, politician, and public servant.   Born on July 24, 1842, Steele spent his formative years living in New York City, New York.  In 1861 at the age of nineteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Worchester, Massachusetts at the beginning of the American Civil War.  By the end of the war, Steele had rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel and fought in numerous battles including Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg.

After the war, Steele practiced law and in 1869, relocated to Cheyenne, Wyoming and eventually opened a law practice with Judge Daniel J. McLaughlin.  Steele’s political career began in 1871 when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wyoming.  Two years later, Steele resigned from this position after being elected as a delegate to the U.S. Congress.  He would serve in the forty-third and forty-fourth Congress as a Democrat to the US House of Representatives (March 4, 1873 to March 3, 1877).  In March of 1877, Steele was not re-elected for a third term in office.  He relocated to Deadwood Gulch and resumed a law practice with former partner Daniel McLaughlin.  Six years after arriving in Deadwood, Steele was elected Mayor of Deadwood in May of 1883.  He would serve in this capacity for two separate terms:  1883 to 1884 and 1894 to 1896.  After serving as Mayor, Steele continued to practice law and helped charter Deadwood Lodge #508 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elk.

On December 1, 1901, Steele was found dead at his office at the Phoenix Block in Deadwood.  In addition to a lengthy obituary, the Eighth Judicial Circuit of the State of South Dakota held special meeting to honor the life of Steele.  Today, a simple marble headstone with the inscription, William R. Steele B.P.O.E. 508 is located in Section 2 Lot 32 of Deadwood’s Mount Moriah Cemetery.