Steele, Richard, 1818-1881

Richard Steele (1818-1881) was a convert to the LDS church who crossed the plains with the pioneers to Utah.

Richard Steele was born in Stourbridge, Worchestershire, Great Britain, on 14 February 1818. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 21 January 1840. He preached the gospel in Britain, and worked with Parley P. Pratt and one Elder Snow. He traveled to America by ship and joined the Saints in Nauvoo in April 1843, 14 months before Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. He married Mary Ann Reese on 13 July 1845. His children were Thomas Grafton (born 1846), Mary Elizabeth (1847), Richard Reese (1854), William Henry (1856), George Edward (1859) and Sarah Ann (1863). He crossed the plains with the pioneers and settled in American Fork, Utah, in 1852. He received a mission call to Britain in 1876. He passed away in October 1881 in American Fork, Utah County, Utah (There is some disagreement among family historians about his death and burial dates. He died either on the 4th or 14th and was buried either on the 6th, 7th or 17th).

From the guide to the Richard Steele journal, 1840-1876, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)