January 28, 1799 – Iowa Territorial Representative William Steele is born in Mt. Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky.
A farmer by trade, William Steele married in 1829, and served in the Black Hawk War (1832). From there, Steele moved to Iowa in 1836 – then the Territory of Wisconsin when Burlington and Keokuk were small trading posts. Eventually, he settled in West Point of Lee County.
As many Democrats were doing in the 1840’s & 1850’s, Steele switched over to the Whig Party because of their strong objection to the Democrat’s unwillingness to speak out against the evils of slavery. So, as a Whig, Steele served in Iowa City for the Sixth Legislative Session (1843-1845). Elected to the Iowa Constitutional Convention in 1846, Steele returned to Iowa City for one more term in the House, and according to one biographer…
It was through the exertions of such men as William Steele that Iowa has the best constitution and code of laws of any station in the union.
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