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Descendants of Walter Powers

Notes


Reuben Steele

[hall family.FTW]
[hall family.FTW]
[hall family trees.FTW]
Reuben Steele
Pioneer Preacher
On the road from Wise to Coeburn, once lived perhaps the first
Methodist preacher in the present bounds of Wise County, the Rev.
Reuben
Steele. In Russell County Land Entry Book (oldest records) page
225, Emory
Hamilton and Luther Addington found this record: "Reuben Steele,
from
Joseph Clark, land on top of Guests Mountain, 100 acres on Land
Office
Exchange Warrant, No. 2617, dated December 29, 1831, to include an
old
improvementmade by Joseph Clark, and the springs near it."
Clark is believed to be thefirst settler in the Guest
Mountain
section, coming there probably around 1795.
Reuben Steele was the oldest child of Samuel Steele and wife,
Jerusha
Powers, daughter of Jonas Powers, Jr. and Jerusha Harmon. Reuben
was born
29 September 1802, Wythe County, VA. When he was three or four
years old,
the family moved to Whitley County, KY where Reuben remained until
after
hehad helped settle the affairs after his father's death in
October or
November 1822.
Samuel and Jerusha were not Christians while Reuben was
growing up,
but Samuel was converted on his deathbed and exhorted his family to
meet
him in heaven. Reuben soon joined the church; also, his mother, and
all
his brothers and sisters who were old enough.
Reuben sought the blessing of the Holy Spirit for 18 months
before it
came with power. He immediately started for his boyhood's wicked
associates. When they saw him coming, some ran;other fell down and
begged
him to pray for them. He had the impression thatit was his duty to
preach, but he resisted. Eventually, he consented to geta license
to
exhort, which he did for about six years. When he was 25, he came
to
Virginia, probably Bland Co. On 7 June 1827, he married his first
cousin,
Mary Elizabeth Newberry, daughter of Samuel and Eunice Newberry.
Around
1830, they came to live on Guest Mountain. They had five children:
Samuel,
who went to California in the 1849 Gold Rush; and died 1880 in
Oregon,
while intending to come home; Harvey, lived in Hawkins Co., TN;
Jane,
married Solomon Osborne; Julia Ann married (1) Martin Anderson (2)
M. de
Lafayette Willie; and Elizabeth, died in infancy, probably near the
time
her mother, Elizabeth Newberry Steele, died 1837. The mother's
grave was
the first in what is now known as the Nash Cemetery.
During the time Reuben Steele lived here, he was one of the
Commissioners appointed by the Virginia Assemblyto superintend and
direct
construction of a road from Pound Gap of Cumberland Mountain on the
Kentucky line, to intersect the construction of the Fincastle and
Cumberland Gap Road at some suitable point in the County of
Russell.
Reuben Steele was licensed to preach 1836. His first work was
on the
Kentucky border. In 1872, he left a 6 page letter detailing his
life.
He wasmarried (2) 9 September 1841 to Elizabeth Forkner, b.
16 June,
1819, SurryCo., NC; daughter of the Rev. Isaac and Sarah Ellis
Forkner.
They had children: Isaac; George A.; William T.; Robert; Reuben
Elbert;
Henry; Rev. Charles E.; and Sarah Frances.
Reuben sold his Guest Mountain property to WilliamNash and
moved to
a 1000 acre farm on Clinch River, near Pattonsville, Scott Co.,
VA.
During the Civil, Reuben was Chaplain of the 64th Regiment of
the
Virginia Mounted Cavalry, of the Confederate Army. After the war he
became
an outstanding minister in Southwest Virginia, facing hostility and
threats with courage. He was instrumental in the conversion of
7,000 and
8,000 joining the church.
Reuben Steele died August 20, 1876 and is buried in the Reuben
Steele
Cemetery, near Pattonsville, Scott Co., VA. The Rev. JohnBoring
preached
the funeral service to more 1200 people.
By Gladys Julian Stallard
Excerpt regarding Rev. Reuben Steel


86. Reuben Steele

[hall family.FTW]
[hall family.FTW]
[hall family trees.FTW]
Reuben Steele
Pioneer Preacher
On the road from Wise to Coeburn, once lived perhaps the first
Methodist preacher in the present bounds of Wise County, the Rev.
Reuben
Steele. In Russell County Land Entry Book (oldest records) page
225, Emory
Hamilton and Luther Addington found this record: "Reuben Steele,
from
Joseph Clark, land on top of Guests Mountain, 100 acres on Land
Office
Exchange Warrant, No. 2617, dated December 29, 1831, to include an
old
improvementmade by Joseph Clark, and the springs near it."
Clark is believed to be thefirst settler in the Guest
Mountain
section, coming there probably around 1795.
Reuben Steele was the oldest child of Samuel Steele and wife,
Jerusha
Powers, daughter of Jonas Powers, Jr. and Jerusha Harmon. Reuben
was born
29 September 1802, Wythe County, VA. When he was three or four
years old,
the family moved to Whitley County, KY where Reuben remained until
after
hehad helped settle the affairs after his father's death in
October or
November 1822.
Samuel and Jerusha were not Christians while Reuben was
growing up,
but Samuel was converted on his deathbed and exhorted his family to
meet
him in heaven. Reuben soon joined the church; also, his mother, and
all
his brothers and sisters who were old enough.
Reuben sought the blessing of the Holy Spirit for 18 months
before it
came with power. He immediately started for his boyhood's wicked
associates. When they saw him coming, some ran;other fell down and
begged
him to pray for them. He had the impression thatit was his duty to
preach, but he resisted. Eventually, he consented to geta license
to
exhort, which he did for about six years. When he was 25, he came
to
Virginia, probably Bland Co. On 7 June 1827, he married his first
cousin,
Mary Elizabeth Newberry, daughter of Samuel and Eunice Newberry.
Around
1830, they came to live on Guest Mountain. They had five children:
Samuel,
who went to California in the 1849 Gold Rush; and died 1880 in
Oregon,
while intending to come home; Harvey, lived in Hawkins Co., TN;
Jane,
married Solomon Osborne; Julia Ann married (1) Martin Anderson (2)
M. de
Lafayette Willie; and Elizabeth, died in infancy, probably near the
time
her mother, Elizabeth Newberry Steele, died 1837. The mother's
grave was
the first in what is now known as the Nash Cemetery.
During the time Reuben Steele lived here, he was one of the
Commissioners appointed by the Virginia Assemblyto superintend and
direct
construction of a road from Pound Gap of Cumberland Mountain on the
Kentucky line, to intersect the construction of the Fincastle and
Cumberland Gap Road at some suitable point in the County of
Russell.
Reuben Steele was licensed to preach 1836. His first work was
on the
Kentucky border. In 1872, he left a 6 page letter detailing his
life.
He wasmarried (2) 9 September 1841 to Elizabeth Forkner, b.
16 June,
1819, SurryCo., NC; daughter of the Rev. Isaac and Sarah Ellis
Forkner.
They had children: Isaac; George A.; William T.; Robert; Reuben
Elbert;
Henry; Rev. Charles E.; and Sarah Frances.
Reuben sold his Guest Mountain property to WilliamNash and
moved to
a 1000 acre farm on Clinch River, near Pattonsville, Scott Co.,
VA.
During the Civil, Reuben was Chaplain of the 64th Regiment of
the
Virginia Mounted Cavalry, of the Confederate Army. After the war he
became
an outstanding minister in Southwest Virginia, facing hostility and
threats with courage. He was instrumental in the conversion of
7,000 and
8,000 joining the church.
Reuben Steele died August 20, 1876 and is buried in the Reuben
Steele
Cemetery, near Pattonsville, Scott Co., VA. The Rev. JohnBoring
preached
the funeral service to more 1200 people.
By Gladys Julian Stallard
Excerpt regarding Rev. Reuben Steel


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