James Putman Steele (1936)

JOHNSON, STEELE, WETMORE

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 6/19/2006 at 16:13:57

The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 09, 1936
Page 1, Column 7

J. P. STEELE DIES RESIDENT 60 YEARS

Former County Attorney and Stockman. Had Practiced Here Since 1876.

James P. Steele, 88, retired attorney, died at his home on west Filmore street Tuesday afternoon. He had been in feeble health a number of years.

Mr. Steele had lived in Winterset since 1874. He had served two terms as county attorney, was a number of years president of the Citizens National bank and a long time was an elder in the Presbyterian church.

He was born in Adams county, Ohio, March 13, 1848, the son of William and Anna Steele. Mr. Steele spent his boyhood on a farm and graduated in 1873 from Monmouth academy at Monmouth, Illinois. After coming to Winterset, he read law and taught in the rural schools and was admitted to the bar in 1876. He was in partnership with Byram Leonard, afterward with Judge Mott and later with C. A. Robbins.

Mr. Steele lived on the farm northeast of Winterset about thirty years, raising Shorthorn cattle. His wife, who came here in 1875, died a number of years ago. Surviving are his daughter, Mrs. Louise Johnson, dean of women of an Oklahoma State college at Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and his son, Byram W. Steele of Denver, Colorado, who is with the Department of the Interior and was consulting engineer of the Boulder dam project.

Mrs. Johnson arrived in Winterset Wednesday evening. Mr. Steele was located at Knoxville, Tennessee, and will reach here tonight. It is probable that the funeral will be held Friday.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, April 9, 1936

J. P. STEELE Dies Here On Tuesday

Years of Failing Health End for Former Prominent
Local Lawyer

James Putman Steele, for 60 years an attorney in Winterset, died suddenly at his home here Tuesday afternoon after years of failing health. Mr. Steele was 88 years of age.

For the past few years he had been confined largely to his home. Last week he fell from his bed, cracking a hip bone, and since that time his condition had been serious.

Mr. Steele was born in Ohio but spent his youth in Sparta, Illinois. He attended college at Monmouth, coming to Winterset as a young man about 60 years ago. He was married about that time to Clara Louise Wetmore, who died several years ago.

He started practicing law in Winterset in partnership with Judge Fred Mott. Later he was a partner of Byram Leonard, and on July 1, 1890, entered a partnership with C. A. Robbins which lasted 15 years. Following this he practiced alone for some time, and his final partner was D. J. Gallery.

Mr. Steele was a leader in the legal and business affairs of Madison County. He was a substantial landholder and served as president of the Citizens National bank for a number of years.

He is survived by his two children, Louise Steele Johnson of Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and Byram W. Steele of Denver, Colorado.

Funeral arrangements had not been made as the Madisonian went to press.

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