Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-07-04
DEATH OF DR.. STEELE.
One Of the Pioneer Residents Is Well as
Prominent Physician Gone.

Prominent Physician Gone.
DR.. Alden H. Steele departed thi.
life Sunday night, at 9 o'clock, ending
= weary decline after years of patient
suffering. He was afflicted with palsy.
His patience in affliction was a trib-
ute to the path he professed and an
indication of that peace W hich passeth
the understanding OF the unrighteous.
His wife and one daughter, Mrs. r,
G. O'Brien, surviving him.
Alden Hatch Steele, nj. D., was
born in Oswego, N. Y, February 10
1923. His father. Orlo Steele, and his
mother, Fanny Abbey. were born in
Connecticut. Alden WAS the young.
est OF three brothers, William, q grad.
uate OF West Point. who served &C.
ceptably in the Mexican war; and
Elijah, a lawyer, who was for many
years Superior Judge in Siskiyou
county, Col. Both have passed away.
DR.. Steele studied medicine with DR..
P. H. Hard, at Oswego. and DR.. James
r. Wood, the distinguished professor
of surgery, of New York; and gradu.
ated at the medical department OF the
university OF New York in 1916. He
first began practice at OsweRo; after.
wards. at Southport (now Kenoshs),
Wisconsin. for year. In March,
1849. he started for Oregon with a
stage company, and overlook the
Rifle Regiment, U. S. A., and was in
vited to join the officers; so he came
in their company to Vancouver. After
pending few weeks there, he went
TO Oregon City and settled, in October.
1S49, practicing his profession there
for fourteen years. In 1852, DIR.
Steele administered chloroform in
amputating q limb, the first used in
surgery north OF San Francisco. He
was q member of the City Council
eleven years part OF the time as re-
corder, and three years as Mayor. In
August, 1854, he was married to Miss
Hannah H. Blackler, from Marble.
head, Mass. Her grandfather Black
Ter was captain in the war of the
revolution, and commanded the fotilla
with which Washington crossed the
Delaware the night before the battle Of
Trenton. Of their two children born
in Oregon. the daughter Fanny is new
living, and 10 the wife OF General Rus
sci G. OBrien. For short season in
1857, DR.. Steele was with General
Palmer on the Grand Ronde Indian
reservation, and there, as at Oregon
City, had wonderful control OF the
red men. He was called to their
wigwams often in case Of sickness,
and 80 strong was their confidence in
him, that in personal quarrels or
whisky rows, he could invariably quiet
the combatants. and take away their
liquor. In 1868, when troops and off,
GERS were called East for the war of
the rebellion. DR.. Steele was appointed
surgeon at Fort Dalles, where the post
hospital was virtually general hos.
pital, and very large number OF cases
passed under bis care. Three years
service in the dry climate OF the Dalles
caused DR.. Steele's health TO fail, and
he was transferred to Fort Stevens,
at the mouth of the Columbia, where
his health was restored, and in June,
81, to Fort Stsilacoom, w. T. That
post was "broken up" in April, '68,
and the troops sent to Alaska. De-
clining further service in the army,
DR.. Steele came to Olympia, where he
has since resided. In 1869 and 1870,
when Colonel Samuel Ross, of the u.
s. Army, was Superintendent Of In.
dian Affairs in Washington Territory,
DR.. Steele was physician to the Indi.
ans Of Nesqually and Chehalis reserva.
tons, including Squaxon island. He
was appointed by Gov. Ferry, Regent
of the Territorial University for two
terms. for 1876 and 1880, and as a
medical inspector OF Territorial Peni-
Tertiary six years. He was Medical
Examiner for the N. Y. Mutual Life
Insurance Co. for Is years, and for
several other insurance companies.
He was kind husband, . loving faith
er and loyal citizen. He leaves q
record that ia untarnished and which
grows brighter as the years pass.
The funeral was conducted by Rev.
Badger from the family residence. at
Tenth and Franklin streets, Wednes-
day afternoon and was private.