STEELE, John, statesman, born in Salisbury, North Carolina, 1 November, 1764; died there, 14 August, 1815. His mother, Elizabeth, entertained at her house in Salisbury on 1 February, 1781, General Nathanael Greene, who was then discouraged and penniless, and insisted on his accepting two small bags of specie, her earnings for years. "Never," says Greene's biographer, "did relief come at a more needed moment." John was educated as a merchant, but when he had arrived at manhood became a successful planter, and was also active in politics. He was elected to the legislature in 1787 and 1788, and in the latter year, as a member of the convention to consider the United States constitution, made fruitless efforts to secure its adoption. He was a member of the first two congresses, from April, 1790, till 2 March, 1793, haying been elected as a Federalist, and was again in the legislature in 1794-'5. On 1 July, 1796, Gem Washington made him first comptroller of the treasury, which office he held through Adams's administration, resigning on 15 December, 1802, though President Jefferson solicited him to remain. He was a commissioner to adjust the boundary between North and South Carolina in 1806, and was again in the legislature in that year and in 1811-'13, serving as speaker in 1811. He was elected for another term on the day of his death. He was active in militia matters, and attained the rank of general.