Ephraim Steel, the youngest child of Ephraim and Esther Steel,1 was born in Carlisle on November 13, 1795. His father was a merchant and an Associate Judge of Cumberland County who died in 1814. 2 Ephraim, Jr., likely apprenticed with one of the many silversmiths working in Carlisle in the early decades of the nineteenth century.
Steel may have worked in Carlisle for several years following his apprenticeship, but sometime before 1822, he settled in the town of Landisburg, the temporary county seat of the newly formed Perry County, situated about 15 miles from Carlisle. On October 11, 1822, Ephraim wrote a letter from Landisburg, to his brother John Steel. 3
“I right [sic] to inform you that I carry on the clock and watch and silversmith business in this place but cannot tell how long I shall remain here for the times is very dull at present but I think I will make a change before long for if it [sic] don’t get better I don’t know what I shall do for it is impossible to sell clocks about here for the country is full of wooden clocks. I have been told that there is about two hundred in the valley. I am still at the watches and silverware but it hasn’t been very good at any of them this some time past but I think it will get better when the county seat is established here.”
Steel returned to Carlisle shortly after writing this letter. On November 27, 1822, he advertised in the American Volunteer newspaper that he “has taken the shop lately occupied by Joseph Shields in the Main Street, two doors east of N. Ulerich’s tavern…”
On May 12, 1831, Steel married Miss Ann (Morrison) Underwood of Carlisle. The marriage announcement in the newspaper indicated that he was living in (East) Berlin at the time. 4 East Berlin is located in Adams County, about twenty-five miles from Carlisle. With a population of roughly 425 in the 1830s, Steel was able to make a living there for the next ten years.
Steel and his family moved back to Carlisle in 1841. In May 1844, Steel was assaulted during a robbery attempt. The newspaper reported the incident under an article titled “Daring Outrage.”
“Much commotion was caused in our streets on Saturday night by a most daring outrage committed by some unknown desperado, upon Mr. Ephraim Steel, a watchmaker in this borough. Mr. Steel was returning about nine o’clock from his shop to his residence with a case of watches and other valuable articles, which according to his usual practice he was taking home for more safe keeping. While passing along Pomfret Street near the corner of Hanover, some ruffian, unperceived, dealt him a severe blow on his head with some heavy instrument, which felled him to the ground. Mr. Steel’s loud cries of murder soon drew to his assistance the citizens of the neighborhood, and the proprietor of this bold outrage was obliged to make his escape without securing any of “the spoil” he desired. The darkness of the night made all pursuit unavailing, leaving the rascal still at large. An attempt of this kind was something new in our borough.”
According to a biography of the Steel family, “His store for a long while was on the east side of South Hanover Street, halfway between the public square and Pomfret Street. In 1863, he removed his residence to the corner of Hanover and Pomfret streets, and his business place next door on Hanover.” 5
Ephraim died in Carlisle on April 12, 1868, in his 76th year. 6 His wife, Ann, died on Christmas Day, 1880, in her 80th year. They are buried in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard with several of their children.
In January 1773, merchant Samuel Wharton wrote the following observations about tea drinking in America.
"The use of teas, and of the black sort in particular, is so common and fashionable in America that it is usually drank twice a day, even by the Frontier inhabitants of all the colonies...
Interview of Cassie Line for the Elizabeth V. and George F. Gardner Digital Library. Line discusses her early life growing up at Greystone and Pomfret Street as well as the many friends and family she has known including stories of her husband Jim Line.
[1] Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), 149. In May, 1831, while living at Berlin, Ephraim Steele married Miss Ann Underwood, a daughter of John and Sarah (Morrison) Underwood. Ephraim and Ann Steele had children as follows: (1) Sarah (2) Esther, born May 9, 1832, who died unmarried August 31, 1872 (3) Mary Foulke, born March 27, 1834, who died September 22, 1873(4) Margaret Ann (5) Joseph Underwood (6) John Ephraim, who died in infancy (7) Martha Jane (8) Morrison Underwood who died in Carlisle in 1878 aged 35 (9) John Ephraim.
[2] Carlisle Herald September 23, 1814. Died Wednesday last, aged 74 years, Ephraim Steel, Esq., one of the Associate Judges of this county. His wife was Esther Smith.
[3] Steel Papers #3876-2. The Southern History Collection of the University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill.
[4] American Volunteer, May 19, 1831.
[5] Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), 149.
[6] American Volunteer April 16, 1868.