12. John Nelson Steele (8) was born on Apr 1 1853 in Hagerstown, Maryland. He died in 1934 in West Palm Beach, Florida. John Nelson Steele went to the University of Virginia, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1873. But because he was still too young to join the Maryland Bar, he attended the University of Maryland and received a Bachelor of Laws degree from there as well. He was admitted to the bar in 1875 and was associated with his father in practice until 1889, when he formed the partnership of Steele, Semmes, and Carey. (Semmes was the nephew of Rear Admiral Raphael Semmes who commanded the legendary Confederate raider, C.S.S. Alabama.) The firm was later named Steele and Semmes.
He served as President of the Baltimore Bar Association in 1900 and the Maryland Board of Law Examiners from 1900 to 1906. He served as Baltimore Parks Commissioner from 1898 to 1900. He was a member of the Municipal Art Society of Baltimore and the Maryland Club.
He was among the first American lawyers to specialize in corporate law, now, perhaps, the largest single segment of the American bar. In 1906 he moved to New York and became general counsel of American Smelting and Refining Company, which was owned by M. Guggenheim's Sons, as well as general counsel for American Securities Corporation, and the Guggenheim Exploration Company. He was also general counsel for the Copper River and Northwestern Railroad, the Kennecott Copper Corporation, and the Alaska Development and Mineral Company. He was a director of the Utah Copper Company.
He was a member of the Union Club in New York City and the Everglades Club of Palm Beach. After he retired from practice he moved to Palm Beach. He was married to Mary Alricks Pegram on Mar 1 1880 in Probably Baltimore.
