1907: Frederick M. Steele passes

September 26, 1907

“Frederick M. Steele died at his home near Pescadero Tuesday morning, September 24, his death caused by heart failure. He was well known and prominent on the coastside, and owned large property interests at Pigeon Point. He was 62 years of age and leaves a wife, two sons and two daughters to mourn his loss.”

[Note from the author of the obit: “It has been a long time since any news came out of Pescadero. Whatever there has been came through the correspondent in San Gregorio.”] Very interesting.

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May 1955

“Ida J. Steele, 90-year-old Pioneer, Dies”

“Death claimed one of Sa Mateo County’s oldest pioneers last night when Mrs. Ida J. Steele, 90, after a brief illness in the home in which she had been born in Pescadero.

“The home, the first American-built house in the Pescadero Valley, was erected in 1855 by Mrs. Steele’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Moore. It had been the scene of her parent’s golden wedding anniversary, and 16 years ago Mrs. Steele and her husband, the late Charles E. Steele, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in the residence.

“The lumber for this home was hauled from Santa Cruz by oxen and many of the original pieces of redwood flooring still remain in the home, along with a century-old clock that is still running after coming across the country in a covered wagon.

“A year after Mrs. Steele was born, her father built the community’s first school house near his home and hired a teacher at his own expense. The building served as a community social hall and as a church for several different religious faiths. Later a public school was constructed.

“Mr. and Mrs. Steele were married in 1880, Mrs. Steele devoted the rest of her life caring for her family and a flower garden that in pre-war days was one of the showplaces in Pescadero.

“She is survived by a daughter of Mrs. May Pinkham of Thorton and three sons, Norman E., Charles E., Jr. and Grover Steele, all of Pescadero. She has 16 great-grandchildren. Her nephew is Chief Deputy Sheriff Walter Moore of San Mateo County.

The funeral will be held at 2:30 p.m. from her home in Pescadero and arrangements are being made by the Dutra Funeral Home in Half Moon Bay.

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