State Senate, but before his term expired he left for California for his health, intending to stay one year. He landed in Sacramento from across the plains, October the 5th, 1850, just ten years after he left Wisconsin. He went at once to Shasta and commenced mining at Middletown. He soon went below for medical aid. He fell in with some of the Scott River prospectors and went to Shasta to winter.
In January he started with others for Scott River. The trip was tedious and the estimated distance from Shasta to Shasta Butte was 190 miles. He worked for a few 7 days at Scott Bar, then came to Yreka, when news was received of the discovery of gold here and took up a claim north of Rich Gulch. It was a poor one, and he met with Robert Atherton, Stephen Watson and others to the number of twelve, and took up a claim on Greenhorn with James McCummings and Barney Simmons. He went prospecting about Shasta Butte and lay camped back of Sheep Rock two nights in a terrible snowstorm, which dates he placed at the 2ist and 22nd of March, 1851. In the fall of 1851, Steele joined with Sloan, Briggs and Tiernan, and started from Scott's Bar by Yreka to Sacramento. He took up a land claim two miles this side of Fort Jones and established a trading post with Tiernan in charge, and another at Scott's Bar with Sloan in charge. Steele drove the express on one of his trips; he was taken sick at Sacramento and it was reported he was dead. Early in the winter his partner closed up the business and departed. Steele met Briggs at Trinity Center with part of the mules. He took from him part of his own mules and took possession of the ranch near Fort Jones. He was joined by Lucius Fairchild from Wisconsin. He practiced a little in his profession and for defending a man charged with murder he received four head of beef cattle worth $500. With these Steele and Fairchild started butchering business. Fairchild took charge of the market at Scott's Bar and Steele stayed at the ranch. They continued together till 1855, when Fairchild returned home. He became Secretary of State, Governor of Wisconsin two terms, General in the Army, United States Consul at Liverpool, England, and U. S. Minister to Spain. Steele formed
