Sanger Steel (1863-1920) Sanger Steel (1863-1920)Sanger A[lexander?] Steel was born in Joliet, Illinois 6 April 1863, the son of William Alexander Steel (1836-1879) and Frances Louise Sanger (1842-1880). A young man of a scholarly bent, and a lover of music, Sanger was a seventeen-year-old student at Racine College when he lost both his parents. Thrust into the world of industry and commerce, he immediately entered his father's quarry and steel business, but these did not prosper during the 1890s; he later was employed in the sales department of Illinois Steel Company in Chicago. He also played a role in the history of Midwestern baseball as an organizer of the Illinois-Iowa ("Two Eye") League, formed in February 1890 and including the short-lived Joliet Convicts. On 9 May 1888 he married Emma Oledine Demmond (1866-1949) of Joliet, where the family lived until 1899, when they moved to Chicago. Their children were Sanger Bright Steel (1889-1927) and Harriet Steel (1891-1965). He died after a long illness on 10 January 1920 at the Steuben Sanitarium in Hornellsville, New York, though his obituary states that he died in Brooklyn, where his daughter Harriet then lived.
Sanger A. Steel, 58 years old {recte 56], former Joliet business man and a son of the late William A. Steel, who was mayor of Joliet three times, died yesterday in New York city, according to a telegram received by his sister-in-law, Mrs. T.A. [recte T.E.] Culbertson, 204 Union Street.
The body will be brought to Joliet, but no definite funeral arrangements have been made. Services will probably be held tomorrow in Christ Episcopal Church.
Mr. Steel succeeded his father in the firm of Sanger, Moody and Steel, which operated stone quarries north of Joliet more than twenty years ago.
At the time of his marriage to Miss Oledine Demmond, thirty-one years ago, Mr. Steel erected the residence now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Benson, at 123 South Eastern avenue. It was considered one of the show places of the city. In 1899 the Steel family moved to Chicago.
Recently Mr. Steel has represented the sales department of the Illinois Steel Company in Chicago.
Mr. Steel for many years was a member of Joliet Commandary, No. 4, Knights Templar. He also was a member of the Union Club, now the Joliet Country club, and during his residence in Joliet took an interest in all civic affairs.
Besides his widow, he is survived by one son, Sanger Bright Steel of Hartsdale, N.Y., and one daughter, Mrs. Albert F. Pickernell, of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mr. Steel's father was associated closely with the early history of Joliet. He was first elected mayor of Joliet in 1869 and served three terms. He also inaugurated the first public library in this city. He built four monitors for the Union Navy during the civil war.
Mr. Steel's grandfather was Col. Lorenzo P. Sanger, who was associated with his father in the quarry business. He served thru the civil war. Colonel Sanger also aided in the construction of the Illinois and Michigan canal, which was started in 1836.
[Sunday 11 January 1920, Joliet newspaper]
The Rev. T. Dewitt Tanner will officiate at the funeral of Sanger Steel, a former Joliet man, who died Saturday in Brooklyn, N.Y., which will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock in Christ Episcopal church.
The pallbearers will be Charles Bush, Paul Phelps of Chicago, W.A. Burden, Charles M. Fish, Harless W. King, T.E. Culbertson, Louis H. Hyde. Burial will be in the family lot in Oakwood cemetery.
The body arrived in Joliet last evening, accompanied by the son, Sanger B. Steel. It was taken to the chapel of Chamberlin and Sloan, where it will remain until the time of the funeral.
Mrs. Steel was unable to come easily, as she is in a hospital in New York. She has been ill two months.
A daughter, Mrs. Albert Pickernell, of Brooklyn, N.Y., will arrive this evening. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Robinson, the latter a sister of Mr. Steel; Mrs. George M. Pullman, of Chicago, a cousin, Mrs. Paul King of Wilmette, a niece, will come to Joliet tomorrow.
[Tuesday 13 January 1920, Joliet newspaper]
Funeral services were conducted in Christ Episcopal church this afternoon at 2 o'clock for Sanger Steel, a former Joliet business man who died Jan. 10 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The Rev. T. DeWitt Tanner, rector of Christ church, officiated. The only music was organ numbers by Kenneth Beuret.
Burial was in the family lot in Oakwood. W.A. Burden, Charles M. Fish, Henry J. Weber, T.E. Culbertson, Louis Hyde, Charles Bush, Paul Phelps of Chicago were pallbearers.
The body arrived in Joliet Monday, accompanied by a son, Sanger Bright Steel.
Mrs. George M. Pullman, a cousin of Mr. Steel, was unable to attend the funeral, but her private car brought to Joliet this afternoon Mr. Steel's daughter, Mrs. Albert Pickernell of Brooklyn, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Robinson, Mrs. Paul King of Wilmette, Mrs. C.J. Swan and Edgar S. Robinson.
[Wednesday 14 January 1920, Joliet newspaper]
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![[ Illustration: Sanger Steel as a young man ]](../pix/sas.jpg){kind=link}