He was born on 6 August 1839, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: place: 5, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17 [NJ]. date: 5 (22 in 1861), 10, 11 (31 in 1870), 12, 16, 17 (11 in 1850)]
His father was a sea captain, and often took him to sea. [source: 10]
He may be the Albert W Steelman who in 1850 was living in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. He was living with James and Mary Snow, along with two other Snow's (presumably their children). James Snow was a sailor. [source: 17]
He is probably not the Albert Steelman who was often with Thomas B Scott when they were boys, and worked in the same shop, making saw handles, in 1859. [source: 18]
When he enlisted, he was a sai[lor?]. [source: 5]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, and had a light complexion, hazel eyes, and light hair. [source: 5]
He also served in company E of the 52nd Pennsylvania Militia. [source: 8]
According to one report, he served in the 17th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. [source: 10]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 7 October 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Casner. He was mustered in as a private in company K. [source: 1, 5, 6 (1 Oct), 8, 19-20]
He was detailed as a clerk in the Provost Marshall's Office, Washington, by an order dated 8 March 1862. According to Lt Col Sinex, he was still there on 13 June 1863, and the regiment had received no official news about him on 8 September 1863, although they suspected he had been discharged (3). According to Bates and the Index to the compiled service records, he was promoted in 1862 to lieutenant in the 16th Virginia Volunteers. [sources: 1, 2, 8, 16]
On 13 March 1864, the regiment reported him discharged by order. When discharged, he was a private, in company K. [sources: 4, 5 (discharged 1 July 1862), 19-20]
In 1868, he moved to Kalamazoo County, Michigan. [source: 10]
In 1870, he was living in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. He was a cabinetmaker. [source: 11]
On 11 September 1871, he married Francis Peak, at Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was born in 1849, in Michigan, to Ira Peak and Sarah Miller. They had at least these three children: [sources: 10, 14, 15, 16 (born 1847)]
In July 1875, he was a mechanic, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. [source: 14]
In December 1877, he was a cabinet maker, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. [source: 14]
In 1890, he was living in Richland, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. [source: 6]
On 15 December 1890, he applied successfully from Michigan for a pension. [sources: 7, 8]
On 12 January 1898, his wife, Francis Steelman, died, at Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. She fell dead while riding in her carriage. She was buried in the Prairie Home Cemetery, Richland, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. [sources: 9, 10, 13, 15]
In 1900, he was living at 221 E Smith Street, ward 4, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. He was a pattern maker. He was a lodger, and was widowed. [source: 12]
He died on Thursday, 15 June 1905, in the Borgess Hospital, [Kalamazoo County, Michigan]. He was survived by one daughter, Letitia M Steelman. He was buried in Prairie Home Cemetery, Richland, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. [sources: 8, 9, 10 ('Richland Cemetery')]
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 letter, 13 June 1863, Sinex to Marvin
3 letter, 8 Sep 1863, Sinex to Marvin
4 consolidated morning report, 13 March 1864 (Albert W Steelman)
5 company K, descriptive roll, entry 79 (Albert W Steelman)
6 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Richland, supervisor's district 4, enumeration district 103, page 1 (A W Steelman)
7 pension index, by name (Alfred [sic] W Steelman)
8 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company K (Albert W Steelman)
9 Find-a-grave memorial 46729950, created by ambs, added 15 January 2010, accessed 11 January 2011 (Albert W Steelman)
10 obituary, Kalamazoo Gazette 16 June 1905, page 3 (Albert W Steelman)
11 1870 US census, Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Kalamazoo Village, microfilm series M593, film 680, page 247 = 219 handwritten (Albert Steelman)
12 1900 US census, Michigan, Kalamazoo County, Kalamazoo City, ward 4, supervisor's district 3, enumeration district 119, microfilm series T623, film 720, page 257 = 8 B handwritten (Albert Steelman)
13 'State news', Jackson Citizen Patriot, 13 January 1898, page 3
14 'Michigan births, 1867-1902', accessed 5 May 2011, at FamilySearch
15 Michigan deaths and burials, 1800-1905, abstract available at FamilySearch (transcribed 5 May 2011)
16 Michigan marriages, 1822-1995; abstract available at FamilySearch, accessed 5 May 2011
17 1850 US census, New Jersey, Atlantic County, Galloway Township, microfilm series M432, film 442, pages 51 recto = 101 recto = [97] handwritten to 51 verso = [101] verso handwritten = 98 [?] handwritten (Albert W Steelman)
18 abstract of dependent's pension certificate file, WC 135,801, 19 May 1869, Eliza A Scott, mother of Thomas B Scott (Albert M Steelman [unlikely identification, given the date of testimony])
19 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Albert W Steelman)
20 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Albert W Stellman)
| line | 41 | 42 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dwellings visited | 735 | ||||
| Families visited | 753 | ||||
| Name | James Snow | Mary L " | Albert W. Steelman | Elisabeth Snow | Julia " |
| Age | 28 | 30 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
| Sex | M | F | M | F | F |
| Color | |||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Sailor | ||||
| Real estate owned | 150 | ||||
| Birthplace | Virginia | New Jersey | New Jersey | " " | " " |
| Married within year | |||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | |||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 9 |
| Dwelling house number | [1598] |
| Family number | [1546] |
| Name | Steelman Albert |
| Age | 31 |
| Sex | M |
| Color | W |
| Occupation | Cabinet Maker |
| Real estate value | |
| Personal estate value | |
| Birthplace | Penn |
| Father foreign born | |
| Mother foreign born | |
| Birth month if born within year | |
| Marriage month if married within year | |
| Attended school past year | |
| Can't read | |
| Can't write | |
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | |
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 |
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 98 | |
| street | E Smith Street | |
| house number | 221 | |
| dwelling number | [167] | |
| family number | [190] | |
| name | Steelman Albert | |
| [the name was indexed as 'Stedman', and could easily be read that way] | ||
| relationship | Lodger | |
| color | W | |
| sex | M | |
| birth date | Aug 1839 | |
| age | 60 | |
| married? | Wd | |
| # years married | ||
| mother of how many children? | ||
| # of children living | ||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | |
| father's birthplace | New Jersey | |
| mother's birthplace | New Jersey | |
| immigration year | ||
| # years in USA | ||
| naturalized citizen? | ||
| occupation | Pattern Maker | |
| # months not employed | 0 | |
| # months in school | ||
| can read | yes | |
| can write | yes | |
| speaks English | yes | |
| owned/rented | ||
| free or mortgaged | ||
| farm/house | [H] | |
| # of farm schedule | ||
Mrs. Albert Steelman fell dead while riding in her carriage at Kalamazoo, Wednesday.
Albert W. Steelman died at 9:30 o'clock Thursday morning at the Borgess hospital, after a lingering illness. The funeral will occur at 10 o'clock Saturday morning from the late residence, 325 South Park street, and burial will be in Richland cemetery. Friends of the family are invited. The late Albert Steelman was born in Philadelphia, August 6, 1839. He grew up to manhood in his native city, and for many years sailed the seas, as a sailor before the mast and later as a ship's officer.
Mr. Steelman had a natural liking for the life on the ocean, for his father was a sea captain and the young man made his first trips with his father. At the outbreak of the civil war the young man enlisted in the 17th Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry, and served throughout the war. In 1868 he came west and located in Kalamazoo county. In 1871 he was married to Miss Francis Peake of Richland, and they resided in and near Kalamazoo during the rest of their lives. Mrs. Steelman died in 1898. One daughter, Letitia M. Steelman, survives them.