When William Henry Steele was born on 20 October 1850, in Miami, Indiana, United States, his father, Ira Curry Steele, was 34 and his mother, Margaret Hilligoss, was 23. He married Mary Ann Huddleston on 7 April 1870, in Jefferson, Iowa, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Jefferson Township, Polk, Iowa, United States in 1880 and Polk Township, Jefferson, Iowa, United States for about 10 years. He died on 17 October 1912, in Jefferson, Iowa, United States, at the age of 61, and was buried in Prairie Center Cemetery, Packwood, Jefferson, Iowa, United States.