• Born: 19 Jul 1812, Albany NY
• Marriage (1): Sarah Ann Abbe on 6 Oct 1833
• Died: 21 Mar 1893, Rochester NY

  General notes:

Silversmith

  Events in his life were:

• Alternate Mark used on wholesale goods

• He was a partner in 1834-1869 with George Hocknell in Rochester NY as STEELE & HOCKNELL, listed in the 1838 city directory on Clinton Street. ⁴

• Advertised in the Rochester Gazette (Rochester NY), 5 Sep 1834, announcing, for STEELE & HOCKNELL a "new silver establishment" at the corner of North Clinton and Main Street.

• Printed circular with manuscript notes to WHEELER & BROOKS
  Private Collection
  
  

  Rochester, Sept 29, 1834
  Mr. Wheeler & Brooks
  We send you the following List of Prices for Silver Work.
  Table Forks,		$10.50	per dozen.
  Dessert Forks,		9.00	do
  Soup Ladles,		2.25	each
  Syllabub Ladles,		1.12	do
  Sauce or Butter Ladles,		0.75	do
  Cream Ladles,	basket,	3.75	per dozen.
  do	heels and tips,	3.75	do
  do	tips only,	3.50	do
  Gravy Spoons,		1.25	each
  Table Spoons,	basket to 24 oz.	5.25	per dozen.
  do	do, above 24 oz.	5.50	do
  do	heels and tips, to 24 oz.	5.00	do
  do	do, above 24 oz.	5.50	do
  do	tips only, to 24 oz.	4.75	do
  do	do, above 24 oz.	5.12	do
  do	plain, to 24 oz.	4.50	do
  do	do, above 24 oz.	4.75	do
  Dessert Spoons,	basket to 12 oz.	3.50	per dozen.
  do	do, above 12 oz.	3.75	do
  do	heels and tips, to 12 oz.	3.25	do
  do	do, above 12 oz.	3.50	do
  do	tips only, to 12 oz.	3.12	do
  do	do, above 12 oz.	3.38	do
  do	plain, to 12 oz.	3.00	do
  do	do, above 12 oz.	3.25	do
  Tea Spoons	basket, to 7 1-2 oz.	2.50 25	do
  do	do above 7 1-2 oz.	2.50	do
  do	heel and tips, to 6 oz.	2.00	do
  do	do 7 and 8 oz.	2.25	do
  do	do above 8 oz.	2.50	do
  do	tips only, to 6 oz.	1.94	do
  do	do 7 and 8 oz.	2.06	do
  do	do above 8 oz.	2.25	do
  do	plain, to 6 oz.	1.85	do
  do	do 7 and 8 oz.	1.97	do
  do	do above 8 oz.	2.97	do
  Sugar Tongs	chased claws,	0.88	per pair
  do	basket or shell, chased claws	1.00	do
  do	plain shell bowls,	0.72	do
  do	basket shell bowls,	0.84	do
  Salt and Mustard Spoons same as light Teas.
  Our work we make double shouldered; silver equal to dollars, for which we charge $1.20 per oz. and allow $1.15 per oz. for silver. We also manufacture Fish, Dessert and butter knives, and almost all articles in the Silver Line. Our factory is on the corner of Main and Clinton Streets.
  Respectfully yours,
  Steel & Hocknell.
  — page two — Rochester Dec 16th, 1834 Mr. D. Wheeler -- Sir, we shall expect you here on friday or saturday as the spoons will be done. If you have wrote [sic] we have not recieved your letter Yours Steele & Hocknell

• He was a partner in 1835-1838 with John G. Crocker in Rochester NY as STEELE & CROCKER (not to be confused with the Hartford firm of STEELE & CROCKER). ¹⁸

• He worked in 1839-1880 as a silversmith in Rochester NY
  Listed in the 1838 city directory as such. In 1866 he advertised as a spoon maker in Poole's Building, rear of 3 Buffalo Street, near the Main Street Bridge, where he offered "old spoons made over". By 1869, he was located in the Rochester House Block, which was destroyed by fire on 4 April 1869, in which he suffered losses exceeding $600.00. ⁴

• He appeared on the 1850 census taken at Rochester NY, listed as a silversmith.

• He appeared on the 1860 census taken at Rochester NY, listed as a silversmith.

• He appeared on the 1865 census taken at Rochester NY, listed as a silversmith.

• Advertised in the Rochester City Directory (Rochester NY), 1870,

• He appeared on the 1870 census taken at Rochester NY, listed as a silversmith.

• He appeared on the 1875 census taken at Rochester NY, listed as a silversmith.

• He appeared on the 1880 census taken at Rochester NY, listed as a silversmith.

James married Sarah Ann Abbe on 6 Oct 1833. (Sarah Ann Abbe was born on 13 Oct 1814 in Enfield CT.)