Introduction

My mother was Kathleen J. Steil. Her father was Frank W. Steil. Frank's father was George Peter Steil. George's father was John Peter Steil. So John Peter Steil is my second great grandfather.

John Peter Steil was born in Neuerburg, Germany on November 21, 1828. His parents were Peter Steil and Anna Endres. Both of John's parents were born in Germany prior to 1800. They both lived in Neuerburg when they died. John's ancestors can be traced back to his great grandfather, Peter Steil, who was born in 1709 and who died in Neuerburg.

Neuerburg is a small town in the Southwestern region of Germany in a state known today as Rhineland-Palatine. It was formerly known as Rhineland-Pfalz. Neuerburg is located just a few miles from the border of the nation of Luxembourg. The Rhineland-Palatine state shares borders with France, Luxembourg, and Belgium. The area is known for producing some of the best wines in Germany.

John Peter Steil was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church. Church records show that he married Anna Ruhl on May 15, 1858. Between 1859 and 1873, John and Anna had seven children. All of them were born in Neuerburg. The oldest, George Peter Steil, was my great grandfather. The others were: Eva, Valentin, John Nicholas, Katherine, Elizabeth, and Mary Anna.

John Peter Steil and Anna Ruhl (circa 1865)

George was the first to immigrate to America. He arrived in Detroit, Michigan in 1880, at the age of 21. His brother Valentine, immigrated to Detroit two years later. Their parents, John and Anna, arrived in Detroit in 1884, bringing four of their other children with them. The passenger list stated that John's occupation was a "joiner" -- a term that refers to a carpenter who makes furniture without the use of nails.

John's sons were also carpenters by trade. The Detroit City Directory listed them as cabinet makers. The family bought a home at 874 Mt. Elliott on the East Side of Detroit. The Steils attended St. Anthony Catholic Church.

Anna died in 1889 and John died two years later. Although he was Catholic, John was buried in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery on the East Side of Detroit. The cemetery is near the old Packard Motor Company plant. Cemetery records suggest that his son Valentine purchased the plot. Although Valentine was baptized as a Catholic, it appears that he later affiliated with the Lutheran Church. Marriage records shown that Valentine and his wife were married by a Lutheran minister. I have not been able to determine where Anna was buried.

When John and Anna came to America, they had seven descendants -- their children. Today, the family tree of John Peter Steil and Anna Ruhl has over 450 entries.

This website is dedicated to John Peter Steil, Anna Ruhl, their descendants, their ancestors, and their relatives. I hope that all members of the Steil family will enjoy reading about their family's history.

-- Thomas F. Coleman
February 1, 2012

Neuerburg, Germany became a municipality in 1332.
The Steil family lived in Neuerburg and vicinity.

Street cars were drawn by horses in the1890s in downtown Detroit.
The Steil family moved to Detroit.