John Steel was baptised at Birdham on 23 Feb 1713/4. His mother died when he was 3.
On 4 Nov 1735 John Steel of Birdham married Ann Farr of Donnington at Chichester St Andrew.
(Ann Farr was the daughter of John and Sarah. She was baptised at Donnington on 31 May 1719. Her father died when she was 12 and he was buried at Donnington on 12 May 1731).
John & Ann Steel lived at Donnington for the rest of their lives and had 10 children between 1738 and 1763.
4 Nov 1736 Elizabeth (married Thomas Cox 9 Mar 1762 at Donnington)
12 Oct 1738 John (buried 21 Feb 1739/40)
15 Mar 1740/1 William
2 Oct 1743 John (buried 16 Dec 1743)
24 Mar 1744/5 Ann
6 Sept 1747 John (married Sarah Stevenson 28 Feb 1771 at Selsey)
20 May 1750 Sarah (buried 29 May 1750)
? Mar 1754 Thomas
13 Feb 1757 Mary (married John Chat 21 Apr 1778 at Donnington)
21 May 1763 Sarah (buried 25 May 1763)
John died at the age of 53 and was buried at Donnington on 26 Feb 1767 leaving Ann with 5 living children: Elizabeth 30 (already married to Thomas Cox), William 27, Ann 22, John 20, Thomas 12 and Mary 9.
John’s widow, Ann, lived for another 19 years. She was buried, as a pauper, at Donnington on 6 Dec 1786 aged 67.