John Steele and his wife, Mary Spalding, lived in the house from 1831 to 1843. The registry of land deeds only records the history of the property, and not the history of the residence. John Ogden received the grant for this land from the Crown in 1809. The house can be securely dated to 1831 as Mary Steele wrote a letter to a friend in February of that year stating that she hoped to hire a girl to help her with the housework: “My haste must apologize for my abruptness while I say that I would like to get that girl Miss Smith and that I would wish to begin next week with me if possible … I forgot to mention I should expect to pay her out of the store and of course to let her get shoes and the like where we are dealing.” In 1843, John and Mary Steele moved from Colborne to a red brick house beside Mary’s father, Thomas Spalding of Grafton. These twin Georgian houses still stand on Highway 2 in Grafton.

The historical name for the 3 King Street West, is the “Thornton Residence,” although the Thorntons lived in the house for only nine years. The Scougale family and their descendants owned the house for 101 years. The Gordon Brothers Ladies’ Clothing Store was next door with other businesses on the Scougale Block. This one and half storey house is an example of how building styles were influenced by taxation in Ontario of the day. Taxes were based on the number of stories, the number of fireplaces and building materials. This house would have been taxed at the rate of one and a half stories even though there were two full floors.

John Steele founded the Northumberland Pilot, and was also involved with the Watchman, published in Port Hope. He helped found Queen’s University and was a member of its first board. Steele served as Postmaster in 1824, and as a magistrate and chairman of the Newcastle Quarter Sessions. In 1837, he was appointed a member of the Board of Education for the District of Newcastle, and by 1844, he was Superintendent of Schools for the District. He also took part in other local organizations, including agricultural societies, the Canada Literacy Society, Manual Labour and Educational Society, and the Northumberland Militia, where he held a captaincy in the 3rd Regiment. A staunch Presbyterian, Steele fought against the establishment of the Anglican Church as the state religion of Canada.