appointed Steele Governor of Oklahoma Territory. Following his retirement from the army, Steele returned to Indiana, where he settled in
Marion and established a business that engaged in agricultural pursuits and pork packing. Steele's loyalty to the Union led him to join the
Republican Party. He became active in local politics and gained enough support to win the race to serve as a Congressman from Indiana's 11th District in 1880. Steele was inaugurated on March 4, 1883. He retained his post for eight years, winning reelection in 1882, 1884, and 1886. After officially leaving office on March 3, 1889, Steele returned home to Marion. Within a year's time, on May 2, 1890, the western portion of the unorganized territory of modern-day
Oklahoma became the
Oklahoma Territory. Upon hearing reports of disorder and chaos in the new territory, President
Benjamin Harrison wanted a former
military officer to serve as the territory's first governor. Harrison appointed Steele to the office, and on May 22, 1890, Steele was inaugurated in
Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory.
Governor of Oklahoma Territory Immediately upon entering office, Governor Steele declared a
state of emergency throughout the Territory. This allowed him to best use his experience as a military officer. Steele supplemented the orderly processes of government for the Territory's disorderly situation. Unfortunately for the Governor, much of his time was occupied with a dispute with the
Oklahoma Territorial Legislature. The Legislature wanted to move the capital from
Guthrie, first to
Oklahoma City then to
Kingfisher. All of these bills were vetoed by the Governor. Steele also urged the creation of a public school system and universities of higher education in the Territory. Through his work, the Legislature approved and established two universities: one in
Norman and another in
Stillwater. The Norman Territorial University would become
University of Oklahoma, with the Stillwater A&M College becoming
Oklahoma State University. After only seventeen months in office, Governor Steele resigned the governorship effective October 18, 1891. In his place, President Harrison appointed
Abraham Jefferson Seay to the governorship.
Robert Martin, Secretary of Oklahoma Territory, served as Acting Governor from October 18, 1891, until February 1892, when Governor Seay took the oath of office.
National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Marion Branch Returning to Marion, Steele remained a private citizen until he reentered state politics in 1894 when he was elected to once again represent Indiana's 11th District in the
United States House of Representatives. His term officially began on March 4, 1895. While in the House, Steele served as the Chairman for the
House Committee on Manufactures, during the
57th United States Congress. Steele remained in office as a Congressman until 1903, after serving eight years. The existence of the Marion Branch was due, in great part to the leadership of George Steele Sr. of Marion, who represented the 11th Congressional District of Indiana from 1880 to 1890. During his last term, he introduced legislation to establish a branch home in Grant County in the fiftieth session of congress, the measure coming up in December, and for seven months he watched the proceedings. The bill was approved by an Act of Congress and signed by President Grover Cleveland on July 23, 1888, entitled: "An Act to authorize the location of a Branch Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Grant County, Indiana, and For Other Purposes". Approval of Steele's bill was received with great enthusiasm in Marion, where the local newspaper predicted that the expenditure for the branch would total at least $500,000. News of the bills passing was favorably received in Grant County and on July 30, 1888, a celebration took place and it was estimated that the streets of Marion were thronged with the largest assemblage ever reported in Marion. In early 1890 Steele became the first President of the First National Bank in Marion. However, at the request of President Benjamin Harrison, he took the position of governor of the Oklahoma Territory from mid 1890 to late 1891. Upon his return to Marion in 1894, he was elected Congressional representative for four more terms. Steele also served on the Board of Managers of the National Military Home at Marion from April 21, 1890, to December 10, 1904. On December 11, 1904, Steele became the third director of the Marion Branch, moving to the Director's House on the grounds and serving until his retirement on May 31, 1915. ==Death and legacy==