12 Facts About Anne Steele

Anne Steele was an English Baptist hymnwriter and essayist.

At an early age, Steele showed a taste for literature, and would often entertain her friends with her poetical compositions.

Anne Steele was born at Broughton, Hampshire, in 1717.

At an early age, Anne Steele manifested a pious disposition, and at the age of fourteen, had become a member of the church of which her father was pastor.

Anne Steele discovered in early life her love of the Muses, and often entertained her friends with her poetical and pious writing.

Anne Steele has been called the Frances Ridley Havergal of the 18th century.

Several of Anne Steele's hymns appear in the Sacred Harp.

Anne Steele wrote a well-known Sunday school hymn before Sunday schools were established.

Always of a delicate constitution, it appears that Anne Steele's habits were very reclusive.

In 1769, Anne Steele's father died, and it is said that she never recovered from the shock.

Unlike most authors of her day, Anne Steele was in a financial position which enabled her to devote the profits of her books to religious and charitable uses, and the same course was pursued by her surviving relatives.

Anne Steele's hymns included class religious terms, which had a charm to those familiar with them, and who belonged to the "favoured" class, but had an unpleasant technical character to the ordinary reader.