Fair Valley, Medonte - Sir Sam Steele

Location:  N 44° 38.943 W 079° 35.751   On the 11th Line, north of Fairvalley Church Road.  


SIR SAMUEL BENFIELD STEELE 
First commanding officer of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), also know as "Canada's Greatest Police Officer" for his accomplishments with the North West Mounted Police. 
This memorial is located at Purbrook, the family farm of the Steele family. A memorial to his father also appears at this site, along with a picnic area and shelter.
The two stones lying flat on the ground to either side of the main stone, are the French translation of the main stone.

 Marker Text:
Front:
SIR SAMUEL BENFIELD STEELE
KCMG. CB. MVO

BORN JANUARY 5 1848, HERE AT PURBROOK
SON OF CAPT ELMES STEELE AND HIS WIFE, ANNE

35TH REGIMENT, SIMCOE MILITIA - 1866
A BATTERY, ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY - 1871
NORTH WEST MOUNTED POLICE - 1873
MARCH WEST IN 1874
KOOTENEY EXPEDITION AND FORT STEELE
YUKON - THE GOLD RUSH - 1898
RAISED STRATHCONA'S HORSE - 1900
COMMANDED IN SOUTH AFRICA 1900-1901
ANGLO-BOER WAR
SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY - 1901
PROMOTED MAJOR-GENERAL 1914
KNIGHTED KCMG - 1918
DIED JANUARY 30, 1919 AT PUTNEY ENGLAND
BURIED AT WINNIPEG MANITOBA

Rear:
THIS STONE
DEDICATED JULY 13 2000 BY
LORD STRATHCONA'S HORSE (ROYAL CANADIANS)
TO THE MEMORY OF THEIR FIRST COMMANDING OFFICER
SAM STEELE
ON THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF HIS RAISING THE REGIMENT

TOGETHER WITH 

THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE
HONOURING
"CANADA'S GREATEST POLICE OFFICER"

IN THE PRESENCE OF
IAN BEARD   MAYOR   ORO-MEDONTE
THE RT REV JT PRYCE    BISHOP OF YORK-SIMCOE
MAJ THE REV A. SCHOOLEY LdSH(RC)
REV GERRY McMILLAN RCMP
LCOL J.W. ELLIS   COMMANDING OFFICER LdSH(RC)
A/COMMR A. HUTCHINSON   RCMP
L COL B.P. MILLER   CO GREY AND SIMCOE FORESTERS
L. JORDAAN  1ST SEC Y SOUTH AFRICAN HIGH COMMISSION
BRUCE & JOCELYN PEARSON      AUBREY  & ELIZABETH FORD
RSM (RET) SHAD SHADBOLT LdSH(RC)
MURRAY A. CAYLEY DEAN LDSH(RC)
BONNIE G. ROURKE       ARLENE SHADBOLT
PERSEVERANCE