Martha Grizzle Dixon was born in Ireland on 10 Jun 1750 and died in Aug 1848 in old Benton Co AL. She most often went by the name Grizzle/Grizle/Grizel. She arrived at the port of Charles Town, South Carolina, in early 1763 at just 12 years old. As passed down in her family, and retold by her Sizemore gg-granddaughters who were lovingly referred to as "The Girls," she said it took 13 weeks to come to America from Ireland. A chair that she brought with her survives to this day. [2012]

As recorded in the Council Journal, at a meeting on 19 Feb 1763, Grizzle was granted 100 acres in newly laid out Boonsborough Township. This land is near present day Donalds, SC, in Abbeville County. Also receiving land that day in Boonesborough Township and arriving on the same ship of Protestants were: John Dickson (100 acres), Michael Dickson (200 acres), and Jean Dixon (100 acres). It is believed that Jean and Grizzle are sisters.

Others receiving land that day in Boonesborough and arriving on the same ship were:
John FORSITH 100 acres & Bounty
Matuerin COLVILL 100
Andrew Seawright 300
Samuel PAXTON 250
Richard BROWN 100
George SEAWRIGHT 100
David MARTIN 100
James HATHORN 100
Mary MARTIN 100
John BAXTER 200
James Seawright 100
Hugh MONTOGMERY 100
James WASON 100
John SEAWRIGHT 100
James MCELRATH 100
Samuel SEAWRIGHT 250
John DICKSON 100
Elizabeth SEAWRIGHT 100
William MCDOWELL 250
Sarah MARTIN 100
Michael DICKSON 200
John MARTIN 100
Elizabeth SEAWRIGHT 100
Grizel DIXON 100
David MCCRORY 100
James HATHORN 300
Jean DIXON 100
John MCCULLOCH 100
Robert THOMPSON 100
Jane MCCULLOCH 100
Alexander MCCRACKEN 100
Elizabeth MCCULLOCH 100
Henry TEMPLETON 350
Janet MCCULLOCH 100
Elizabeth MATHEWS 100
Jean MCCULLOCH 100
Hugh KINGAN 100
Alixander MCCULLOCH 100
Francis MARTIN 250
Helen SEAWRIGHT 100
James CAMPBELL 100
The Rev'rd John BAXTER 500 acres

Grizzle is the name found in Council Journal records, in papers pertaining to the Revolutionary service of her husband, Isaac, and in his will. Her name is recorded as Martha when she relinquished her dower on a deed in 1800.

She married Isaac Steele about 1768 in Abbeville Dist SC. Isaac was a Revolutionary Soldier who was born 23 Oct 1732 in New Castle Co DE, and died in 1803 in Pendleton Dist SC. His will was probated on 15 Mar 1803. Their son, Isaac Jr, had a copy of the family records, assumed to come from a family Bible, which he had copied in his own handwriting and filed with a pension application in 1852 from DeKalb Co GA. In his application he stated that his mother told him she had married 3 years before their first child was born. He also stated he understood from his mother that after the close of the war during a trip to the North to see their relations, they passed by the Battle ground at Bunker's Hill, he [Isaac Sr] showed her the position of the Army during that battle.

Grizzle and Isaac were the parents of James Steele born 4 Apr 1771, Michael Steele born 2 Apr 1773, Margret Steele Turner born 28 Jun 1775, William Dixon Steele, born 9 Jan 1778, John Steele, born 27 Feb 1780, Ruth Steele born 13 Mar 1782, Isaac Steele Jr, born Jul 1786, Moses Steele, born 18 May 1788, and Mary Jane Steele Barnett born 22 Sep 1790.

At the time of the 1803 will, the children mentioned were Michael, William, John, Isaac, James, Margaret, Ruth, and Jenny. At the time Isaac Jr filed the pension application, the children still living were himself, Margaret Turner, William Steele, John Steele, Moses Steele, and Jane Barnett.

After the death of her husband, Grizzle migrated through Georgia and into Alabama with the family of her youngest child, Mary Jane Steele Barnett, ancestor of Debbie Z, who created this memorial & wrote the bio.