(Source: “As Time Goes By”, Odebolt, Iowa 1877-1977,
printed by The Odebolt Chronicle May, 1977)
The Neville farm located South of Odebolt in Wheeler Township, was purchased by William T. Neville from Iowa Railroad Land Company in 1876.
William T. Neville, son of George and Anna (McCorkle) Neville was born December 30, 1841 near DeWitt, Iowa and died May 25, 1923.
On August 12, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Civil War. He was a true and loyal soldier and saw active duty in the battles of Vicksburg, Shiloh, Memphis, Jackson, Champion Hill and Brandon, serving under Grant and Sherman. At the battle of Shiloh he was taken prisoner, and was held for over six months.
He was mustered out at the expiration of his term of service at Davenport, Iowa on Sept. 28, 1864.
On December 25, 1875 Mr. and Mrs. William T.
Neville and five children came by covered wagon to Wheeler township, Sac County,
Iowa and settled on the farm now [1977] owned by one of his grandsons, Charlie
and family.
Those were the pioneer days and the family endured the hardships of those times. The first summer they lived in the covered wagon until a sod house was put up. There Niles and Elizabeth were born, and this served as a home for three years until lumber was hauled from Vail, with a team of oxen, to construct a frame house.
The wife and mother passed away in 1880. Mr. Neville married the second time to Mrs. Hester Ann Baker of Greene County.
Ten years prior to his death, Mr. Neville was totally blind.
William and Anna Neville were parents of George William, Anna (Mrs. Frank Ballard), Harvey N., Ami, Frank W., John, Niles Neri, Elizabeth (Mrs. LeRoy Purdy), Ida Mae (Mrs. John Baker), Lewis, who died in infancy.
Niles Neri was born 1875 and died 1946. He married Anna Vohs and they lived on the farm where Charlie now lives. Children of Niles and Anna; Sarah ( Mrs. George Lundgren), Florence (Mrs. Lowal Spaulding); Charlie Neri, and Earl.
Charlie Neri married Ruth Rydberg in 1926. [Information on more recent generations has been removed.]
See more information on Neville at Odebolt Area Farms
(Transcribed by Kim Tholl, Dec.2002. Photos scanned by B. Horak.)