THE NEIL

THE NEIL/NEEL/NEAL FAMILY

John Carraway married Margaret Keeling. They had a daughter named Elizabeth Ann Carraway who married Aaron Smith. Both Aaron Smith and his wife Elizabeth were killed by Indians on 7/4/1776 in Ninety Six District, South Carolina. Their daughter, who was also killed in the attack was married to Captain Andrew Neel. He and a lot of other settlers went after the Cherokee Indians. Andrew Neel himself died on August 13, 1776 fighting the Indians. One of their children was Aaron Neel. Aaron moved to Greene County, Georgia, Muhlenberg County, KY, and then Jefferson County, Mississippi by 1802. He is believed to have married a Cessna, but his wife could have also been a Culbertson. Aaron died in 1821 in Claiborne County, Mississippi. Aaron's other children were Aaron Lovett Neel, Charles C. Neel, Robert C. Neel, Thomas S. Neel, Elizabeth Caroline Neel( who married Gibeon Gibson Tidwell - son of Francis and Rebecca Tidwell), and Lurenna Smith Neel. All of these children moved to Madison County, Mississippi in the early 1830's. Aaron Lovett Neel and Charles C. Neel stayed in Madison County and are buried there in marked graves. Thomas S. Neel moved back to Hinds County, MS and is buried there. Robert C. Neel moved to Arkansas. Elizabeth C. Neel Tidwell moved to East Carroll Parish, LA and her estate files are there. Lurenna Smith Neel married a bunch a times a ended up back in Claiborne County, MS.

Aaron and Rebecca's son John 'Carraway' Neel married Charlotte Tidwell, daughter of Francis and Rebecca Tidwell, on 20 July 1818 in Jefferson County, MS. Census records place Charlotte Tidwell's birth between 1794 and 1800. Their children Culbertson Cessna, b.1818; Tennessee, b. 1820; Gibson G., b. 1823; Richard Tidwell, b. 1827; Aaron Lovett, b. 1830; David F., b.1832; and one male child who died young b. abt. 1825.

And so begins our Texas story:

John Carraway Neel, records indicate John's surname as NEIL, NEEL, and NEAL, died in Madison County, Mississippi abt. May 1834. As females were not allowed to own land in Mississippi in those good old days Charlotte's brother, Gibeon Gibson Tidwell, set himself up to handle her and the children's estate by petitioning the court.

Charlotte Tidwell Neel married Lanier W. Ludlow on 18 Feb 1837 in Madison County, MS. Lanier, also known as L. W. and Louis W. Ludlow, was born abt. 1815 in MS and was about 20 years younger than his spouse. It is believed Lanier was attacked by Gibeon Tidwell, Charlotte's brother, on the street of Canton, MS in 1838 and in the ensuing argument and fight Gibeon who was armed with a pistol threatened Ludlow who obtained a gun from a bystander shot Gibeon Tidwell to death. An argument which went wrong over Gibeon's handling of the Neel children's estate. Ludlow was arrested and held for a court hearing and was released on bail and later the court ruled he shot Tidwell in self defense and Ludlow was released from custody. It is believed Lanier Ludlow and family went into seclusion and family ties in Clarke County, MS, where they can be found in the 1840 Census, to avoid retaliation by the Tidwell family.

With most of the Neel estate settled and possibly to further avoid any more confrontations with the Tidwell's over Gibeon's death they moved to Polk County, Texas in the mid 1840s. Charlotte and Lanier had 2 children Sarah, b. 1838, MS and Lanier W., Jr., b. 1844, MS. The 1850 Census of Polk County lists Charlotte's age as 38 but she was closer to 56 years old. She may have been a much younger looking woman than her age dictated. David F Neel is living with them. The Ludlow family along with David moved to Jasper County, TX where Charlotte died before 1860; her headstone has no dates.

Aaron Lovett Neel moved his family back to Mississippi prior to the 1850 Texas Census.

Culbertson Cessna Neel, 1818-1907, married Sarah Ann Ludlow, 1826-1892, about 1842 in MS. Settled first in Polk County and by 1860 had relocated to Tyler County, TX where he died and is buried.

Tennessee Neal was born 5 March 1820 in Jefferson County, Mississippi and married Samuel James Brown, Jr. on 15 Oct 1834 in Madison County, MS. Also known as Tennie, she and James had 8 children Laura Catherine, 1835, married William Brewer Rhode; Charlotte Virginia, b. 1838, married Joel Rhode & Archibald Jacob Smothers; Ann Williams, married Wright McBride; James C, b. 1843; George Washington, b. 1845, married Amarintha Hall; Alice I, b. 1848, married Stephen J Townsend; Missouri, b. 1851; and William W, b 1854. Tennessee Neal Brown died and was buried in Rankin County, MS on 13 Sep 1855. James Brown married (2) Rebecca Margaret Rhodes on 5 Oct 1856 in MS and moved the family to Lavaca County. Samuel James Brown, Jr. died 29 Aug 1882 Shiloh, Lavaca, TX.

Gibson G NEEL, also known as Gibson G NEIL, Gibb NEIL, Gibby NEEAL, Gibson Gilbert NEEL, and Gibeon Gibson NEEL was born 20 July 1823 in Jefferson County, MS. and married Massena Rankin abt. 1843 in Rankin County, MS. Massena Rankin, daughter of John Keith and Elizabeth Butler Rankin, was born 5 Jan 1825 in Wayne County, MS died following childbirth on 8 Feb 1869 in DeWitt County and is buried in Burns Station Cemetery. Gibson was a farmer in Polk, DeWitt, Lavaca, and Gonzales Counties and he and Massena had 9 children. Gibson died in Gonzales County, TX on 7 Jan 1897.

Their children are:

Charlotte Elizabeth, b. 26 Nov 1843, MS, married Columbus C Thompson, 21 Dec 1876, DeWitt County in is buried in Burn's Station Cem.

Margaret Ann, b. 28 Sep 1846, MS, married Henry Miles Hale, 30 Sep 1880 Gonzales County, died and buried in Olustee, OK.

John Wesley 'Unk', b. 15 Feb 1849, Polk County, TX. married Ella E Farrington on 20 Mar 1873 Hallettsville, d. 1912 Houston.

Robert Marshal, b. 18 Aug 1852, Polk County, married Martha E 'Mattie' Cochran on 14 Oct 1873 DeWitt County

Rufus Walker, b. March 1855, married Mary E 'Mollie' Hasson on 25 Jul 1883 DeWitt County. Children are: Walker William, Mattie, Josie, Della, and Myrtle.

Harriett Virginia 'Hattie', b. Dec 1857, married James Albert Hasson abt 1884 , Hattie is buried in Burns Station Cemetery

Samuel Edward, b. Aug 1860, married Lula Jay Frazier on 7 Feb 1888 DeWitt County, both buried in Burns Station Cem.

William 'Lee', b. 13 Jun 1963 DeWitt County, married Virginia 'Jennie' Neal on 1 Jan 1889 Cuero & Mrs. Iva King in 1925 Beaumont. Iva and Lee divorced and Lee d. 21 Jan 1927 Beaumont,TX.

Thomas Massena, b. 30 Jan 1869, married Mary Jane Ladd on 31 Dec 1888, Cuero, d. 24 Feb 1938, Beaumont, TX. Mary Jane b. Feb 1870 DeWitt County, d. 31 Dec 1952 Beaumont, TX was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Newsom Ladd. James and Elizabeth married 8 Feb 1866 in Clinton. Thomas and Mary NEEL are buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Beaumont with their 3 children; two died at birth and Robert Franklin b. 21 April 1892 in Edgar, died 21 Feb 1937, Beaumont.

Richard Tidwell NEAL ,a farmer, was born 2 Feb 1827 in Jefferson County, MS and married Eliza Perry on 21 Oct 1845 in Rankin County, MS the family lived and 2 children were born in Scott County, MS and moved to Polk County, TX before 1850 with his mother and siblings. By 1860 Richard had relocated to Rapides Parish, LA in the Alexandria PO area as a farmer. I don't know where they went between 1860 and 1880. Richard and Eliza are in DeWitt County in the 1880 Census. Eliza Perry Neal died in Victoria 3 Oct 1894 and Richard is living with his daughter and her family in the 1900 Census in Victoria and Karnes County 1910. Richard died in Karnes County on 29 Oct 1911 at the age of 84. The families stay in Louisiana prompted some of his children to later claim Louisiana as their birth places.

Richard & Eliza Perry NEAL children:

Martha Ann NEAL Born in Scott County, MS on 2 Dec 1846 married Zadock Augustus FINCK on 4 April 1868 in Orange, Texas. Zadock was born 1 Dec 1848 in Louisiana to Edward and Susan FINCK. Widowed Edward FINK was Census taker in Sabine Pass, TX in 1870.

Fink, Z.A., architect, Vol. 32 No. (26) Gonz.Inq. 3 Jan 1885

Zadock Augustus Finck born 1846 in Louisiana was a carpenter and building contractor. He came to Cuero, Texas, from Gonzales, Texas, where he had built a number of the finest residences in the city. He built the Methodist Church in Cuero, erecting this and several other buildings, after which he formed a partnership with Charles Fuess, his son-in-law who came from San Antonio, Texas. This business was named "Finck & Fuess Contractors". He had also resided at Sabine Pass where he was married, and Luling, Texas.

Finck & Fuess Contractors commenced operations on February 28, 1880 and took first rank among their contemporaries. They also operated a planing mill, and manufactured molding and all kinds of turned work, store and bank fixtures, counters, shelving, etc. They erected the Buchel Building, Henry Keller’s Building, Trautwein Building, and numerous other buildings of architectural beauty. They also built fifty or sixty cottages and less pretentious buildings.

Martha FINCK died in Cuero 6 Jun 1894 and is buried in Hillside Cemetery.

"M. A. Finck, wife of Mr.,. Finck, died Tuesday evening from typhoid. For years she has not enjoyed health and the attack of such malady was more than her enfeebled constitution could stand. She was 47 years of age, and was the mother of six children, four of whom are married. Mesdames Fuess, Meyers, Lieser and Whitten. Her maiden name was Neel, born in Scott County, Mississippi, married at Orange, Texas in 1867, and the family has resided at Sabine Pass, Luling and Gonzales."

"Ten children were born of the union, four of whom died. Though life was sapped by unquenchable fever, death came peacefully and quietly, without the great dread of the final. She had long been a consistent member of the Methodist Church, and was appropriately remarked by Dr. Evans in the course of his lucid and practical funeral sermon, the hour of death is not so important as the manner in which one's life has been spent. A large congregation assembled at the church."

Lydia FINCK married Albert Myers son of Samuel and Mary Rankin Myers and is buried in Hillside Cemetery. Lydia and Albert had 1 living child, Albert Eugene Myers.

John C NEAL, b. abt. 1847-48 Scott County, MS.

Aaron Love NEAL first born child of Richard and Eliza in Texas was born 13 Apr 1850 in Polk County. Beginning in 1900 Aaron listed his birth place as LA. Aaron married Laura Myers daughter of Samuel and Mary Rankin Myers , whom he may have first met in Polk County, on 15 Mar 1868 DeWitt County. The Myers and NEEL families were neighbors in 1850 and can be located on the same census page. Aaron worked as a farmer for many years and later as a carpenter. He may have worked and learned his trade from his brother-in-law Z. A. Finck? Laura Myers Neel died 31 Aug 1890 and is buried in Burns Station Cemetery. Aaron married a second time to Mrs. Maggie B Hester Norwood abt 1893 and is listed as A L Neeld in the membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church North in Hallettsville 1896. He and Maggie divorced some years later. Aaron died, 24 Aug 1924, in the TB Hospital and was buried, 25 Aug 1924, in San Antonio. Maggie Hester's father was Mayor of Hallettsville for many years.

Aaron and Laura Myers NEAL Children:

Samuel Richard, b. March 1869 DeWitt County, d. 25 Aug 1921 Houston, married abt 1890, Elizabeth Carr Williams b. 8 Feb 1870 DeWitt County, d. 23 April 1934 Houston. Samuel was a farmer in San Saba, 1900, a rail car inspector in El Paso in 1910, Living in Houston 1918 and Beaumont in 1920 as a Boiler Maker.

Virginia 'Jennie', was the older of twins, b. 3 Dec 1871 DeWitt County. She married First Cousin once removed William Lee Neel on 1 Jan 1889. These two were related through both Neel/Neal and Rankin families. Jennie died in Beaumont on 17 Sep 1923 of kidney failure and high blood pressure. Lee and Jennie are buried in the Magnolia Cemetery, without head stones, Beaumont Texas. Jennie had five children 4 lived to adulthood. The children are: William Claude, 1891-1938; Samuel Berthold, 1892-1962; Minnie, 1896-1964; and Maud, 1899-1942.

Vienna 'Annie', was the younger twin b. 3 Dec 1871 married Samuel C Williams abt 1889. Samuel was b. 22 Oct 1868, d. 7 Jul 1915. Annie lived, owned, and operated a dress shop in San Antonio and died 11 Aug 1940; both are buried in Hebron Cemetery.

John Love, b. 6 Jul 1874, married Lilliam M DuBose b. March 1877, d. 5 Nov 1970 abt 1897. They lived in Sanderson, Terrell County, John worked for the railroad there and both are buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Sanderson. They had only 1 daughter, Ethel b. 20 Oct 1900 Lockhart, TX d. 14 May 1988 in Odessa.  

Eloise 'Lola', b. abt. 1876 married Joshua Martin Dowlearn, Jr. on 15 Feb 1892 DeWitt County. Joshua in 1910 was working as a carpenter in San Antonio, in 1920 living in Lodi, Wilson County he was a farmer, 1930 back in San Antonio he was a soft drink proprietor, and died in 1942. They had 11 children.

Ada, b. abt 1878 may have been also called Rosa. I'm still trying to find information on these family members.

Ollie, b. 24 Dec 1879 was the 2nd wife of William Thomas Murphree, b. 10 Jul 1880 DeWitt County; d. 3 Oct 1959 Cuero, married abt. 1906. Ollie and Tom farmed and operated a Creamery in Cuero in 1930. Their children are Joseph Owen (1907-1970)and Eunice Lulu (1909-1983) married Gene Livingston & Ralph Reiffert, Ollie died 11 Aug 1935.

Ollie NEEL b. 5 Jan 1889, d. 2 April 1891 buried in the Burns Station Cemetery. It is a mystery why two children were named the same while the older child still lived.

 

Henry C NEAL 4th child of Richard and Eliza NEAL was born in Polk County, TX abt. 1852. Little is known about Henry; he married Jane E Clay in DeWitt County, 27 Apr 1873 and died between 1894 and 1900. Jane is found with children in Kaufman County 1900 Census and by 1910 had relocated to Oklahoma City, OK where she died before 1930. Henry and Jane had 10 children of whom 8 survived.

Mary Jane, b. Jul 1853, Polk County was the 5th child of Richard and Eliza Neal. Jane has been called Jane Clay NEEL in some early articles on the Myers family. Mary 'Jane' was the 2nd spouse of Alonzo Myers, son of Samuel and Mary Rankin MYERS, and they married 11 March 1877 in DeWitt County. According to Census records Jane and Alonzo had 5 children 4 which lived. Alonzo and Jane divorced. Richard Tidwell lived with Jane and family until his death.

Jane and Alonzo Myers Children are:

Richard Samuel Myers later was called Samuel Richard after grandfather Richard began living with them. Never married.

Mary Cornelia Myers married John Achilles Haas. They had about 11 children.

Ida Bell Myers 1884-1955 never married???

James Hollis 'Jim' Myers 1888-1964 married Carrie Riley 3 April 1915. 2 children.

 

Laura V NEAL 6th child of Richard and Eliza was born in Polk County, TX abt. 1856.

John Carraway and Charlotte Tidwell Neel's last child:

David F NEAL b 14 April 1832 in Madison County, MS moved with the Ludlow family to Polk County 1850 and on to Jasper County, TX along with his mother and step father, Lanier Ludlow. David married Margaret Ann 'Peggy' Jordan, daughter of William Isaac and Mathulda Isaacks Jordan, on 6 Jan 1853 in Jasper County. Peggy b. abt. 1837. died 26 Oct 1860 in Jasper County after giving birth to their 5th child. David and Peggy's children are William Jourdan, Apr 1885, John, 1856, Joel, 1857; Adaline, 1858; and Malinda, 1960. David after attaining the age of 21, as required by Mississippi law, in 1854 sent an agent to Madison County, MS and petitioned the court for settlement of his part of the John Carraway Neel estate. David married a second time, she is unknown, and had 4 more children Nancy, 1862; Mary, 1864; Charlotte, 1866, and Ella, Feb 1870. David married a third time abt 1871 to Rachael S who was born in Mississippi, April 1850. On 24 Jun 1880 David F NEAL and family can be located in Justice Precinct 2, Lavaca County. They must have arrived in the county before 1875; His son William Jourdan NEAL/NEEL married Theodosia Elizabeth Smith daughter of Benjamin & Britania Daves Smith abt. 1875 Lavaca County. William died 3 Jul 1938 and Theodosia died in Lavaca county, 6 Apr 1942. David F Neal moved on to Caldwell County and Erath Counties. David F NEAL/NEEL died 15 May 1917.

Marvin Monroe NEEL b. 10 Oct 1890 Thomaston, son of Samuel Edward & Lula Jay Frazier NEEL married second cousin once removed Lillie Jane NEEL b. April 1892 on 11 Nov 1913 Beaumont, TX. Lillie is the daughter of Samuel Richard & Elizabeth Carr Williams NEAL/NEEL. Marvin died 20 Jun 1960 Harris County, TX.

*For many years some of the NEAL family keep the spelling and in later life their names get changed to NEEL.

**Please correct any inaccuracies or make additions as necessary.

Contact D Allan Doiron to make additions and corrections about this family. Email D Allan Doiron