The Neal Family of Linn County, Iowa

ELMER D. NEAL,

During his entire life this gentleman has been a resident of Linn township, and is to-day numbered among its most highly esteemed citizens. He was born on his father's farm, May 4, 1850, his parents being Chancy and Jane (Clark) Xeal. His father was born in Erie county, Xew York, on the 8th of June, 1821, and was a son of Ira and Eunice (Chase) Xeal, natives of Alassachusetts, who after their marriage located in Xew York state, on what was known as the Holland purchase, and later removed to Lorain county, Ohiki. There Ira Xeal died in 1834. and in 1848 his wife came to Linn county, Iowa, making her home in Maine township until her death.

They had five children, Ar\illa, Chancv. Horace, Rosanna and Ira.

Chancy Xeal received a fair conimonsciiool education, and remained with his mother in Lorain county, Ohio, until No- Aemher, 1839, when he started overland fur Linn ctnmty, Iowa, arriving here in December. On landing in this state he found that his cash capital consisted of (july twenty-five cents, but he soon obtained work on a farm in Linn township at twelve dollars per month. He continued his residence here thniugiiout the remainder of his life with the exception of one year spent in Burlington, Iowa, and another in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where he learned the wagonmaker's trade, but he never followed it to any extent, the greater part of his life being devoted to farming. He died upon his farm on section 16, Linn township, February 24, 1887, having six years previously retired from active labor. His remains were interred in the Mt. Zion cemetery. He accumulated considerable property, which he divided among his children, who still reside on the same, and he retained only fifty acres for himself. He was a benevolent and generous man, and was honored by his fellow citizens with nearly all of the township offices. In politics he was a Democrat.

In Franklin township, this county, January 27, 1846, Chancy Xeal married Miss Jane Clark, who was born in Lorain county, Ohio, September 8, 1826, a daughter of Oliver and Electa ( Wilcox) Clark, whose biography is given in connection with that of Oliver Clark on another page of this volume. Mrs. Neal survived her husband for some years, and continued to reside with her daughter on the old homestead in Linn township. She died December 17, i8yo.

at the age of sixty-two years, three months and fourteen days, while visiting at the home of her son Henry in Linn township. She was laid to rest by the side of her husband in the Mt. Zion cemetery. The\- were the parents of four children: Ira, born in Linn township, died at the age of eighteen months; Elmer D., our subject, is next in order (jf birth; Mary is the wife of Andrew Reid, a farmer of Linn township; and Henry married Minnie J. Leigh, and is also engaged in farming in Linn township.

During his boyhood Elmer D. Xeal pursued his studies in a primitive log school house, so common on the frontier, and he remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority. He subsequently engaged in farming on land rented of his father for two years, and in the spring of 1874 removed to his present farm on section. Linn township, where he has three hundred and twenty-five acres of land under a high state of cultivation and well improved with good buildings, including a pleasant residence and a commodious barn. He also owns one hundred and twenty acres on sections 29 and 7,2, Linn township, and one hundred and seven acres of land in Franklin township, and as a farmer and stock raiser he is' meeting with excellent success. He also is interested extensively in town property in Lislion.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HEXRY E. NEAL.

Linn township has no more progressive or enterprising citizen than Henry E. Neal, who is now successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits on section 34. A native of that township, he was born on section 2,2 February 14. 1860, and is a son of Chancy and Jane (Clark) Neal, a sketch of whom is given in connection with that of Elmer D. Xeal on another page of this volume.

Our subject spent the first thirteen years of his life on the farm where he was born, and then removed with his parents to section 16, Linn township, where the father had purchased another farm. He remained at hume until he was married, Octol.jer 18,

1882, the lady of his choice being Miss Minnie J. Leigh, also a native of Linn township and a daughter of Charles A. and Lydia A. ( Ballard) Leigh. During her girlhood she attended the public schools of that township and Mt. Vernon, and for over a year was also a student at Cornell College. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children: Clarence E., born July 31,

1883, has attended Cornell College for the last year, and is now assisting his father in the work of the farm; Ethel M., born April 29, 1887, Clara M., born May 30, 1889, and Lloyd E., born September 1, 1893, are attending the district school near their home.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EDGAR D. NEAL

Edgar D. Neal is one of the younger representatives of agricultural interests in Linn county, owning and operating a well improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Linn township. He has always resided in that township, where his birth occurred on a farm in 187-3. He is the eldest in a family of three sons and one daughter, whose parents are Elmer D. and Amanda E. (Hoover) Nenl. also natives of Linn township. The father, who was born on the 4th of May, IS)11, is a prominent farmer of his section of the county, having extensive landed possessions. A complete sketch of the parents is given on another page of this work.

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Edgar D. Noal after completing his studies in the district schools, pursued a commercial course in Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa, from which he graduated, and then taught school in Linn county for two terms. Returning home, he remained there until twenty-five years of age, assisting his father in the work of the fields and the care of the stock. He then started out in life for himself by operating a rented tract of land for seven years, and at the end of that time purchased the farm which he had rented, it being his present home. The tract comprises one hundred and twenty acres and came into his possession in 1907, lie is most enterprising and progressive in his work as is indicated by the splendid appearance of his place, for the buildings are kept in good repair, while the fields return rich crops for the care and labor which he bestow upon them.

It was on the 5th of December, 1900, that Mr. Xeal wedded Miss Rhoda R. Laeock, a daughter of Jacob and Christina (Stinger) Lacock, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Linn county. Unto Mr. and Sirs. Lacock have been born ten children, as follows: Charlie G. and Harvey, residents of Linn county; Slarion, of Ottumwa. Iowa; Virgil, of Linn county, Flora A., deceased; Rhoda R., now Sirs. Neal; Robert and Irvin, of Linn county; Andrew, who is deceased; and one who died in infancy. The father died in 1892 but the mother is still living and makes her home on the farm in Linn county. Unto Sir. and Sirs. Neal have been born three children: Harold E., who was born Slay 16. 1903, and died on the 23d of October of the same year; a daughter, who died unnamed; and Myron Ik. whose birth occurred October 19, 1909.

Following in his father's political footsteps, STr. Neal gives his support to the men and measures of the democracy, and he and his wife attend the Presbyterian church. He is a young man of firm purpose and exemplary habits, fully sustaining the reputation that has always been borne by the Neal family.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.