Elmer D. Neal

As printed in 1901

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.

Mr. X'eal was married in Linn township January 4, 1874, to Miss Amanda E. Hoo- \er. who was born in Lisbon, November ic), 1852, a daughter of Benjamin and Sarah ( Bressler ) Hoover. Her father was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, April 17. 1827, and wa.s a son of Michael and Alary ( Hershey) Hoover, the former of whom was born in the same county, July 4, 1803, the latter in Lancaster county, Pennsylva-

4IO nia. October 3. 1803. Mrs. Xeal's paternal great-grandparents were George and Susanna (Ryder) Hoover, also natives of the Keystone state, as was also the former's father, Michael Hoover. The family is of German origin, and was founded in Pennsylvania at a very early day in the history of the country. Mrs. Xeal's grandfather remained a resident of his native state until 1847, vhen he came to Iowa in search of a suitable location, and finally purchased a tract of land in Linn county, now included in the village of Lisbon, which was then called Yankee Grove. After obtaining the title to the same he returned to Burlington for his family. In 1850 he assisted J. E. Kurtz in laying out the town. l)ut continued to eneaee in farming: for five years thereafter. He then built a house in town and lived retired until his death, which occurred December.24. 1888. His wife died May 15, 1877. She was a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Wiamby) Hershey. Benjamin Hoover, the father of Mrs. XeaJ, was twenty years of age when he came with the family to Lisbon, and he remained under the parental roof until he was married, in August. 1849, to Miss Sarah Ann Bressler, who was born in Cuml)sr;and county, Pennsylvania. August 16, 1829, a daughter of George and Reliecca (Carlin) Bressler, also natives of Pennsylvania. For two years after his marriage Benjamin Hoover lived on a portion of his father's farm, and then built a large house in Lisbon, which was fitted up as a hotel, and occupied the same for the following two years. On disposing of that projjerty he removed to Muscatine, where he engaged in the commission business one year, handling grain and produce. The following five years were spent in Lisbon, and at the end of that time he resumed farming in Linn township. In 1882 hepurchased a tract of forty acres, a part of which was in the village of Lisbon, and made his home there until his death, which occurred February i. 1897. The last fifteen years of his life were spent in retirement from active labor. During his residence in Lisbon he served as a member of the city council several terms with credit to himself and to the city, and was a man highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him. Both he and his wife held membership in the methodist Episcopal church. She died in Lisbon April 10, 1896, and was buried in the cemetery at that place. She was a noble Christian woman, a loving wife and affectionate mother, and a kind.neighbor. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoover were Amanda, wife of our subject;. Elizabeth E., wife of Robert Oxley, of Marion township; Christian L., who died at the age of two years; and Mary C, who died at the age of six years and two months.

Air. and Mrs. Xeal have a family of four children, all lion in Linn township, namely: Edgar D. obtained his early education in the district schools of Linn township, and attended Cornell College four years, taking a commercial course. On the 5th of December, 1900, he married Rhoda R. Lacock, a daughter of Joab Lacock, late of Linn township, and he is now engaged in general farming on one of his father's places. Bert H. was educated at Cornell College, and is now at home, while Benjamin C. and Mabel A. are still attending that college.

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

Linn township for several terms. He is,one of the leading men of his community, and wherever known lie is held in high regard.

As printed in Biographical records of Linn County, Iowa .. (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.