John L. Neal

Making the Connections

Talking to my grandfather years ago, we knew that John L. or Jack was granddaddy's grandfather. It is also found on the death certificate of John T. Neal. So, that was a given. It was making the connection to John L.'s father that became an issue, for not only myself but other researchers, for years.

The issue began with one document found in Warren County's deed book 50 pages 747-748.

John L. Neal

This document is about the sale of property for back taxes, years 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880 and 1881. ($19.53) This property belonged to Edward L. Neal. On page 307 of the same deed book, the property is listed in Fishing Creek Township, Warren County, NC and bordered by the property of the Warren Savings Bank. The document lists Edward's heirs; Jno L. Neal, D.H. Neal, W.W. Neal, Mrs Angy Lancaster and Mrs E.L. Neal. It is the word "heirs" that caused the confusion.

With the help of a wonderful lady on the FaceBook page, Franklin, Granville, Vance & Warren Genealogy, I got the answer to our question! Edward and his wife did not have children. His heirs were his brothers and sister. His father was Dudley S. Neal! Since it appears that Dudley did not leave a will, making that connection was not a simple task.

In an earlier post "Serendipity" I discussed John L. living in the home of Jacob Holt in 1850 and working as a carpenter. 

John and Ann Rodwell were married on December 27, 1853.  This is recorded but hard to read.

Around 1980 I went to Warrenton and browsed through some of the records and found the sale of property recorded on March 21, 1855 for 256 acres to John L. Neal from Henry Harris for $1024.00.

In the 1860 Slave Schedules, the following is recorded:

In the 1860 Federal Census, the three brothers are living side by side in Fishing Creek District.

The 1870 Federal Census is not complete and there does not appear to be records for Warren County.

In 1880 the brothers are still living close to each other as seen in the entries on the Federal Census. Keeping in mind that John bought land from the Harris family in 1855, on this census we find Edward working as a millwright for one of the Harris families.

Marriage was in the air! Wallace married Mary Perry in 1888. John T. married Luna Bartholomew in 1889 and Bettie married Transberry Neal in 1890.

Sadly the records for Robert stop in 1880 when he was 12. I do not know if he left the area or passed away. On ancestry there are not any family trees that have him as the direct ancestor so he could have passed away. Another researcher has said that a family story has a daughter that never married and passed away from a fever. Where is the G.W. listed in 1860? Could this picture have all the children of John and Ann?  

John L. Neal and family

It was granddaddy who told me that the older gentleman in the picture was John L. Neal and the woman was Ann Rodwell, he believed .... 

When Bettie married Transberry in 1890 her parents are both listed as living.

It is only through this small entry in the Franklin Times on May 27, 1892 that we find the death of John L. Neal.  John passed away on May 20, 1892.

I do not have a death for Ann, yet. I will continue to search for more information.

There is a Neal family cemetery in Inez, Warren County, NC and it is believed that John and Ann are buried there. Unfortunately the stones can not be read.

Next post will be about Dudley Neal, father of John L. Neal.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie