Neal who is striving for its advancement and welfare, while he has also shown excellent personal qualities of worth and uprightness, coupled with which are integrity and sound principles. Mr. Neal was born in Indiana on June 26, 1840, being the son of William and Mahala (Parker) Neal, who were numbered with the agriculturists of that state until 1850, when they undertook the monotonous and weary journey across the plains with ox teams, continuing the same until they landed in the Willamette valley. There they took up one section of land under the donation law, but later removed to Monument, in Grant county. The father resides there at the present time, but the mother was called by death to the other world, and her remains sleep at Monument. Our subject received some of his education in Indiana and some in the Willamette valley, and he remained with his parents until he had reached the age of twenty-four years.
Subsequent to that time he spent one year in the Cascade mountains and then went to Butter creek, in Morrow county, and took up a claim and farmed for one year, then removed to Monument and secured a pre-emption and engaged in raising stock. In that place he continued for nine years, then sold his land to his father and repaired to Crab Creek country in the vicinity of Ritzville, Washington. In that place he spent three years in farming. Then from that date until the time of his advent in Wallowa County, in 1890, he was in various places and occupations. In the year last named he came to Wallowa County and purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, near Fruita, and engaged in raising stock. His original quarter-section has been increased to two hundred and eighty acres and he has some fine stock and is prospered in his endeavors.
In June 1865, Mr. Neal married Miss Matilda, daughter of James and Liddie Cox, farmers near Silverton. The nuptial ceremony took place at Silverton, and to our subject and his worthy wife there have been born the following children: Ira, Lillie and Nellie. Mrs. Neal’s parents are both deceased and sleep at Silverton. It is of note that during the war with the Indians in 1856, although our subject was but sixteen years of age, he served for nine months in the heat of the campaign as a volunteer, doing commendable military duty, and leaving a record that is bright. It is right that we mention that our subject is numbered with the leading citizens of his community and has achieved a success that places him among the substantial and progressive men of the county, while he has secured the respect and esteem of all.
Since writing the above, the painful news of the death of Mr. Neal has been confirmed. He was working in a field near the home and it is supposed that he died from heart failure. He was a man of good standing among his fellows and his sudden taking off is deeply mourned. The date of his departure was August 7, 1902.
Our work would not be able to refute the charge of incompleteness Were there failure to incorporate within the biographical portion a review of the salient features of the career of the estimable and well-known gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, and who has been well known also over a great portion of the northwest country, having wrought in faithfulness in many sections, while he has also assisted much in the development of Wallowa county, being now one of its substantial and capable citizens,