Neel

Brush Harbor Revival Meeting

There was a Brush Harbor revival meeting going on 3 miles east of us. Henry WATKINS was holding it [in charge of it and the preacher too]. We were going and we were going to ride with my wife’s brother, Jim YARBOROUGH, and his wife. We was ready to go and were waiting on them to come pick us up. My little grand daughter was crying. I had her in the bed room trying to get her quite. My wife and daughter was in the front room. My wife hollered at me and told me to come there. I went … Read more

Move to the Davis Nursing Home

I went to the Davis nursing home and stayed 4 months while they were building onto the house. I was about ready to go home when I took sick on Saturday night. I was visited by about 10 angels. They come in my room about 8 o’clock at night and stayed until 3 o’clock in the morning. That night they had on white robes and white hoods. I talked to some of them. Some of them I knew. The next day on Sunday I looked on the ceiling and I saw Christ and his Disciples. I seen him when he … Read more

Idaville Community, A Century of Unity, 1860-1960

Idaville community centennial, a century of unity, 1860-1960

The “Idaville Community, A Century of Unity, 1860-1960” is a seminal work that offers a comprehensive look into the first century of Idaville and its neighboring townships within White County and Adams Township of Carroll County. Published by the Idaville Centennial Committee in 1960, this volume was crafted to commemorate the centennial celebration of these communities, highlighting a century marked by unity and growth. Through the diligent efforts of the Idaville Centennial Committee, this book was designed to preserve the memory of the pivotal moments that have shaped these areas.

History of Bentleysville, Pennsylvania

Bentleysville title page

This book is a collection of stories, letters, and historical records detailing the brief history of Bentleysville, a rural community in southwestern Pennsylvania. Established around a mill operated by Sheshbazzar Bentley Sr. and Jr. on Pigeon Creek in 1816, the town grew to a population of 300 by 1868. The author traces the origins of Bentleysville back to the 1770s to document the earliest settlers, while also providing context through significant national events like the Whiskey Rebellion and the Civil War. Although Bentleysville’s history as a village ended before 1900, this work preserves its legacy for future generations.

Peggs Cyclone of May 2, 1920

On May the 2nd in 1920 there came a cyclone and blowed Peggs away. It killed about 100 people. It come on a Sunday night about 8:00. Peggs was a little country town with about 6 good stores, 2 drug stores, 2 cotton gins, a hotel, 3 churches, a good school. There was a lot of people there on Saturday shopping and doing business.  It was an incorporated town. Joe YARBOROUGH was the town Marshall. Jennings CAGLE was the Justice of the Peace. They had a little jail house. I went to church that Sunday Morning. We lived about 2 … Read more

Some Descendants of Thomas Rowley of Windsor, Connecticut

Some descendants of Thomas Rowley of Windsor Connecticut

Some descendants of Thomas Rowley of Windsor. Thomas Rowley. Thomas Rowley (Rowell) a cordwainer, was in Windsor Connecticut as early as 1662, and Simsbury Connecticut by 1670. He died 1 May, 1705/8, estate inventory dated 1 May 1708. Married at Windsor, 5 May, 1669 by Rev. Wolcott, Mary Denslow, daughter of Henry, Windsor, born 10 Aug. 1651, died at Windsor 14 June, 1739, ae 91. Mary was admitted to Windsor Church in 1686. Thomas served in the Colonial Wars. On the list of those who gave to the poor. Contents: Book Notes:

Move to Neosho Missouri

The next year we moved to NEOSHO [Not sure about the name of this place.] Missouri. Me and Dad and my older brothers worked on a fruit farm called the SOEAKMAN farm. We stayed up there until the fruit harvest was over then we moved back to FLINT. Dad rented a place from Rich BECK the man who ran the BECK store and Post Office. We were just across the creek from the water mill. Tony BECK ran the mill. He was a brother of Rich BECK. I was big enough to go to the mill several times a day … Read more

Recollections of My Life

Walter A. Neel

Part of an exclusive collection of material on the Bee, Neel, and Proctor families. This specific collection comes from a hand written 90 page auto-biography by Walter Alexander Neel. Walter spent most of his adult life in Oklahoma, much of it in the small community of Peggs Oklahoma in Cherokee County, where he “served” as the unofficial mayor. From his upbringing to his later life Walter shares his humble experiences, and in the process, gives us insight to the lives of at least some of the area occupants who may have crossed his path.

Vanderburgh County Indiana Will Abstracts, 1821-1873

Sample Last Will and Testament

Abstracts of over 600 wills for Vanderburgh County, Indiana, extracted by Mrs. Arthur C. Bitterman. Book A was typed by Mrs. James A. Gentry, book B typed by Mrs. Marvin J. Huff, and published as one by the Vanderburgh Chapter of the DAR. Book A primarily covers wills written or filed within the time period of 1823-1849 and book B includes the years of 1849-1873. In both cases there are wills that fall outside those dates.

Swimming at the Lower Falls

When I went to Shady Grove I went to school with Herb BYNUM and his brother [probably Leonard who later married his sister Eva] also Bill and John TIGUE and their sisters. There was a big hole of water down on 14 mile creek. It is what they call the lower falls. It has a rock fall of about 8 feet. [Water drops off of rocks?] It forms a big round hole of water below and is very deep. People used it for a swimming hole. They swam in it and swam horses in it too. One day all of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Neel, Adam S.

Adam Sylvester Neel, named for James Sylvester, one of the captors of Santa Anna, was born in Fort Bend County, near Stafford’s Point, on the 25th of August, 1844. His father was William T. Neel, a native of Louisiana, who came to Texas with William Stafford. He was a young man and unmarried at the time, and was not entitled to as much land as heads of families, but located a labor near, Stafford’s Point, at which place he built a home, and afterwards located a league in the west on the Medina River during the Presidency of General Lamar. … Read more

Trading Horses

The first day we made it to Flint OK. We stayed all night with Bob BENNETT. A man that used to be our neighbor when we lived at Flint. The next morning we started on east we got into Gentry Arkansas late that evening. We run onto a man that had a farm close by to Gentry. He hired us and we went home with him. We fed all the stock, milked 8 cows and got to bed about 10:00 PM. We got up at 4 o’clock AM and fed all the stock, curried the work teams and harnessed them. … Read more

Marriage to Velma Yarborough

I had went with several girls but had not given much thought about marriage. Doubt I would ever have married as long as my mother lived. I was going with Velma YARBOROUGH. We got married in September [1920]. Dad and I made a good crop. We thrashed 1300 bushels of oats. Our corn and cotton was good. But we just got one load packed while the price was good then it got so low it would not pay for the picking. We left it in the field. I had 25 head of cattle, yearlings in pasture. They were outside on … Read more

Move from California to Texas

Claud and I was up at Yucaipa one day in a barber shop getting a hair cut. Claud was in the chair and I was a waiting. A man came in hunting firefighters. I got up and left. I went through the orchards to the house. I was afraid to go by the way of the road. I was afraid I would meet some more men hunting fire-fighters. In a little while Claud come home. That night about dusk there was some boys who lived close to us and I saw a truck stop and pick them up. There was … Read more

A Little Family Genealogy

My dad was Alex NEEL. He passed away in 1927 [Feb 1st]. My mothers maiden name was HANEY. She was born in Missouri and she passed away in 1920 [25th of July]. Dad had three brothers, Tom NEEL, Calvin NEEL and Oscor NEEL. Grandpa NEEL [William Calvin NEEL Sr.] was born in Illinois [Marion County.] he passed away in 1901. Grandma Neel’s maiden name was SHELTON [Lettie/Letty/Leticia]. She was born in Missouri [not so, she was born in Tennessee]. She passed away in 1918 [June 8th]. I had 7 brothers and sisters 3 boys and 4 girls. Charlie Neel married … Read more