CHILION W. NEAL, a resident of section 20, of Jackson
Township, came to Clarke County in 1857 with his parents, James B. and Anna
(Adamson) Neal. He was then but fifteen years of age, having been born October
10, 1841, in Grant County, Indiana, next to the eldest in a family of nine
children, all of whom were with their parents on their emigration to this county.
The names of the others are – Mahlon W., now a resident of Osborn county;
Sarah, died March 29, 1869, aged twenty-four years; John A., died January 29,
1860, aged fifteen years; Mary N., wife of Jeremiah Brisbin, of Franklin
County, Nebraska; Elvira C., died June 29, 1868, aged eighteen years; Joseph
A., died July 7, 1877, aged twenty-six years; Margaret Jane, wife of H. H.
Lowery, died March 19, 1879, aged twenty-five years; Eri R., a resident of
Jewell County, Kansas. Mr. Neal’s
parents made a home on section 36, Jackson township and improved eighty acres
of land. Here they passed the remainder of their lives. The mother belonged to
the Seventh-day Adventists, and died October 22, 1869, aged fifty years. The
father was a member of the Christian church, and died April 4, 1871, aged
fifty-five years. August 15, 1862, the
subject of this sketch enlisted in Company D, Thirty-ninth Iowa Volunteer
Infantry; was first engaged at Parker’s Cross-Roads, in Tennessee, December,
1862; was under the lamented General McPherson at Atlanta; followed Sherman in
his march to the sea, and was in the lines of the review of Sherman’s Grand
Army at the National Capitol. He was honorably discharged at Washington in
June, 1865. June 9, 1867, Mr. Neal was
married to Miss Mary A. Lewis, daughter of John Lewis, the first settler of
Jackson Township. She was born in Monroe County, Iowa, February 27, 1851, and
was six weeks old when her parents moved to this county. Mr. and Mrs. Neal
settled on section 20 April 16, 1869. Their homestead consists of 160 acres of
land, all improved. They have had six children. Their first born died in
infancy. The others are – Lizzie L., Rose A., J. Lewis, Agnes G. and Mary M.
Mr. and Mrs. Neal are Seventh-day Adventists. Mr. Neal has been identified with
the Greenback party.
SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County,
Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 425
