Neel Homepage


DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS
By Barbara Neel
email: [email protected]

Weaving Webs: my Home Page
Contact Barbara: [email protected]


WELCOME TO OUR NEEL AND SMITH FAMILY of TEXAS!

Hello, I'm Barbara, and this is the family history of my father James "Herbert" Neel and his parents, Ione "Toni" Donalson and James Lee Neel of Texas. !

My father said no matter how often census takers, etc., tried to change it to Neal or Neil, our family line felt strongly about keeping it NEEL because we had different origins. My father's second cousin, James "Larry" Neel, has been R-M269-y-DNA tested at Family Tree DNA. His earlier test of R1b1b2a1a2f2 DNA (more below) has been determined as the same as Neill of the Nine Hostages from Northern Ireland. Larry is the grandson of Robert Richard Neel, youngerst son of John T. Neel and Martha Lemmon. John T. Neel was the son of John Neel and Sarah Hutchinson, according to the Baptismal record of their daughter Ellen Neel O'Conner when she became a Catholic as an adult in Kentucky. .

Our ancestor, John Neel, born in South Carolina, lived in Henry County, Tennessee at the time of the 1830 census. At one time Henry County extended to the Mississippi River. Then in 1840 widow Sarah Neel and sons John T. Neel, James H. Neel and William "Alexander" Neel, (all born in South Carolina) as well as other Neel, Neely, Calhoun and Martin relatives, lived in the new Obion County, Tennessee, which was formed from the Indian Lands of Henry County in 1823. In 1850 when Sarah was 69 she was living with her son Alexander and his wife Amelia, and baby George. When Sarah was 79 she was living with John T. Neel as in a census that continued on the next census page. (Always check out those next pages when your family begins or ends on a census record.)

In December of 1839 John T. married Rebecca Snider aka Snyder, and had one son, Isaac Newton Neel. But John's brother James H. Neel, named him the guardian of his younger children, James and Lavinia who were living with John in 1850. In the 1860 Census teen-ager Lavinia is living with her brother Richard Neel, neighbor and the eldest son of James H. Neel. These Neel men should all have the same Y-DNA as our line when they are tested.

After Rebecca died John T. married Martha Lemmon in 1843. Their son Robert Richard Neel's y-DNA has been tested at 23andMe as R1b1b2a1a2fa, AKA R-M222, which is also the Haplogroup of my atDNA match of descendants of Hugo Neel b. 1750 in Ireland. Martha was the daughter of David Lemond and Esther Martin.(AKA Leamon, LeMons & LeMonds. Their son James Alford Neel (my ancestor) married twice, first to Rebecca Roberson by whom he had a son, William Columbus Neel, born 27 Oct. 1877. In the 1850 census of Sarah there were several Roberson families living near Sarah. His second wife, my ancestor Mary Ann Dudley, daughter of Ransom W. Dudley, was born 1 Oct. 1862 in Mississippi, and moved to Obion Co, Tennessee. The Dudley family was originally from Virginia, and of royal descent.

January, 15, 1880, James Alford Neel married Mary Ann Dudley, and then our Neels moved to Texas where they are buried in Bourland Cemetery, Keller, Texas, as well as their son James Lee Neel and wife, school-teacher Ione Donalson, granddaughter of Algernon Sidney Smith, son of Capt. James Hans Smith, a Missouri and Arkansas Legislator for about twelve years in all, and newly elected to the Texas Senate before was killed in 1852 and couldn't fulfill his term. When he spoke, people cheered.

Algernon Sidney Smith married Rebecca Geaslin, daughter of William King Geaslin (LDS)and Ruth Lambert Pace. Ruth's famous Pace lineage goes back to the famous Richard Pace who saved Jamestown from an Indian attack. Ruth's father William Pace and wife Ruth Lambert takes our line back to Richard Pace and Isabelle Smyth of Jamestown, Virginia.

My father visited relatives who gave them the history of his Smith and Owen lineage by his cousin Birdie Farrar Wynn. Further research took me farther back in time through multi lines to our ancestors the Pharaoh Rameses, and other royalty.

Nancy Smith and Angus Donalson, and James Lee Neel, son of Mary Ann Dudley and James Alford Neel are buried at the Bourland Cemetery at Keller, Tarrant Co, Texas as mentioned above, near the parents of Angus Donalson, Lucy Bridges Shores and Warren Franklin Donalson, whose ancestors came from either Ireland or Scotland. Lucy's parents were Joseph Bridges Shores and Caroline Anne Lasseter(AKA Mrs. Jarvis.) I believe my streak of Romany came from this family as Lucy read tea leaves for her grandchildren. However, my dad said it was just something they did at the time for entertainment.

Aunt Nan told me my grandmother Ione Donalson, Lucy's granddaughter, was dark complected with brown eyes. Grandmother's uncle Walter sent Ione and her sisters to the women's college in Denton, where Ione became a schoolteacher. She died of Pellegra several years before I was born. The children of James Lee Neel and Ione Donalson were James Herbert, Nancy Lee, Mary Bernice, and Hazel Ione. The 1930 census of James Lee and Ione has Mary B.'s name as Mabel B. but it was James Alford Neel who had a daughter named Mabel B., Mary's aunt. Mary was living in New York with her daughter Dianne Rossi when Mary passed away. Aunt Hazel is still living in California, mother of my DNA match Ray Surwillo. James H. and Nancy "Aunt Nan," have also passed on.

William F. Donalson was the son of William Donalson and Rachel Bush, the daughter of Sanders and Mary Bush. Sanders was an American Revolution soldier with Captain Kennedy's company July 6, 1777. Sanders was the son of Abraham and his wife Rachel Bush, whose y-DNA was Haplogroup R1b, a widely distributed DNA of Europe.

Abraham's descendant #B-019 at the y-DNA site. Abraham lived in Dobbs County, North Carolina in the 1700's. Sanders Bush, Abraham Bush and Richard Bush all lived in Dobbs County when they entered the military. Sanders, however, recorded his will and died in 1810 in Pulaski County, GA, as well as his wife Mary Bush. Abraham was the son of William Bush, according to William Glenn Bush's DNA information, the #B-010 at Bush y-DNA web site. Glenn generously sent me the last few records I needed to submit Sanders Bush as a new DAR ancestor because no one had ever succeeded in claiming him before. Sanders new DAR Ancestor number is A205525. This Glenn Bush is often confused with another Glenn Bush who is not related to our family.

Although Sanders Bush lived near Andrew Bush in Georgia, they were cousins, not brothers. Y-DNA testing has shows Abraham Bush was closely related to John Cooper Bush and Andrew Bush. The link Our Family Heritage, found below has more of my Revolutionary ancestors.

I entered the DAR through the service of Thomas Owen with our cousin, Annelies Mouring, a descendant of George Washington Smith, brother of my gg-grandfather, Al Sidney Smith. Their parents were Nancy Owen, granddaughter of Thomas Owen, and James Hans (aka Johannes Schmitz) Smith.

A Hollander, James Hans Smith was born in Pennsylvania, 11 Sep 1799, (according to research of professionals via Annelies Mourning) son of school-teacher William Smith, Jr. and Miss Rebecca Mans. He was married 15th September, and the family probably celebrated both his birthday and anniversary at the same time, and everyone forgot he was born 11th of September. Hans was in the war of 1812 exactly 19 days before he was released, probably because he was so young. In 1818 Hans was a School-teacher. He along with his servant, Jerry---a free black man in Pennsylvania who was more of a friend---moved on to Kentucky where Hans also taught school. In 1826 Hans married Nancy Owen, daughter of Bourbon County distiller Robert Owen and Nancy Foster. Robert was the son of Rev. War soldier Thomas Owen, and wife Salley Farmer.

Hans and Nancy were married in Kentucky, then moved to Clay County and Lincoln Co Missouri where Hans was a Senator and Congressman. Hans moved on to Crawford, Arkansas where he was also a Legislator, finally settling in Ellis County Texas. Hans was murdered 20 March 1852 in Houston, Texas for his money where he went to buy supplies for himself and his neighbors. His wife, Nancy and servant, Jerry went to Houston to bring his body home.

The Owen line was of Welsh descent. Welsh families didn't have a surname such as Smith or Jones. The Welsh had, as an example for a male, Robert ap Thomas, or for a female, Jane vch (or ferch)Thomas ap John. When they came to America their father's name became their surname. Therefore, everyone with the surname Owen meant only that their father's given name was the same, and not necessarily that they were related. To make a lineage harder to trace, the Quakers moved as a group forming new settlements, not because they were related, but because they belonged to the same church.

Thanks cousin Annelies, and to Birdie Farrar Wynn and Thomas Allen Glenn for doing so much Owen research before us. Thanks to Randy Farrar for pictures, and thanks also to Bruce Baker and his brother Glenn for including me on the Acknowledgment page and as a reference of their Todd books.

DNA

Our family Family Finder cousin James Neel is R-M269 DNA. Most Neals are R1b1a whereas our Neel family, R1b1b2a1a2f2 from Northern Ireland back to Ui Neill. I'm guessing the Civil War had a lot to do with lost records and phonic spelling of names, but we all agree our Carolina Neels came here from Ireland. My DNA shows I am 36% Irish which is the largest percentage in my DNA, mostly from my dad.

Possibly the earliest Neel ancestor actually born in America was John Neel father of our John Thomas Neel, a sibling of William Alexander Neal, James H. Neel and Mary Ellen Neal O'Connor. I also have matches with descendants of Hugh Neel born about 1750 in Ireland, and probably an uncle of John Thomas Neel, Sr. Ellen's tombstone has OConer but other sources have O'Connor. John (father of John T. Neel, Sr.) was born about 1765 in South Carolina and died before 1840, probably in Tennessee. I believe he died between 1830 and 1840 because the 1830 John Neel in Tennessee was not listed again in 1840, but his wife, Sarah Neel, was.

I tested at both FTDNA (which has many useful tools that Ancestry DNA doesn't have,) and DNA at Ancestry which has many of my relatives that were missing at FTDNA. I have atDNA matches with three descendants of Mary Ellen Neal O'Connor, sister of my John T. Neel, Sr. I have an atDNA matach with a descendant of his children John T. Neel, Jr. and Martha Frances Neel Hickman. But, Jo Neal Benson, descendant of William Alexander Neel/Neal through Lurman Neel (see photo below) is on my Weaving Webs family tree, is too many generations from William to be a match.

Our Neel line has been y-DNA tested, through John Thomas Neel and Martha Lemond's son Robert Richard Neel, his grandson, James L. Neel at 23andMe who matches with me and Linda Maxwell (daughter of Hazel Neel Surwillo and sister of Ray Surwillo,) at GEDmatch.com.

My closest Autosomal match at Ancestry DNA is my daughter EB, and then my first cousin Ray Surwillo, my father's youngest sister, Hazel Neel Surwillo's youngest son. Other matches are through John T. Neel's brothers James and William, and their sister Mary Ellen Neal O'Connor, whose descendants are several, including Shannon Weigel, Judith A. Davis and Robert J. Bromlow, son of Margaret M. O'Connor and James E. Bromlow. They are my DNA matches and my daughter's as well. Most of my father's cousins tested at Ancestry dot com where they use code names instead of real names if they want to. I match with Neel/Neal, Dudley, Geaslin, Hans Smith and Pace cousins and more, including C. Annelies Mouring who also tested at FTDNA. This is such good news, so many matches that prove our genealogy is correct.

FAMILY IMAGES
Beginning with John T. Neel Jr.'s tombstone which is misread by everyone it seems.
1 John Thomas Neel, Jr. Tombstone. John T. Neel, Jr. was the son of John T. Neel, Sr. and Martha Lemmon. He died in 1903 but the tombstone looks like 1908 until you compare it with the 3 & 8 in his birthdate of 30 Jan 1847. The 8 is actually narrow, and the 3's more rounded. The date of death is actually 1903 as proven by his widow's pension of 1904, in the photo to the right.... John was buried in Cunningham Cemetery, Obion, TN where his brother William A. Neel was buried two yrs. earlier, in September 1901. 2 John T. Neel, Jr. military Pension RecordJohn's wife Elizabeth Smith Hancock Neel received his pension. She applied June 25, 1904 which means he died December 10th, 1903, not 1908 as some state incorrectly.
3 Tombstone of Elizabeth I. Neel and son Hugh W. NeelElizabeth was the widow of John Thomas Neel, Jr. When she married John she was the widow Elizabeth Hancock. In 1934 she was buried in the grave of her son, Hugh W. Neel who died in 1920. They were buried at New Haven Cem., Ridgely,Lake Co, TN. 4 John T. Neel death certificateThis John Thomas Neel was the son of Isaac Newton Neel and Sarah Green Ayres, and grandson of John Thomas Neel,Sr. and his first wife Rebecca Snider. Isaac was Rebecca's only child.
5 Martha Neel Widow PensionRecord of Civil War Widow's pension of Martha Lemmon Neel, widow of Union soldier John Thomas Neel, Sr. 6 Tombstone of John T. Neel 1944 John Thomas Neel was the son of Isaac Newton Neel and Sarah Green Ayres. John, b. 8 June 1862, d. 6 April 1944, was buried at Cobbs Chapel Cemetery, Troy, TN.
7 Angus W. Donalson death certificateAngus Washington Donalson was the father of Ione Donalson, first wife of James Lee Neel, mother of all of his children. 8 John T Neel, Sr. Death and Burial RecordThis is the Burial record of John T. Neel, Sr. in Paducah, Kentucky. A year later his remains were moved to Mound City National Cemetery, Illinois.However, the date of death is actually the date of burial in Mound City.
9 Tombstone of Darlene Lorine Neel.This is the tombstone of my baby sister, Darlene Neel. Daughter of James H. Neel and Florence Lorine Hunt Ford. 10Woodlawn Cemetery Las Vegas, Nevada. Cemetery where baby Darlene Lorine Neel was buried. Her mother Florence Lorine Hunt Ford Neel Jensen Kadlec was buried there also.
11 Jennie Smith Hancock death certificateJennie Smith Hancock was the daughter of Algernon Sidney Smith and Rebecca Geaslin. 12 Leila Smith Grimes death certificate, wife of Andrew Jackson Grimes, Sr.
13 Richard M. Neel marriage recordRichard M. Neel was the son of John and Sarah Hutchinson. 14 Hazel, Bernice, Mary and Margaret.This picture was taken at Santa Monica Beach in California, 1944. From far left: Hazel Neel, Bernice Hadley Neel, Mary Neel, and Margaret Hadley. Hazel and Mary Neel are daughters of James Lee Neel and Ione Donalson. Bernice Hadley Neel was divorced 1st wife of James H. Neel. Far right is Bernice's sister, Margaret Hadley.
15 Hazel Ione Neel Surwillo Hazel was a teenager in this photo, dating her future husband Chet Surwillo. 16 Hazel Ione Neel Birth CertificateHazel Neel Surwillo.
17 James H. Neel birth cert #1This first birth certificate was written by the doctor with the date of July 30th. 18 James H. Neel birth cert #2James H. Neel had a second birth certificate with the July 31st birthday.
19 Poem for Lucy by Eva Eva Donalson Allen wrote this poem for her grandmother Lucy Bridges Shores Donalson after she passed away 20Letter by Nancy Nora Smith Donalson Transcript of letter by Nancy Smith Donalson to her sister Mary about her elopement with Angus W. Donalson. Nancy had TB and passed away two weeks before her thirty-fourth birthday.
21 James Herbert Neel Son of James Lee Neel and Ione Donalson. 22 James Herbert Neel Taken the summer before he passed away in 2000. Son of James Lee Neel and Ione Donalson
23 James H. Neel and family Sisters Mary, Nancy, Hazel, parents James Lee and step-mother Louise Spears. 24 James H. Neel and 3rd wife Frances Mildred Morrow, widow of his step-cousin Thurman Burel Garrett.
25 Ms Lucy Bridges ShoresThis picture was drawn by her granddaughter, published poet, Eva Donalson Allen. 26 Jim's mother Ione's Donalson Family Ione, her sisters, and their father Angus and his mother Lucy Bridges Shores Donalson.
27 Ione's college photoDenton College for Women, my grandmother Ione is far right, standing next to her sister Edna. 28 Barbara J. Neel,Daughter of James H. Neel by his first marriage to Bernice Hadley.
29 Barbara's Neel Family,My father James Herb Neel, Tom, Mary's second husband, Mary, Clint Price, Nancy's husband, Hazel, Nancy holding daughter Carolyn,Jim Lee, dad's father, Louise, dad's step-mother holding Wanda Price, daughter of Nancy. 30Three eldest daughters of Angus W. Donalson and first wife, Nancy Smtih Children of Angus and his first wife "Nannie" Nora Smith: Edna, Ione and Eva Donalson.
31 Second family of Angus W. Donalson and Delia.Angus and children of Delia, his second wife, in order in photo left to right: Glenn, b.1921; Joyce, b.1923; Marie, b.abt 1919; Gladys, b.abt 1916. His second wife, Delia's father killed him with a shotgun when Angus tried to take his children home. 32 Neel Siblings: Mary, Nancy, Jim Neel and in front Jim's daughter Barbara by his first wife Bernice Hadley Neel, taken summer 2000.
33 Pat and James C. Neel,James Carroll Neel, and wife Pat Kelley Neel Christmas in Las Vegas, Nevada 2004. Jim is the son of James H. Neel's second wife Florence Lorine Hunt. Jim is also a distant relation of Barbara Neel's maternal family. 34
35 James Herbert Neel in the Army,This is the photo of my father James H. Neel taken in WWII that I carried in my wallet 36 Family Photo James Lee Neel,James Lee Neel with wife Ione Donalson and son James "Herb" Neel, 1917.
37 Rebecca Geaslin Smith,Rebecca was the wife of A. Sidney Smith, parents of Nancy Nora Smith Donalson. 38 Algernon Sidney Smith, Maternal great-grandfather of James H. Neel
39 James H Neel This is a newspaper clipping of my father James "Herb" Neel, and he looks a lot like his cousin Lurman below. 40 Death certificate of Ione Donalson Neel My paternal grandmother, and mother of James Herbert Neel, wife of James Lee Neel.
OUR EXTENDED FAMILY
Information on William Alexander Neel/Neal's family given to me by cousin Jo Neal Benson.
William was the brother of my ancestor John T. Neel, Sr. of Obion, TN. A third brother was James H. Neel who married Narcissa Gray.
My ancestor John T. Neel of Obion, TN, was the guardian of James and Narcissa Neel's two younger children in 1850 after John died: James Wilson Neel and Lavinia M. Neel. The two older sons were Richard Neel and Sidney Gray Neel. Narcissa died in Mississippi in 1844 when Lavinia was two years old.

41 Lurman A. Neal Lurman was the son of Percy F. Neal, son of James T. Neal, son of William Alexander Neel, brother of our John T. Neel, Sr. 42 Lurman A. Neal in uniform I always thought Lurman looked a lot like my dad, James Herbert Neel, in this picture.
43 Marriage License of Percy Fone Neal and Ada Belle Gamil Percy F. Neal was the son of James Thomas Neal, and Nancy Phillips, and the grandson of William Alexander Neel and Amelia Mixon. 44 James Thomas Neal 1858-1903 James Thomas Neal born 4 Nov 1858 in Mayfield, Graves Co, KY, was the son of William Alexander Neel and Amelia Mixon. William was the brother of my g-great-grandfather John T. Neel, Sr. of Obion, TN
45 Neal Family about 1900 James Thomas Neel (son of William) Family. Jo Benson stated that James married Nancy Elizabeth Phillips, the baby is Pearl and the boy standing is Percy. She didn't know who the girl in back was. 46 Marriage license of William Alexander Neel and Permilla, aka Amelia Mixon.
47 Mary Ellen O'Connor tombstone. Buried at St. Jerome Catholic Church, Fancy Farm, Graves Co, KY, her tombstone has her name as Elen OConer. Her Baptismal record at St. Jerome's states her parents were John Neel and Sarah Hutchinson. Some descendants claim her married name was O'Conner. 48 Robert R. Neel death certificate Robert Richard Neel was the youngest son of John T. Neel and Martha Lemmons, the youngest being a daughter, Martha Frances Neel Hickman.
49 Oda Omen "Odie" Neel death certificate Odie was the son of James Alford Neel and Mary Ann Dudley Neel. Odie married Altha Cummings. He was my father's uncle. 50Marriage record of James Alford Neel and Mary Ann Dudley My great-grandparents.
FILES OF FAMILY INTEREST

51 Texas GedwebAt new location 52 James Hans Smith in Lincoln Co.Hans was a Missouri and Arkansas Legislator, and considered in his day, a brilliant orator.
53 Sources of all my genealogy 54 My Gedcom of all my Research
55 Ellis Co Texas link 56 Hans military recordHans Smith joined the military in 1814 just before his 15th birthday. On this record given to me by C.Annelies Mouring, you can see it didn't take long to discover he was too young to be in the military, and they sent him home.
57 Lemmonds Family Research Website 58 Lemmon YDNA Project
59 Biography of Jonathan Owen, son of Robert Owen and Nancy Foster 60Biography of George Washington Owen, son of Robert Owen and Nancy Foster
61 Our American Revolution Family Heritage 62 Old Dobbers Webpage
Just click on Military, then Dobbs County, Militia 1767-1781
63 Neil/O'Neal DNA 64 Geaslin Cemetery List
65 Colonial DamesC. Annelies Mouring is our cousin who shared so much, is Registrar of Colonial Dames in Florida. Annelies is a Florida Attorney at law, and she is on facebook 66 Bush Y-DNA Explained Our ancestor Sanders Bush's DNA is in B1.
67 Relation Finder at BYU A tree program from you to your famous person, relation. Login with LDS, Family Search or BYU id and password. you will be amazed, and it will help fill in blanks on your family tree. 68 Autobiography of James H NeelJames H Neel told his life story to everyone with little prompting. Here is a narrative as written down by Pat Neel.
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