John Noah Neal (1817 - 1860)

Born 1817 in Franklin, Illinois, United States

Died Aug 1860 at about age 43 in Franklin, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Roy Østensen [send private message]

Biography

John Noah Neal was the son of William Noah Neal and Mary Jordan. John is recorded with his wife and their three first children in the census of 1850 at Franklin Illinois.^[1] By 1860 the number of children has increased to seven.^[2] In John's widow is keeping the three youngest members of the family together with the eldest son Joab and daughter Martha.^[3]

Married in 1844 to Mary Ann Taylor^[4]

• Martha (1846–1920), m. to Jesse Taylor
• Permelia (1848–1919)
• Joab (1849–1928)
• Jane (1851–1904), m. to Joseph W. Lunsford
• Priscilla (1852–1926), m. to George W. Crider
• Elizabeth (1854–1929), m. #1 to Samuel Crider, #2 to William J. Boyd, #3 to timothy Davis
• Nancy W (1856–1930), m. #1 to William Campbell, #2 to Sidney Bennet Page
• Elder John Noah (1861–1958), m. to Mary Jane Heck

John died in 1860 and is buried at Middle Fork Cemetery with his wife.^[5]

Research notes

According to the profiles on FamilySearch and FindAGrave, John was born in Franklin, Illinois, the son of William Noah Neal and Mary Jordan, but no source is given for this claim. The census records for 1830 shows a William Neal living in Franklin, with 10 persons in the household. 1 son with age <, 1 son with age 5-9, and 1 son with age 10-15. William himself must be the male with age 30-40, i.e. he was born in the 1790's. Also in the household is 2 girls <5, 2 girls 5-9 and one girl 10-15. The female age 30-40 must be his second wife Dicey Modglin.^[6]

According to the FS profile, William and Mary was married in Pope, Illinois, in 1810. Mary then died in 1825, and William remarried to Dicey shortly after. Thus, of the children alive in 1830, the five eldest must be with Mary as the mother, and the three younger must be with Dicey.

The 1820 census records shows William in Franklin, Illinois, in a household with six persons.^[7]

In the census of 1850, William and Dicey are recorded in Jackson, Gentry, Missouri, both age 54 and with six children.^[8]

• William (24)
• Lydia (20)
• Nancy J. (18)
• Cytharillar (16)
• Aaron (13)
• Permelia H. (12)

Of these, the first three are born in Illinois, and the next three in Arkansas.

In the census of 1860 we find William and Dicie with ages 65 and 66 respectively, with no children, living in Gentry, Missouri.^[9] Both of their births are recorded as Illinois, which is not consistent with the 1850 census.

There are clear problems with these profiles, part of it is mentioned in a footnote to the profile of William F. Neal:

• "William F. Neal not husband of Dicey Elizabeth Modglin. Dicey was married to a William Noah Neal and they lived in Missouri for a while. William F. Neal and his wife Elizabeth Gober had nine children together and these children were born between 1829 to 1848 in Georgia. William F. and Elizabeth never lived in Illinois."

My problem here is that Williams age of 54 in 1850 and 65 in 1860 points towards a YoB around 1795, and not 1787 as indicated in the profile. With that age he'd be only 15 in 1810.

Thus, better sources are required before connecting any parent profiles. Also, there is no available source giving William the middle name Noah.

Sources

1. ↑ Census of 1850: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LZ27-B1K
2. ↑ Census of 1860: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXC3-H4Q
3. ↑ Census of 1870: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M671-787
4. ↑ Wedding: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFK7-YHJ
5. ↑ Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75134830/john_noah_neal
6. ↑ Census of 1830: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYK-PN
7. ↑ Census of 1820: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBS-96RY
8. ↑ Census of 1850: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-X299-1V
9. ↑ Census of 1860: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBS7-8W9

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 05 September 2023, 23:58), entry for John Noah Neal (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LZ27-B1K ); contributed by various users.