Radford Andrew Neal

By Ken Neal

According to family lore, Radford Andrew Neal, my grandfather, was part Cherokee Indian. My own father, Fred R. Neal, always told me that grandpa’s mother, Melissa Ussery, was Indian but no one knew how much.

This has always puzzled me. Although Melissa died when Rad was very young, perhaps even when he was born, he should have been told by his father, John Henry Neal, how much of an Indian his mother was.

Dad often quoted grandpa as being proud of his Indian ancestry, often quoting Indians at the expense of whites, in sayings such as “White man make big fire and stand far away from it. Indian make little fire, and get close to it.”

Or, he would say, “I thought you had enough Indian in you to have good teeth.” Or, he once said that he choose to “go white,” implying that he could have followed Indian ways more closely.

Melissa’s heritage was brought home to me recently when it dawned on me that my Grandpa Radford obviously has Indian blood. The few pictures we have of him show that, particularly the one shown here. It was taken in the fall before he died in December 1937. He had just turned 57.

But Union Army records show that his father, John Henry Neal, was 5 feet, two Inches tall, weighed about 110 pounds, had blonde hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion. Of course this when John Henry was about 18, so he might have grown some, but he certainly wouldn’t have changed the color of his eyes or his complexion.

Since Radford was the product of John Henry and Melissa, Melissa must have been mostly Indian, because Radford looks to be Indian. However, genetics are unpredictable. Radford’s last son, Junior Earl, was the spitting image of his father who produced Junior with Mary Elizabeth Ervin, who claimed not a trace of Indian blood.

I have not been able to find any mention of Melissa beyond the 1880 U. S. census, which found her the wife of John Henry on Magazine Mountain, Arkansas, birthplace of Radford Andrew.

In checking Cherokee records, I do find many Indians with the last name Ussery. I once found an Indian named Ussery living in the general area who had two slaves girls listed as mullatoes. One would have been the same age as Melissa.

Given the wild and remote area that was Magazine Mountain in 1880, it is not hard to imagine that John Henry, having lost his first wife, Elizabeth, would have married an Indian or a mullato and in the tenor of the times, did not broadcast the heritage of his wife.

The 1880 census, taken when Melissa was carrying Radford Andrew, shows her to be 23. The family claim that she was half Indian probably is accurate.

The John Henry Neals

By Ken Neal

The view from the “mountains” is spectacular.

While there is a high point known as Magazine Mountain, all of west-central Arkansas is mountainous only relative to the surrounding terrain that ultimately slopes to the Arkansas River. “Hill country” is probably a better description for the area in the counties of Logan, Yell, Perry, Conway, Garland and Hot Springs.

But Magazine Mountain stands out enough for the French explorers to have considered it a mountain and for later settlers to have found it a bit cooler and less buggy than the lower areas along the Arkansas which are hardly hundreds of feet above sea level. Plateaus of friable land attracted them.

There is a wide variety of timber, mostly hardwood and scrub oak with some southern Pine in spots. Topsoil is thin, shot through with sandstone, making farming difficult. Even today, with roads crossing the area, it is a wild country with a great range of wildlife.

In 1880, it was far more remote than today. Then, travel was onhorseback or by wagons, often pulled by mules or oxen. There were two John Henry Neals in the area. The census of 1850 shows the first John Henry living in Montgomery County, Arkansas. John Henry is 35 and his wife, Mary, is 30. Elisa is 13, Alfred is 12, James is 8, Matilda is 4, John is 3 and Sally is 5 months old.

The 3-year-old boy is John Henry the second. We are sure the father and son were named John Henry because of a letter written by the younger John Henry’s daughter. Referring to her half brother, Radford Andrew, she assured his children that she and Rad had the same “daddey” but different mothers and that their father, the second John Henry, had the same name as his father.

The 1860 Census does not list either Neal, perhaps because the Civil War interfered. We do know that the younger John Henry enlisted in the Union army on November 21, 1864 in Lewisburg, Arkansas. He is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall, with hazel eyes, light hair and fair complexion. he is listed as being born in Hot Springs County, Arkansas and works as a farmer.

The earliest records indicate he was born in 1847, so he would have been 17 or 18 when he enlisted. He served until after the end of the war in 1865. It is claimed that the state is so rocky that the Union calvary in Arkansas regularly wore the shows off horses and mules. This is particularly interesting because John Henry and Radford, his son, were reputedly experts with mules.

In 1870, census takers found the younger John Henry living in Plant Township, Pulaski County, Arkansas. He is 23, his wife, Elizabeth is 21 and they have a child named Jamie of uncertain age.

In 1880, the census takers located him in Washington Township, Conway County, Arkansas. He is now 33 years old and his wife is Melissa Ussery, 23. Elizabeth is presumed dead although records are not available. Two children are listed on the 1880 census as well. They are Joe T, 11, Alfred, 4.

Radford Andrew Neal was born Sept. 18, 1880. Other records indicate Melissa died the same day, presumably in childbirth. This makes sense. Radford had no full brothers or sisters. The letter telling of the John Henry Radfords was written by Stella, Radford’s half sister. Stella was younger than Radford and had a different mother, making it certain that Melissa died sometime between the birth of Rad and Stella.

Naturally, the 1890 census records that could shed some light on this burned. None of the Neals are mentioned in the few 1890 records that survived.

In 1900, the younger John Henry Neal is living in Mountain Township, Garland County, Arkansas. He is 50, his wife is Sarah Margaret, 47, and nine children are listed, ranging in age from 19 to 4 years.

Family lore is that John Henry proposed to the recently widowed Sarah Margaret Bland from the back of a mule. Having called her out of the house, he said, “Sarah, would you like to get married?” She “allowed” that she would.

“Then get your bonnet on.” It is said that she went back into the house, took off her apron, put on her bonnet and climbed on the mule behind John Henry and they went off to get married.

Interestingly, we found a Radford Bland in the cavalry at the same time as John Henry who lived on a farm not far away with his wife Sarah. Radford Bland died about the same time as Melissa Ussery. He is quite a bit older than Sarah, who is about the same age as John Henry. Could this account for Radford Andrew Neal’s name?

Radford prided himself in being an expert with horses and mules, especially mules, but it is likely that his father John Henry was the original expert. Radford also played the fiddle and it probably was John Henry who taught him.

John Henry is found living with his daughter, Stella, and her husband near the little town of Stidham, Oklahoma in 1910. He died in 1912. He is buried in the Lenna Cemetery and his grave is marked by a white tombstone issue for U. S. veterans.

On Feb. 17, 1914, Radford and Mary Ervin have a fifth child, a son they named Rufus Leslie. He later changed that name to Fred Rufus Neal. He is the father of Kenneth Neal, who in turn is the father of Patrick Neal, the originator of Neal Archives.

It's the Fair y'all

This weekend we had one of our hard core NY friends in for the weekend. Agenda: Texas State Fair and tickets to the OU-Texas game (Boomer Sooner!), then back to our house for grilling and hot tub. Why was this a big deal? Our buddy is born and raised Long Island and lives in Albany; He is a Jets fan; College football in the northeast is nothing, and I mean nothing, compared to Big 12 or SEC football; the “fair” in upstate NY is more like a sad little carnival; he has never had a corn dog; and he has never been this far west let alone been to the state of Texas.
His impressions? All favorable. Could not believe the spectacle that was the fair, all the people, the rides the beer and the fried foods. He had a corn dog (loved it), fried ding dong, fried snickers, fried butter, fried chicken skin (I know, totes gross right?) fried pumpkin pie and something else fried I have forgotten. Of the game- impressed and shocked. Said he had never been to a football game in his life (season Jets ticket holder) that could even come close in energy and fandom. And also shocked at all the college girls running around in skimpy dress with their hooters out. He has declared that his daughter will never attend UT or OU based on this. He witnessed Bevo shredding and a good Texas beat down courtesy of the Crimson and Cream (55-17). Only negative– strangers talking to him without any prompting. Well, that’s just a New York thing that takes getting used to. His comment about the people in his branch office he worked in Friday “everyone was all in my business.” Yep, that’s just the way it is (this from the person who will tell you pretty much anything as long as he knows you).
Being from the northeast where real estate is at a premium, houses are usually older and smaller and he was beside himself over the house. Let me tell you, by Texas standards it is not even close to being big, but it’s bigger than where we were and its way bigger than anything he has ever seen a la the northeast. I think we have a closet that is about as big as a bedroom back east. Let’s just say he was a fan. He ate his chili rubbed steak and had seconds of spicy tomato cheese grits. No, there are no grits to speak of in the Northeast and if there are, chances are you do not want them.
He was ready to get back home on Sunday and I suspect he will bore his wife to tears with retellings of the game and the fair. So bear with him Mrs. P. He had quite an epiphany.

when i figure out how to add pictures I will.

John Henry Neal, Jr. by Ken Neal

John Henry Neal, Jr. (1847-1912)

by Ken Neal

Magazine Mountain – West Central Arkansas

The view from the mountain top is spectacular, overlooking deep valleys and streams. Foggy mornings make the higher points stand out.

While there is a high point known as Magazine Mountain, the entire area of west-central Arkansas is mountainous. Mountainous as mountains are known in the Ozarks. However, a spot less than 2,800 feet above sea level is generally described as a hill and “hill country” pretty well describes the area encompassing the counties of Logan, Yell, Perry, Conway, Garland and Hot Spring.

Timber is mostly hardwood and scrub oak underbrush, with southern pin in spots. Largely sandstone, topsoil suitable for farming is the exception. The area has a wide variety of wild life and even today, with roads and highways crossing the area, it is wild country.

In 1880 Magazine Mountain was wild and remote. Travel by horseback or wagon pulled by mules and oxen was slow and at the very least uncomfortable.

John Henry Neal, Sr. arrived in Arkansas in the early 1800’s and by 1850 census records indicate a John Henry Neal living in Montgomery County, Arkansas. John in 35, his wife Mary is 30. Elisa is 13, Alfred is 12, James is 8, Matilda is 4, John is 3 and Sally is 5 months old.

The 1860 census has no mention of John Henry Neal and his family, however, Civil War records indicate John Henry Neal, Jr. enlisting in the Union Army on November 21, 1864 in Lewisburg, Arkansas and became a member of the Union calvary. He is described as 5’4, hazel eyes, light hair and fair complexion. He is listed as being born in Hot Springs County, Arkansas and works as a farmer.

The earliest records indicate that he was born in 1847, so he is likely fudging his age to gain entry into the army or Union recruiters have rounded him up to “volunteer”. Exploits of the Union cavalry in Arkansas claim that the state was so rough that the shoes of horses and mules were regularly worn off.

In 1870 census, John Henry Neal, Jr. is found living in Plant Township, Pulaski County, Arkansas. He is listed as John Henry Neal, 23, wife Elizabeth, 21, and with a child named Jamie (age uncertain).

By 1880, John Henry Neal, Jr. is in Washington Township, Conway County, Arkansas. He is now 33 years old and his wife is Melissa Ussery who is 23 years old. Elizabeth is presumed dead, although records showing this are not available. Two children are listed on the 1880 census entry as well, Joe T., age 11 and Alfred, age 4. Joe T. is likely Elizabeth’s child referenced in the 1870 census as “Jamie”.

Melissa died on September 18, 1880 while giving birth to Radford Andrew Neal. It is believed that he was Melissa’s only child and family stories indicate that Radford did not have any full brothers.

In 1900, John Henry Neal, Jr. is living in Mountain Township, Garland County, Arkansas. John Henry is approximately 50 years old, his new wife is Sarah Margaret, age 47, and nine children are listed ranging in age from 19 to 4 years old.

Family stories indicate that John Henry proposed to Sarah Margaret Bland by riding his mule up to Sarah’s house (she was recently widowed) and calling her outside. “Sarah, would you like to get married?” Drying her hands on her apron she replied that she “allowed” that she would.

“Well, get your bonnet then.” Sarah went back in the house took off her apron, put on her bonnet and then climbed onto the back of the mule with John Henry to go get married.

In 1910, John Henry Neal, Jr. is living with his daughter Stella in southern Oklahoma. He is 63 years old. Radford is living nearby and is 29 years old. He is married to Mary Elizabeth, age 23, and they have two children, Addie Pamela, age 5 and James Henry, age 4.

Radford prided himself in being an expert with horses and mules, especially mules, however it is likely that John Henry was the original expert. Radford also played the fiddle and Ulster Scots (which the Neals probably were) are known for playing jigs and reels on the fiddle, unlike some Scots who played bagpipes. It is likely that John Henry also taught Radford to fiddle.

John Henry Neal dies in 1912, age 65 near the small town of Stidham, Oklahoma. He is buried in Lenna Cemetary and his gravesite is marked by a white tombstone issued for U.S. veterans. That same year, Radford and Mary have a son Rufus Leslie Neal, a.k.a. Fred R. Neal.

Testing, testing, 1-2 1-2

Hey! This is a test of our new blog. It's the bloggiest blog ever!

P.S. John Neal has just declared he does not like black and white pictures. He likes color.