I am researching Louisa Ann Neal, born 6/27/1832 in TN, to I BELIEVE Alfred and Elizabeth Polk Neal, who were the only Neal family living in Shelby Co. TN in 1850. Louisa married Edward T. Scott around 1858 in Shelby County. They had 12 children and later lived in Tipton Co. TN until their deaths. Louisa died 3/13/1892 and is buried in Shelby Co. TN with Ed. However, 1860 and 1870 census records show Louisa Neal (3 years younger than mine) living with Alfred in Yell Co. AR and other researchers say she died there in either 1853 or 1877, but I haven't seen any sources for those dates. Ed Scott's sister married William H. Neal, who I believe to be Louisa's brother and the son of Alfred and Elizabeth. Also, Louisa's brother James Neal married Martha Louisa George. Can anyone tell me if I have these Louisas mixed up, or if my Louisa is someone else's daughter? I am totally stumped! I have VERY extensive records to prove Louisa and Ed were married and lived in West TN and I have seen the headstone with their names together on it, so I know she's here, I just can't prove where she's from...please help! Thanks!

alfred neal and elizabeth polk had 12 children: James m. Martha, John, William, Thomas, Susan m. Carter, Emily m. James Barnett (which is my ggg grandmother)Eliza & Mary died unmarried, Sarah and Elvira died as young girls, two infants died soon after birth. I live in yell county, ar


Peggy

I note that the onlyreply you have received is from my husband's first cousin once removed who lives in Yell County. We have about the same information. I think I can say that the Louisa Ann for whom you are searching is not the daughter of Alfred Neal and Elizabeth Polk. I have researched the family for at least 25 yeara.

Louisa Neal, born 1831, and her sister, Mary Ann, died as spinsters. They are shown with their father in Magazine, Yell, Arkansas, in 1870. Although they both died in 1883, I am not able to locate them in either the printed 1880 census that I have or on ancestry.com census records. Louisa born August 16, 1831, died October 11, 1883, and buried in Dacus Cemetery in Yell County. Her sister, Mary Ann, was born December 16, 1832, and died September 12, 1883, also buried in Dacus Cemetery.

Their brother, William, was born in 1836, and died as a result of exposure in the Civil War. I researched for a number of years with Mrs. Hazel Neal whose husband was the descendant of Alfred's oldest child, Jame Monroe Neal. He and my husband's ancestor, Emily Neal, wife of James Moore Barnett, were the only two children to have children as far as I can ascertain.

I hope this solves part of your problem

Bena Taylor Kirkscey

I'm not related to this family but do have Yell County ancestors and love a challenge. Could these be your sisters in 1880?

Census Place: Magazine, Yell, Arkansas
Source: FHL Film 1254060 National Archives Film T9-0060 Page 348D

Eliza NEEL Self F S W 50 TN
Occ: Keeping House Fa: IN Mo: TN
Mary A. NEEL Sister F S W 48 TN
Occ: At Home Fa: IN Mo: TN

Janet

Thank you for your reply. Since I posted this originally I have discovered that, although Elizabeth and Alfred Neal did live in the 2nd Civil District in Shelby County at the proper time, they indeed were not the parents of my great-great-grandmother Louisa Ann. My latest theory is that she is the daughter of James and Nancy, whose last name was variously spelled Neal, Neel, and Neil in the records, and who also lived within Civil District 2 after marrying in either Sumner or Wilson County in middle TN. Some of their other children lived in the Shelby County area for some time after my ancestors married. I have not yet proven this lineage, but I have reasonably concluded that you and your husband's cousin are correct and I was not. Thank you for taking the time to respond, and I hope my actual Neal/Neel/Neil heritage proves to be as interesting as your own!

Your reply solved one of my questions. Refer to my reply concerning Louisa Neal. I have not found the 1889 census for any of this family. You have. Eliza Neel was actually Elvira Neal. I was told that she died as a young child, even a baby. But apparently not. Records for the family of Alfred Neal are scarce, a lot of hearsay. But the ages for Elvira/Eliza and her sister, Mary Ann, are correct as are the other facts, i.e. places of birth, residence in Magazine, Yell County, AR. Thank so very much. My husband has a number of ties to Yell County, even unto this day. Families include Barnett, Neal, Baird and Orr. All except Barnett have been a problem at one time or the other.

Just a caution. I wouldn't be so quick to assume that Eliza is Elvira. Eliza could be Louisa. If Elvira was alive in 1870, where was she? Since Louisa was alive in 1880, where is she? You'll probably want to find all three in 1870 and 1880 before you can assume that Elvira did not die as a young child. It's that kind of thing that makes this fun, right? :-)

You are absolutely right. Thanks for the heads up. I will rethink the problem.