The Neal Family of Meredith, Belknap County New Hampshire

Old postcard: Road to Meredith Village at Lake Winnipesaukee.

The Neal Family of Meredith New Hampshire is ancient, and its lineage complicated.  The surname is spelled a variety of ways: Neal, Neale, Nele, etc. This name is found in the earliest records of New Hampshire’s immigration history.

This article is not being written to prove a detailed ancestry of the Neals, but rather to focus on two people — Mrs. Hannah (Smith) Neal, and her son Smith Neal of Meredith. I will let the genealogy below, speak for itself.

—–THE NEAL FAMILY OF MEREDITH NEW HAMPSHIRE—–

Editor’s Note: In addition to what I provide, I highly suggest that researchers review the following publications:
– The Annals of Meredith NH speak about this line, and some of the information shown here is drawn from that publication.
– Genealogical Memoranda Relating Chiefly to the Hayley, Piper, Neal and Ricker Families of Maine and New Hampshire, Courier-Citizen, 1899
– Family Records of Branches of the Hanaford, Thompson, Huckins, Prescott …., by Mary Elisabeth Neal Hanaford

Samuel Neal [of Stratham], son of Samuel Neal, b abt 1729 in Greenland, Rockingham Co. NH, d. abt 1778 in Stratham NH; m. 7 Feb 1754 to Elizabeth Haley, daughter of Andrew & Mary (Bryar) Haley. She bapt. 2 Apr 1734. In 1781 Samuel Neal was a private, is record [American Revolution]. He signed the association Test in Newmarket NH.
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Children of Samuel & Elizabeth (Haley) Neal:
1. Samuel Neal, b. 22 March 1755 Stratham NH
2. Joseph Neal, b. 23 March 1762 in Stratham, Rockingham Co. NH
3. Andrew Neal, b. 19 January 1758 Stratham NH
4. Jeremiah Neal, b. 4 Nov 1759 Stratham NH
5. Elizabeth Neal, b. 29 May 1768 Stratham NH
6. Mary Neal, b. 1 June 1770 Stratham NH; m. — Watson; res. Topsham VT
7. Sarah Neal, b. 23 June 1773 Stratham NH; m. — Davis; resided Lee NH
8. Abigail Neal, b. 29 Jan 1775 Stratham NH; m. — Cheney; res.Limington Maine
9. Deborah Neal, b. 22 Jan 1778 Stratham NH; m. — Samuels; resided Cornish Maine

Photograph of Hannah (Smith) Neal, wife of Joseph Neal of Meredith NH.

Joseph “White Oak Joe” Neal, b. 1762, d 23 March 1851 Meredith NH of pneumonia; m. 27 March 1789 to **Hannah Smith, daughter of Jeremiah & Hannah (Lock) Smith [see her photograph on left], granddaughter of Daniel & Deborah (Wicom) Smith, 2nd-great granddaughter of Richard Smith. She was born in 1770 and died the day after her husband on 24 March 1851 in Meredith NH also of pneumonia. Private Cemetery Meredith NH. Mrs. Mary E. Hanaford gave info on both deaths. Reportedly Joseph and his brother John walked to Meredith using spotted trees to guide their way. They bought 100 acres of land and cleared it and built a home. Later John sold his share to Joseph and bought other land. In 1850 living with son John and his family. His son Smith Neal said his father Joseph was apprenticed to a Mr. Barker of Rye when he was 7 years old.
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Children of Joseph & Hannah (Smith) Neal: [some info from old bible records]
1. William Neal, b. 1789, d. 1830; carpenter and ship builder; single.
2. +John Neal, b. 1791, d. 1864; m. Lois Mead, daughter of John Mead.
3. Elizabeth Neal, b. 1793; m. Richard Neal, son of “Red Oak Joseph” & Abigail (?) Neal.
4. Mary Neal, b. 1795, d. 1879; m. Joseph E. Robinson of New Castle NH. He d. 1854. She m2) 1862 Nathaniel Batcheldor.
5. Joseph Neal Jr., b. 1797; d. 1855; m. Lucy Dow, daughter of Ebenezer & Mary (Sanborn) Down. She was b. 1804 and d. 1855.
6. Hannah S. Neal, b. 1801, d. 1835 of consumption.
7. +Smith Neal, born 16 Feb 1806, d. 15 December 1887; lived in Meredith, New Hampshire. He was a farmer. He m. Sarah Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Nicholas & Lavina (Smith) Smith.
8. Nancy Neal, b. 1810, d. 1854; m. Joshua Wiggin as his 2nd wife.
9. Irene Neal, b. 1813, d. 1902; married 1849, as 2nd wife of Charles Smith. He m1) Annis Smith. They had a daughter who married — Weeks; and a daughter Isabel b 1857, and John b 1859.

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—–Next Generation—-
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John Neal, son of Joseph & Hannah (Smith) Neal, b. 20 October 1790 Meredith NH, d. 30 September 1864; he m. Lois Mead, daughter of John Mead. She was b. 13 Aug 1795 in Meredith NH and d. 17 April 1875.
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1850 US Census > NH > Belknap > Meredith
John Neal M 69 NH
Lois Neal F 54 NH
Hannah S. Neal F 30 NH
Darius S. Neal M 24 NH
Martha Neal F 22 NH
Susan M. Neal F 20 NH
John Neal M 18 NH
Harriet Neal F 14 NH
Dixi Neal M 10 NH
Joseph Neal M 88 NH
Hannah Neal F 79 NH
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1860 US Census > NH > Belknap > Meredith
John Neal M 64 NH Farmer 5000/250
Lois Neal F 64 NH
Susan M. Neal F. 28 NH
Harriet M. Neal M. 21 NH
Ezra D. Neal M. 20 NH
John M. Neal M. 27 NH
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Children of John & Lois (Mead) Neal:
1. Mary Jane Neal, b. 1818, d. 1839
2. son Neal, b. and d. 1818
3. Martha Neal, b. 1819, d. 1824
4. Betsey M. Neal, b. 1823, d. 1854
5. Darius J. Neal, b. 1824, d. 1908; m. 1855 Frances Moody of Canterbury. She d. 1893. Their son Charles Ames Neal b 1862 in Chicago IL, m. Melanie T. Norton and had children Elliot Jay (b 1897) and Kimball Ladd (b 1900)
6. Hannah S. Neal, b. 5 Dec 1826 in Meredith NH, d. 23 July 1901 Meredith NH; m. 19 June 1862 in Meredith NH to Rev. Mark True, son of John True. He b 1815, d 1875
[her death]
7. Martha Ann Neal, b. 27 June 1828, d. 12 Nov 1914 in Wilmington MA; m. 1858 Eben S. Thompson as his 2nd wife. He d. 1877. He had m1) Sarah Hanaford of New Hampton NH. They had a daughter Eleanor Neal who d. in California, but had been residing previously in Stoneham MA.
8. Susan Maria Neal, 1831-1917, d. in Stoneham MA.
9. +John Mead Neal, b. 1832, d. 1924; He m. 1860 Jane Wadleigh. She was b. 1833. Their daughter Emma Jane b. 1863 and m. Clarence Clark. Clark children: a) Helen N. Clark b 1901 m. Henry Bean; b) C. Henry Clark b 1902; c) Harold J. Clark b 1906, m. Marion Cotton.
10. Harriet Newell Neal, b. 23 June 1835, d. 14 Dec 1926 in Laconia NH; single; buried Meredith NH
11. Ezra Dixi Neal, b. 21 June 1839 Meredith NH, d. 28 May 1910 in Cook Co. IL; m. 7 Jan 1871 in Meredith NH to Lavinia S. Leavitt, dau of Isaac & Sarah (Smith) Leavitt, granddaughter of Capt Elisha Smith. She b. abt 1844 and died before 1910. He was a coal merchant. Their children: Edith Leavitt Neal (b 1875 m Charles Perine of Chicago IL, 2 children), Grace L. Neal (b 1878, m. Harry C. Mills.

Photograph of Smith Neal (1806-1887) of Meredith NH

**Smith Neal [see his photograph at right], son of Joseph & Hannah (Smith) Neal, born 16 Feb 1806 in Meredith NH, d. 15 December 1887 Sanbornton NH; lived in Meredith, New Hampshire. He was a farmer. He m. 2 Dec 1852 to Sarah Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Nicholas & Lavina (Smith) Smith. She was b. 24 Aug 1823 in New Hampton NH and d. 28 Aug 1886 in Sanbornton NH.
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1870 US Census > NH > Belknap Co. > Sanbornton
Neal Smith 60 M W Farmer 18,000 7000 NH
Neal, Elisabeth 47 F W Keeping House NH
Neal, Mary 16 F W at home NH
Stanwood, Charles 13 M W works on farm NH
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Child of Smith & Sarah E. (Smith) Neal:
1. Mary Elisabeth Neal, b. 2 Oct 1853 in Meredith NH, d. 8 May 1935 in Laconia NH. She m. 1 Jan 1890 to John Parker Hanaford, son of Nathaniel Perkins & Zulema Webster (Prescott) Hanaford as his 2nd wife. They resided in Chadwick IL. He was b. 14 Sep 1853 in New Hampton NH and d. April 1935 in San Diego CA. He had marred 1) Mary Frances Smith, and had a daughter Frances Lydia Hanaford, b. 27 April 1880. She wrote “Meredith N.H. Annals and Genealogies,” [arranged]

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—–Next Generation—-
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John Mead Neal, son of John & Lois (Mead) Neal, b. 4 November 1832 in Meredith NH, d. 12 June 1924 in Laconia, Belknap Co. NH; m. Jane Wadleigh. Farmer. Buried Plymouth St. Cemetery, Meredith NH.
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Children of John M. & Jane (Wadleigh) Neal:
1. Emma Jane Neal, b 13 Sep 1864 Meredith NH; She m1) 21 June 1881 in Meredith NH to Edson K. Smith, son of K.W. Smith and divorced. m2) 10 July 1897 in Laconia NH to Clarence Alberto Clark, son of Squire & Arabella (Plaisted) Clark. He was a printer b. in Holderness NH; buried Plymouth St. Cem, Meredith NH.
2. Sarah Neal, b. 13 Sep Meredith NH; d. 10 Feb 1937 in Laconia NH; m. Edwin R. Taylor.
3. John Frank Neal, b. 22 Oct 1867 Meredith NH; d. 7 Sep 1949 Meredith, Belknap Co. NH; He married Margaret S. Murray.  She b. 1887, d. 1970. He was cremated and buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge MA; he was a salesman for Standard Oil Co.