Neal, Nathan

Posted By: Phyllis Fleming
Date: 20 May 2002

Nathan Neal, farmer, Hillsboro, was born near Lexington, Kentucky, July 20, 1801. About 1807 his parents, Benjamin and Mary (Seller) Neal, moved to Preble county, Ohio, where they lived and died. He was married February 1, 1821, to Delilah Fleming, of Darke county, Ohio. In August, 1825, he came to Fountain county to view the country, in company with Jacob Hawk and Ebenezer Bridge, who had been here the spring before and entered land. They had come now to put up cabins, and while so engaged Bridge decided not to move his family until the succeeding spring. Hawk, rather than come to the county with his family alone, sold twenty-five acres off from his eighty to Mr. Neal, on four years' credit. The latter left Ohio October 25, 1825, with his wife and three children, without a cent of money, and drove through with a yoke of oxen and two cows, his entire worldly estate, arriving on the 6th of November. It seems hardly credible that it was but a generation ago that he sat down here in a wooded wilderness where there was but little sign or sound of human life to disturb the primal solitude, and bring cheer to the heart of the lonely pioneer. No Indians were to be seen, but deserted wigwams were yet standing in good order. At different times two bands afterward came into the settlement. The family had to depend mostly on game for provisions. Mr. Neal obtained twenty-five bushesl of corn on credit from George Ives, who lived on the Shawnee; the rest he worked for at the Hillsboro mill, a little corn-cracker where he could occasionally work a day for a bushel of meal. The only feed he had for his cattle was browse; they wintered on this very well. Except ...
[continued on page 234 - pmf]

_The History of Fountain County, Indiana_, 1881, Highland Township, pg 233

Submitted by PhyllisMillerFleming@starband.net

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