Gilbert, Frank T.  "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon."
Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a27.
 
ALEXANDER NEAL, JR.

     Is the son of Alexander and Lyda (Bilyeu) Neal, and was born in Taney
county, Mo., November 17, 1842.  The family crossed theh plains in 1844, coming
by the old route down the Columbia, and settled in Marion county, Oregon.  Here
Alexander grew up among the pioneers of the Willamette valley, working on the
farm, and in winter attending the schools that were kept in those old pioneer
days.  In 1862, being twenty years of age, he went to the new Idaho mines, and
mined for three years near Idaho City.  Although he made considerable money, he
found that the opportunities for spending it were equal to the amount, and he
abandoned the mines.  Returning to Marion county he engaged in the saw mill
business for five years.  He then married Miss Druzilla McNiel, a native of
Illinois, and daughter of Hugh and Sarah McNiell.  She came to Oregon in 1864.
Mr. Neal then went to California and worked as a carpenter in Tehama one year,
returning then to Oregon to engage in farming.  In 1877 he located upon land
nine miles east of Dayton, W. T.  In October, 1881, he sold this claim and
purchased 160 acres on the Patit, three miles east of Dayton, where he now
resides with his family.  The land is all enclosed and well improved, with good
residence, barns, etc.  There are twelve acres of orchard, twenty of timothy and
thirty of pasture, the balance being fine grain land.  A view of this farm is
given on another page.  Mr. and Mrs. Neal have growing up around them a family
of five children:  Charles Hugh, eight years of age; Lyda Sarah, six years;
Alexander, four years; Alice, two years; and little Mary, but a few months old.

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Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in August 2006 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.