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I work at the Ohio Genealogical Society and was cataloging a book today, Baltimore County, Maryland Deed Records, Volume Four: 1767-1775, by John Davis, and the following item was included:
“21 Oct 1771, Barnet & Mary O’Neal, (eldest son and heir of Henry O’Neal), of Frederick Co., Virginia to William Cox, of Baltimore Co., Maryland, L200, 100 acres, purchased of Daniel Murdaugh. Signed Barnet O’Neal. Wit: John Cox and Richard Morris. Sarah Seals, former wife of Henry O’Neal, released her right of dower.”
This has to be our Barnet Neel/O’Neel of Cumberland Twp., Greene Co PA, whose will, naming a wife Mary, was made 10 Nov 1778 in Monongalia Co VA and brought into court in March 1779. The estate included a bill 12 Nov 1778 “to makin a coffin for a pack horse marster” and an additional bill 25 Feb 1780 “for bailing in two graves for said O’Neel.” The last two deaths are believed to be the widow Mary and her infant child, as she was pregnant when the will was written. Children Henry, Sarah, and Barnet survived. Of course, Daniel Murdock was a Greene Co PA name as was James and Sarah Seals whose family intermarried with the Richard Morris family as well as the Vanmeters who were later connected to our Neel line. See Leckey, p. 355, for the Seals information. If it is the same Sarah Seals, she survived her husband, James Seals, whose will was probated 13 May 1797 (Greene Co PA Will Book I, p. 4; Ejectment proceedings Oct 1797). James Seals Jr. was in David Owens’ Company during the Revolutionary War. Barney O’Neal spoke up for the same David Owens when he killed his Indian wife (Draper MSS, 4 NN 30-31).
This deed abstract book has been out for 12 years and I have been staring at my photocopies all day thinking how did we ever miss this? There are so many of us that have worked on this family. Although we have concentrated on Loudoun Co VA looking at Christopher Neal and Hugh O’Neil and other families, Maryland wasn’t far from our minds, but I just had not seen the above deed before. It is Baltimore Co., Liber A.L., No. D. The parents of Barnet Neel/O’Neel, Rev War soldier, are Henry O’Neal and probably Sarah (maiden name unknown) O’Neal - Seals. Barnet name his first son Henry and his eldest daughter Sarah. It fits!
Working further in the same deed abstract set by Davis (v. 2, p. 281), is the following from Baltimore Co., Liber T.R., No. C: “3 Dec 1748, Daniel Murdock, weaver, of Baltimore Co., Maryland to Henry Oneal, blacksmith, of same, L70, 100 acres, drafts of Deer creek. Signed Daniel Murdock. Wit: William Smith and Richard Ruff.” Isn’t interesting to know that the senior Henry O’Neal was a blacksmith as was his son Barnet of Greene Co PA, the horse master in the Augusta County Militia, as was both of Barnet’s sons, Henry and Barnet, as was the younger Henry’s son, John, of Columbiana Co OH – my ancestor.
A deed, “12 Jun 1753, received of Thomas Shea, executor of Henry Oneal, L16.5, balance to James Teal. Signed Sarah (x) Teal. Wit: John Cretin.” Could Teal actually be Seals? This is in Baltimore Co Liber T.R., No. E [Davis – v. 2, p. 366).
Another deed, “24 Feb 1754, Thomas & Johannah Gash, planter, of Baltimore Co., Maryland to Barnett Oneal, (son of Henry, deceased), of same, L45, 40 acres. Signed Thomas (x) Gash. Wit: Thomas Kasey and Stephen Scarlett.” Liber B.B., No. 1 (Davis, v. 3, p. 12).
The Swan Bible, cited in Leckey, has Barnet Neel 1751 written on a frayed page margin and it is believed this is our ancestor’s birth date. That page of the Bible is not reproduced in Leckey and I have never seen a photocopy of the Swan Bible nor am aware of its current location if it still exists. I believe Leckey had found it in Palms, California (1940). If this is correct, then our Barnet is age 2 when his father died. Would a 3-year old receive a 40-acre tract above (1754 Gash deed)? Is there another Barnet, son of Henry, in an older generation? However, see the following in Barnes.
Baltimore County, Families, 1659-1759, by Robert W. Barnes, p. 481: “O’Neal, Henry (1), was in Balto. Co. by 11 Jan. 1748 when admin. bond was posted by Thomas She and John Haven; in 1750 he or his heirs were listed as owning 100 a. Murdock’s Chance; his est. was admin. 20 Jan 1749, 1 June 1751, 23 Jan 1752, and 20 July 1753; had iss.,: prob. Bennett; Eliza, b. c. 1743; Mary, b. c. 1747; Barnett, b. c. 1749; and Sarah (4:214; 5:208, 246, 283; 12:405; 39:18; 153:19).” – “O’Neal, Bennett (2), prob. s. of Henry (1), was designated as son of Henry in a deed of 24 Feb. 1754 when Thomas and Johanna Gash conv. him 50 a. Gash’s Purchase, part of a larger tract called Westwood (82:159).” (Comment: They interpret the Gash deed as reading Bennett instead of Barnet and also do not seem to have a problem with a young child being sold land. I’ll have to research these references as I don’t understand what Barnes used to get a ca. 1749 birth date for this Barnett when the father’s administration bond was posted in 1748? Also, if our Barnet is the “eldest son” of a Henry, and if it is indeed this Henry, then Barnes was wrong in associating Bennett O’Neil with this Henry.)
Settlers of Maryland 1731-1750, Peter Wilson Coldham, p. 166: “Oneal, Henry – Baltimore County – Oneal’s Chance – 50 acres – 14 July 1743 – LGB/697; LGE/159.” The key shows that LGB are patents on film SR7479 and LGE are certificates on film SR7481.
This Baltimore group will really need to be researched well to sort them out. Then of course, we have the orphan tradition of Barnet Neel of Greene Co having a brother Henry Neel/O’Neel of Fayette Co PA. The descendants of Ezekiel Morris of Pickaway Co OH who say his wife Mary was a brother to our Barnet Neel/O’Neil have a chance with the Mary 1747 above. She named a son, Henry O’Neil Morris. Constantine O’Neil, the Revolutionary Soldier of Grave Creek in WV had a son Barnabas or Barnet and Con was mentioned in the company of William Harrod (Draper MSS) as was our Barnet. That is a name found in Loudoun and Frederick Co VA. Who knows if there is a connection. Plus, our DNA is only 1 marker off the line of the Philadelphia Barnabas O’Neil who arrived in the US a couple generations later. There are also O’Neils in Anne Arundel MD church records who use the Barnet name – supposed to have migrated to KY.
I have been to the Hall of Records in Annapolis twice and to the Baltimore Historical Society once but I know see that I need to take a vacation in that direction again!
Tom Neel, 169 E Main St, New London OH 44851
tomneel@verizon.net – www.thomasstephenneel.com
My line:
Henry O’Neal m. Sarah (----), later wife of James Seals
Barnet Neel/O’Neel m. Mary (-----)
Henry Neel m. Elizabeth Vanmeter, probably widow of Wm. Thomas
John Neel m. Sarah Hempstead
Felix Hempstead Neel m. Mary Jane Taylor
John Lucas Neel m. Mary Jane Jenkins
Henry Neel m. Edith Sanders
Vaughn Neel m. Lois Rae Fetterman
Tom Neel
(also posted on Neel forum)
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