| Name |
Floyd NEELY |
| Birth |
1823 |
Harrison Co, (W)VA  [1, 2] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Military |
Colonel, 180th Regt, W.Va. Militia, Civil War [3] |
- In his capacity as commander of the local militia during the Civil War, Floyd Neely sent the following handwritten letter to Francis P. Pierpoint, the original of which is on file at the West Virginia State Archives Library in Charleston:
West Union, W.Va.
May 30 1864
F. P. Pierpoint Esq
Adjutant Genl
Dear Sir,
I have caused a very considerable amount of guard duty performed by the Militia of this County during the last three weeks, since the last gang of Horse thieves were discovered. We have guarded up to this time all the important passes leading South from this County. We are using every effort in our power to capture the banditties, if they make their appearance again. We have run short of Ammunitions especially Caps. We have some Cartridges yet. I would like to have 500 or 1000 caps and one Box Cartridges for Austin muskets 69 in Cal. The safety of our property in this country requires a consent of action on the part of the Citizens in the absence of regular soldiers. A portion of the Militia South of the Rail Road have been very prompt in the discharge of any duty required of them, while there are another portion almost uncontrollable. That portion are of the Butter Nut Tribe. These are a few persons residing on the waters of the North Fork of Hughes River in Ritchie County and one in this County near the Ritchie line, all in the same section of Country, who from recent developments I [am] satisfied are aiders and abetters in the horse stealing business, so far as harbouring and giving them information, and think the Country would be well rid of them.
Hoping to hear from you at once,
I am your Obt Servt --
Floyd Neely, Col, 180th Regt
W.Va. Militia
NOTE: "Butternut" was a term used prior to the war to refer to people (especially those of Sourthern origin) who lived in southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. During the war, the expression commonly was applied to Confederates, especially Rebel soldiers, whose clothing -- like that of the original Butternuts -- was often a light-brown color, owing to the use of dye made from butternuts or walnuts. At times, as in Letter 13 in chapter 2, it was applied to Northerners who were sympathetic to the Confederacy.
SOURCE: "The Wilderness of War: The Civil War Letters of George W. Squier, Hoosier Volunteer," University of Tennessee Press, 1998.
https://books.google.com/books?id=q-ZuI6W854wC&lpg=PA29&ots=MMl4i_c3ZT&dq=butternut%20tribe&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q=butternut%20tribe&f=false
|
| Census |
1850 |
West Union, Doddridge Co, (W)VA |
- In the hotel of Francis F. M. Smith, his brother-in-law.
|
| Occupation |
1850 [4] |
| miller |
| Census |
1860 |
Doddridge Co, (W)VA |
| Occupation |
1860, 1863 [5] |
| sheriff |
| Census |
1870, 1880 |
West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV |
| Occupation |
farmer [6, 7, 8] |
| Residence |
1883 |
Doddridge Co, WV [2] |
| Death |
29 Nov 1895 |
West Union, Doddridge Co, WV [9] |
| Burial |
Archbold Cemetery, Smithburg, Doddridge Co, WV [10] |
| Notes |
- Floyd Neely was the second merchant in partnership with M. E. Smith, operating a business as Neely & Smith in West Union. He was appointed sheriff for 3 or 4 years prior to 1852, and was High Sheriff in 1860, 1863 (first under the new state constitution), and also in 1870 and 1872. A grandson of John Neely, who was a Revolutionary War Militiaman from New York, Floyd Neely was a Colonel in the 180th W.Va. Militia in the Civil War. Floyd Neely's home was located in West Union at 203 Court Street, at the corner of Columbia Street. With its distinctive mansard roof, it was built in about 1858 and remains standing today. In the early 2000s, the home was owned by Dr. James B. Kirkwood (1938-2010) and became known during that time as the Kirkwood House.
|
| Person ID |
I60455 |
Doddridge County Roots |
| Last Modified |
4 Jul 2016 |
Family 1  |
Jane Ann FITZWILLIAMS, b. 16 May 1835, Maryland d. 5 Mar 1876, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 40 years) |
| Notes |
- 1870 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (West Union Twp, Borough of West Union), enumerated on Jun 8 1870:
Floyd Neely, 47, occupation farming, value of real estate $10,000, value of personal estate $3,500; Jane A, 34, value of real estate $1,000, value of personal estate (blank); Annie M, 13; Ada B, 10; Cora J, 8; Grace, 2. All born in Va/WVa except for Jane, born in Maryland.
Jane Ann (Fitzwilliams) Neely died of cancer on March 5, 1876. Oldest daughter Annie became the primary caretaker of her sisters and later of her father in his declining years. This is known from a court case regarding the disbursement of Floyd Neely's estate.
1880 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (West Union District), enumerated on Jun 2 1880:
Floyd Neely, 55, widowed, farmer; dau Annie, 22, single; dau Ada B, 19, single; dau Cora, 17; dau Grace, 11; dau Julia, 9; dau Clara, 7.
Floyd Neely married Nannie Smith in Parkersburg in 1883. They soon separated, with Nannie returning to Parkersburg, They never divorced but were still estranged when Floyd died in 1895. Some of his daughters had already left Doddridge County by that time, and soon after his death the others did as well.
|
| Children |
| | 1. Matthew NEELY, b. 17 Jan 1856 d. 30 Mar 1856 (Age 0 years) |
| | 2. Annie M. NEELY, b. Apr 1858, West Virginia d. 10 Jun 1931, Los Angeles, CA (Age ~ 73 years) |
| + | 3. Ada Belle NEELY, b. 2 Jul 1859, West Union, Doddridge Co, WV d. 10 Jan 1940, Los Angeles, CA (Age 80 years) |
| + | 4. Cora J. NEELY, b. 23 Sep 1862, West Union, Doddridge Co, WV d. 6 Apr 1924, Los Angeles, CA (Age 61 years) |
| | 5. Maggie NEELY, b. 21 Nov 1864, Doddridge Co, WV d. 19 Nov 1866, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 1 year) |
| > | 6. Grace NEELY, b. 22 Dec 1867, Doddridge Co, WV d. 10 Mar 1944, Los Angeles Co, CA (Age 76 years) |
| | 7. Julia NEELY, b. 20 Jun 1870, Doddridge Co, WV |
| > | 8. Clara NEELY, b. 28 Aug 1872, Doddridge Co, WV d. 19 Jan 1948, Los Angeles Co, CA (Age 75 years) |
|
| Family ID |
F35258 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
1823 - 1895 (72 years)
