JOHN G. NEELY AND ELIZABETH JANE INGRAM

Contributed by Wanda Ridge. 2018

John G. Neely and his family appear in the Languille Twp., 1850 Phillips County, Arkansas census, living in a hotel. This area became Lee County in 1873. John was 35 years of age, his occupation was carpenter, and the census stated he was born in Kentucky. His wife was Mary Ann, age 26, also born in Kentucky. Three children were in the household, Almina, age 6, and James P., 4, both born in Iowa, and Alice C., age 2, born in Arkansas. Later census show the two oldest children born in Illinois.

Mary Ann died while the family was living in Languille Twp. Her grave marker was located in Chamberlain Cemetery; inscription reads: “Mary Ann, wife of John G. Neely, age 26 yrs, 3 mos., died July 9, 1851.” This death year has been questioned for two reasons. 1) The 1850 Phillips County Mortality Census lists a death on 9 July of a female Neely, age 24. 2) John G. Neely remarried in Monroe County, Arkansas on 8 June 1851.

Equally confusing is John G. Neely’s marriage to Elizabeth Jane Ingram on 8 June 1851, recorded in Monroe County, Arkansas marriage book A. The marriage record reads John G. Neely of Phillips County and Mrs. E. Dun of Monroe County. Elizabeth Jane Ingram was living in the household of her widowed mother, Phoebe Ingram, in the 1850 Monroe County census. However in Monroe County in July 1851, Edmond Ingram and Elizabeth Dun (Dun scratched out and something illegible written over) transferred to William Ingram their right, title, interest and estate claim to land in Phillips County. No marriage of an Elizabeth Jane Ingram and a Dun/Dunn has been found, although a Thomas Dunn, age 37, was killed in Monroe County in 1849.

The Neelys were enumerated in the 1860 Hampton Twp., Monroe County, census. In the household with John G. and Elizabeth were Almina, age 15 and Jas. C., age 13, both born in Illinois, Alice C. age 12, Wm. S. age 9 , Sarah K. age 6, and John, age 4. Also in the household was Elizabeth’s brother, Edward Ingram, age 31.

The 1860 Monroe County, Arkansas Agricultural Census, Hampton Twp., show John G. Neely with 160 acres of land, 25 acres of which was improved; cash value of farm was $1500, with farming implements and machinery valued at $130. The census showed 2 horses, 6 milk cows, 2 working oxen, 11 other cattle with livestock valued at $400. He had 300 bushels of Indian corn.

Probate records for John G. Neely were recorded in Monroe County, Book B, pg 61, 8 March 1866. No exact death date was recorded. Probate Court Record E, dated June 1, 1866, shows appraisement of J. G. Neely estate presented and ordered by the court approved.

John G. Neely served in Hardy’s Regiment, Co. B, Arkansas Infantry, CSA. It has never been determined if John G. Neely died in the Civil War or otherwise.

By the 1870 census, Elizabeth Jane Neely had apparently married W. B. Vernon, as he was shown as head of the household with Elizabeth as wife. Children Virginia, age 5/12 months and James Hamilton, born 28 Dec 1871, are shown as Vernons. Neely stepchildren in the household were William S., Susan, John W., Burton, Maria and Mary.

Apparently, Elizabeth was again widowed as she is shown in the 1880 Hampton Twp., Lee Co., Arkansas census with William Patterson, age 45, as head of household. Lee County records a marriage between William Thomas Patterson and Elizabeth Vernon on 3 January 1876. In the 1880 household are children Mollie, Robert, James and Alice, age 5. In February 1877, W. T. Patterson was appointed guardian of Burt and Mollie Neely in Lee County Probate Court. Elizabeth’s son Burton Neely was deceased by February 1879, at which time W. T. Patterson was named in his administration. Burton would have been about 20 years old. In November term 1883, W. T. Patterson stated that no money of his said ward, Mollie Neely, had come into his hands, and that his said ward was living with and cared by him at his expense.

We are not sure when and with whom Elizabeth Ingram Neely Vernon Patterson went to California. The 1900 Fresno County, California census, 11th Twp., taken July 9, 1900, show Edward Ingram, farmer, widowed, with his widowed sister, Elizabeth Patterson, age 72, in the household. James Vernon, age 29, was also living in the household. Other members of the Ingram family were shown in this census. In 1910, Santa Barbara County, California, Edwin Ingram, age 85, was living with his married daughter, Lola McLane.

Elizabeth Ingram Patterson died in Delano, Kern Co., California on September 1, 1907. Birth date shown on the death certificate was 15 March, 1925. William Ingram was shown as father, and Phebia Ingram shown as mother. Informant was James H. Vernon, Delano, California. Cause of death was tuberculosis.

There are many records of these Neely and Ingram families in the Monroe and Lee County, Arkansas court houses, as well as many records in Kern and Fresno counties, California and surrounding areas.