Relatives said Chenny was a rascal who stole chickens, among otherthin gs.
Residences & events:
1900 His father left him 160 acres in Jewell Co, Ks, along with 85acr es of the old homestead in Sullivan Twp, Moultrie Co, IL.
6/21/1900 Whitley Twp, Moultrie Co, IL. At census time WilliamNeeves w as 24 years old, had no occupation other than "income fromfarm" Wife M arsha was also 24, had been married 3 yrs and birth 2children, both li ving: Robert N, 1, and Golda, 2 months.
6/1/1906 Moultrie Co, IL. He and Marsha sold their property at Pt SWS 5 T13 R5 to his brother-in-law, DW Van Gundy, for $5000 by warrantydee d.
6/29/1906 The Decatur (IL) paper carried this item:
"Trouble Over Stolen Property
Tuesday evening Chaney Neaves and Pete Lee were placed underarres t for a saddle stolen from William Wamach (Womack?) which wasfound in N eaves' possession, he having purchased it from Lee.
Neaves was released by giving bond for $500. Lee, unable tofurni sh sufficient bond, went to jail."
4/28/1910 W Harrison St, Sullivan, Moultrie Co, IL. The censuslisted W illiam C at age 30, married 13 years to Marsha, 34, who hadbirthed 4 c hildren, all living: Robert, 11, Golda, 10, Daniel, 8,and Hazel, 2.. W illiam had his "own income" but no occupationrecorded.
11/21/1917 There seems to have been a dispute involving Chenny;sister , Laura and husband, DW; and DW's brother, Elmer Van Gundy.Attorney an d brother-in-law, WR Huff, wrote the following to Laura:
"My dear Laura:
I am sending you a copy of a letter that I have written to Elmer. NowI d idn't like to write to Elmer, but the time has come when you andDan mu st do right in this matter. You seem to be afraid of Elmer;seem to be a fraid that if you will tell him or enter into anaccounting with him as t o Chin's land you will get into trouble.People don't generally get int o trouble doing right. As far as I amconcerned I am tired of seeing C hin's family suffer for thenecessaries of life with no possible chance o f relieving them. Ifany one has to take this land for Chin's life it w ould have been farbetter for Hill to have taken it than for Elmer to t ake it.
Now it will be easy for you and Chin and Dan and Elmer to determinehow m uch is back and how much has been paid and settle this matter.I have m en every few days talk to me about this that know about thematter, and t hey think it an outrage, and you can't afford to dootherwise in this m atter than to get busy with yourself.
Now you show this letter to Dan and show it to Chin too, and don'tfail i n this. You know I write letters to some of your people whodon't see f it to answer. I don't want an answer in this letter, butthe matter mu st not rest any longer as it is. You must do right notonly toward Chi n, but toward yourself and toward your brothers andsisters and towards C hin's children.
Very truly yours,
WR Huff"
2/3/1920 6th St, Sullivan, Moultrie Co, IL. Apparently the money hadr un out by the next census time as Chenny was listed as a laborer forth e city. He and Marsha were both 44 years old and living with themwere R obert, 21, and Hazel, 13.
9/30/1927 The following appeared in the Decatur Herald:
BALDWIN TAKES "TIME OUT" ON CHANCERY CASE
VanGundy's Possession of Land on Sheriff's Deed CausesProbl em
Held as Conservator
After hearing objections in the master's report in the case ofW.C . Neaves et al vs. Elmer H. Van Gundy, a suit to recover title to86 ac res of Macon county land, Judge J. S. Baldwin withheld decisionuntil h e had given the report further study. The report findssubstantially i n favor of complaintants and if approved will restoreinterest in the l and to the Neaves family under a life estate, andsettle for simple tit le in his children, with the exception of aone-fourth interest purchas ed by Van Gundy from Robert N Neaves.
Took Sheriff's Deed
When evidence was taken in the case it was disclosed that ElmerH. V anGundy had possessed the land for years under a sheriff's deedfor the l ife estate of Neaves. He acquired the land on a bid of $100and has, a ccording to the evidence, collected a large sum of money inrentals.
The land involved is in Milam township, near the Macon-Moultrieco unty line. In support of their claims, the claimants endeavored tosho w that Elmer H. VanGundy was acting as conservator for D.W.VanGundy of n ear Sullivan when he bought the land for sale atsheriff's sale to sati sfy a judgement against the latter, D.W.VanGundy had held the life est ate to secure a debt of Neaves.
Didn't Turn Over
After getting the sheriff's deed, it was learned Elmer H.VanGundy c onsidered his purchase as a personal investment, ratherthan as a conse rvator. Later when the conservatorship and bankruptcyof D.W. VanGundy w ere terminated, all of his holdings, with theexception of this 80 acre t ract, were returned to him by thedefentant.
4/19/1928 The Decatur (IL) paper carried the following blurb:
"Judge Baldwin announced that he will give his decision in the case ofW . C. Neaves et al vs D. W. Van Gundy et al, early in the May term.The c ase involves title to eighty acres of land near Mt. Zion."
1/15/1929 Finally in the Decatur Evening Herald was:
Suit of William C.Neav es
Against D.W. and Elmer
H. VanGundy Dropped
Settlement has been reached in a case in court in the suit ofWill iam C. Neaves against D.W. VanGundy and Elmer H. VanGundy. Thesettlem ent came a few days ago after transcript of the evidence hadbeen recei ved for review by the appellate (unreadable).
After a hearing before John W. (unreadable), former master inchan cery, the plaintiff's rights in a farm near Mt. Zion weredetermined. J udge John S. Baldwin approved the Master report, andordered Elmer H. V anGundy to account for rental of the land over aperiod of years in whi ch he had control under the sheriff's saletitle.
Technical points of law developed in tracing the life estateinter ests of William C. Neaves in the land formed the basis for thejudgment . Robert Neaves, son of the plaintiff, was found to have anundivided i nterest in the land.
The terms of the settlement of the case have not been made known.
4/26/1930 Sullivan, Moultrie Co, IL was where the census taker foundW illiam and Marsha, both at age 54. The value of the house was$17.50 a nd his occupation was common laborer at odd jobs.
