John's mother died when he was about 2 months old. Both he and sisterM attie went to live with their Neal grandparents. Following theirdeath s, they lived with childless Uncle George and Eliza Neal, wherethey we re both listed in the 1860 and 1870 census records.
He played the French harp, sang with a men's quartet that campaignedfo r Presidential candidate McKinley, and led the singing at church.For e xtra income, he gave voice lessons. His children were taught tosing f rom early childhood and one Christmas he bought them all harps.
Residences and events in his life:
1880 Monticello Twp, Piatt Co, IL, was still the address when Johnwas l isted in the census with his own young family, he was stillfarming. J ohn was 28, Mary, 24, and sons George and Chas, were 4 and2 respective ly.
1884 Dade Co, MO. Following the tragic death of son, George, theydec ided to move. They rented a house and the next year it burned,the lan dlord collected the insurance money and they were hit withanother trag edy.
Faced with the depression, John farmed in the summer and ran singingsc hools in the winter with 20 pupils for 20 nights for $20. Marytaught s ubscription schools.
1895 Near El Reno, Indian Territory, OK. Having lost 2 morechildren, t hey decided to try their luck on one of the new homesteadsoffered by t he government. (Descendants said the family moved therethat year but e ither it was later or they moved back across the stateline before the n ext census.)
6/9/1900 Green Twp, Lawrence Co, MO The census recorded John N, 47,m arried 25 years to Mary S, 44, who had birthed 6 children but only 3st ill survived. Living with them were children, Charles, 21,Delbert, 19 , and Grace, 17. John and Charles were farmers.
1903 Apparently that didn't work out either so they moved to theCappe r's farm.
1905 Canadian Co, OK, 12 miles west of El Reno. They finally settledo n the old homestead which remained in the family until 1971 when itwas f inally sold by heirs.
1910 Calumet Twp, Canadian Co, OK. The census taker listed a familyof i nitials that year. JN was 57, married 35 years to ML, 55, with 6child ren but only 3 were still living. Chilldren in the house wereDB, 29, a nd Grace E, 26. Both Delbert and Grace were school teacherswhile John w as a general farmer.
He suffered a stroke some 5 years prior to death and was bed riddenfor t he remainder of his life. Son, Delbert, moved back home to carefor hi m and the farm.
