Benjamin Neale (abt. 1720 - bef. 1785)

Born about 1720 in Virginia Colony, British America

Husband of Mary Ann Sellars — married about 1740 in Prince William County, Virginia Colony, British America

Husband of Anstiss (Luttrell) Neale — married about 1765 in Fauquier County, Virginia Colony, British America

Descendants

Died before 26 Sep 1785 before about age 65 in Fauquier County, Virginia, USA

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Biography

Benjamin was born about 1720 in Virginia Colony. He may have been the son or grandson of a Daniel Neale who appears in the records earlier, but this connection has not been definitely made.

Marriage

Benjamin married Mary Ann Sellars about 1740 in Prince William County, Virginia Colony. They had at least four known children between 1740 and 1762: Joseph, Benjamin, Matthew, and Mary. James Neale is usually said to be their son, but it may be that he was the son of Benjamin and Anstiss Luttrell, Benjamin's second wife.

The two sons listed in Benjamin’s will are Jesse and Moses and they are usually assumed to be the only children of Benjamin and Anstiss. However, in 1828 Moses Neale applied for a Virginia Revolutionary War Land Grant as the heir of his brothers, James, who died in service, and Jesse, now deceased, who both served in the Revolution.^[1] His sister, Mary Neale Shafer,^[2] stated that she was the half-sister of James and Jesse. This land grant claim was not approved but it does establish that James and Jesse were not full brothers of Mary Neale. They were the children of Benjamin’s second wife, Anstiss, and full brothers of Moses.

Benjamin married second Anstiss Luttrell, daughter of Richard Luttrell, about 1765 in Fauquier County, Virginia Colony. The marriage date is estimated based on the fact that when Richard Luttrell wrote his will in September 1764, Anstiss was not yet married. She is listed as Anstiss Luttrell, as opposed to her married sister who is listed as Catherine Coram. Benjamin and Anstiss had three sons, Jesse, James and Moses.

Land Transactions

The first known record for Benjamin Neales is in 1760. Benjamin and Mary Annm his wife, and James Neale (perhaps a brother) signed a lease for their lives in the Manor of Leeds in Fauquier County.^[3]

In 1777 Benjamin and Anstiss sold the 80 acres she inherited from her father to her brother, Robert Luttrell. That same year, Benjamin bought 350 acres from James Young, the father of Elizabeth Young who married Benjamin's son, Benjamin, Jr.^[4]

In 1777 Benjamin is listed in the Tenants of the Manor of Leeds, Fauquier County with 200 acres.^[2]

Death

Benjamin passed away about September 1785. His will was dated 23 Mary 1779 and proved in court 26 September 1785. In his will he leaves "all my wareing cloaths" to sons Jesse and Moses. All the "rest of my Estate, my Lease and plantations" are left to wife Anstis, who is also named executor.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ VA Rev War Land Grant Claims, 1783-1850 (Rejected), Neal, James - Soldier – Army. As cited by Cynthia Crigler October 15, 2001. Neale Family Genealogy Forum, http://genforum.genealogy.com/neale/messages/194.html
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} King, Junie Estelle Stewart. Abstracts of Wills, Administrations, and Marriages of Fauquier County, Virginia, 1759-1800. Baltimore, MD, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2001. p. 59, 75
3. ↑ Fauquier Co., VA Deed Book 1, p 139
4. ↑ Fauquier Co., VA Deed Book 6, p 420; Deed Book 6, p. 390.
5. ↑ Abstracts of Fauquier County Virginia, Wills Inventories and Accounts 1759-1800 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Gott, John K. Abstracts of Fauquier County Virginia, Wills Inventories and Accounts 1759-1800. Baltimore, MD, USA: Clearfield, 1999. p 166