My Oneil's and Related Families

I include a Quote from "The Tenmile Country And Its Pioneer Families," by Howard L. Leckey, page 225
THE ONEAL FAMILY
When Felix Hughes brought his family to the Tenmile Country about 1767, two of his cousins, Henry and Barnet (Barbabas or Barney, etc.) boys about the same age of Felix Hughes' own sons, were in the party. Tradition says that one of these boys was bitten by a poisonous snake in the journey over the mountains and almost lost his life. As Felix Hughes was a son of Thomas and Briget (O'Neal) Hughes, the relationship with the two boys may easily be seen. The same tradition says they were orphans, thought this fact is not proven. A frayed page in the Swan-Hughes Bible indicated that Barnet O'Neal was born in 1751. He appears to have married before 1772 when he is found at the head of a household in the Springhill Township, Bedford County tax list. It is almost certain that both Barnet and Henry O'Neal served in the Revolution, but the evidence for Barnet O'Neal is not as conclusive as for his brother Henry O'Neal, whose name is found among the Frontier Rangers from Washington County for 1778-1783. But when David Owens was relieved from the command of his company at Fort Jackson, and replaced by Captain William Harrod, a group of men who had served under Owens, requested on October 22, 1776, that Captain Owens be restored to command them on a coming expedition. They stated that Barney O'Neal and Harrod were competent to judge the ability of their former captain, indicating that Barnet O'Neal had been in the service. (Draper Mss 4 NN 30-31)
Barnet O'Neal did not survive the Revolution, for Washington County court records show that he died about 1779, his estate being filed in Monongalia County, (West)Virginia, where on March 6, 1779, William Crawford, William Shepherd, and Charles Swan made an appraisal. The estate was administered by Thomas Hughes, who filed an account on March 5, 1780. A will is mentioned but it was probably destroyed by the fire at Morgantown in 1796. As Barnet O'Neal left three minor children, the care of these minors devolved upon Washington County after the boundary controversy had been settled, thus guardians were appointed there and a recital of the estate is found in the Orphan Court Docket. The land on which the elder Barnet O'Neal had settled was near the old Shepherd Church and was warranted to his heirs April 18, 1785, under the title of "Turkey Flat," and then patented to them when they reached legal age, under the title of "Union." The court actions show the named of the children of Barnet O'Neal, but no wife's name is found.
Family of Barnet O'Neal (O'Neil, O'Neel, Neal, Neel, etc.):
 2. Barnet O'Neal, born April 23, 1776; died September 15, 1860; married, June 6, 1799, Martha Hughes, born May 11, 1761; died October 31, 1857. She was a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Swan) Hughes. The Bible record of the family is found in the Swan-Hughes Bible. (Some of the family were known as O'Neals, others as Neals, etc.) (My Line)

More of My Line 2. Barnet O'Neil can be found at: Go to my Hughes page

More O'Neil/Neel History found in a book written by Gregg Livingstone Neel, in the Library in Bedford County, Pa. page 36.

THE O'NEIL FAMILY
of Monongalia County, Virginia,later Washington County, subsequently Greene County, Pa.
Henry O'Neil I b. 1744 d. 11/19/1819, m. 1792 to Sarah, d. 1851.
Lieutenant Barnet O'Neil I b. 1751, d. 1778, m. c.1772 to Mary O'Neil d. 1779
The Children of Lieutenant Barnet O'Neil I & Mary O'Neil
Notes From O'Neil Family Bibles, page 38.

...Lieutenant Barnet O'Neil I, whose will was dated November 10, 1778, was recorded in the Swan-Hughes Bible as having been born in 1751.
...Mary O'Neil was born c.1750 and died in early 1779. She was living at the time when his will was made but was deceased before the estate sale in March of 1779.
...In 1852, Henry O'Neil resided with his son in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. According to the United States census of 1850, for Springhill Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Henry O'Neil was 55 years of age. He was born in Pennsylvania and his wife's name was Elizabeth.
...Henry o'Neill was the son of Henry O'Neil I, and his wife Sarah. Henry O'Neil I was a Revolutionary Veteran, having served five years in the Revolutionary Army. he was present at the Battle of Bunker Hill, following which he joined the Navy and was under the command of Captian George Gaddis.
Some Business Documents of Barnet O'Neil pgs. 14 thru 17.I

...John McFarland signed a receipt, dated February 11, 1779, stating that he:
...It was probable that this charge was made for "calculating" the payroll for the men in both brigades raised by Lieutenant Barnet O'Neil for service in the Revolutionary War, and for which William Harrod charged for his horse. Among estate papers was a receipt dated August 7, 1779 which reads thus:
...Thomas Hughes and Thomas Johnston were executors of Barnet O'Neil's will. Their bonds were given in the Monongalia County, Virginia, Courthouse on March 4, 1779.
Monongalia County was:
The Index of Book A Washington County, Pennsylvania Orphans Court, Washington, Pennsylvania, contains the words "Barnett O'Neil's Estate settled. Executor accounts 0-No. 3, 1790, File 0-2-1790" and in the book, itself, on page 82, is recorded the following:
...William Shepherd, Charles Swan, and William Crawford had been the appraisers of the Estate. An account of Barnet O'Neil's estate as of June 15, 1779, is contained with other estate documents and receipts.
..."The Last Will and Testament of Mr. Barnet O'Neal" is located with the estate papers in the Washington County, Pennsylvania, Courthouse, and reads thus:
...Mary O'Neil and her youngest child were probably buried in the O'Neil cemetery where later generation were interred. No mention was made in Barnet's will of parents, or other relatives, nor is any mention made of them in any of the estate papers. This much is, however, known: On March 6, 1779, John Conway, Esq. "was paid by the administrators, Thomas Hughes and Thomas Johnston "in behalf of Barnet O'Neil, deceased," was, presumably, for coffins to inter the bodies of the "beloved wife Mary and child" of whom Barnet was so solicitous in his will. On February 25, 1780, a receipt was recorded from Thomas Hughes to Charles Smith in the amount of L70 for "bailing in two graves for the said O'Neil," payment baing made on "behalf of Barnett O'Neil, deceased." It may be assumed that this was a service rendered in connection with the demise of Mary O'Neil and her baby, which may have occurred in February 1779, as the receipt dated preceedes that of the bill for the "two coffins."
...There had been an illness in the O'Neil family as early as January 6, 1779, proof of which is a receipt from Dr. Charles Wheeler in the records, for L40 Continental Currency, for attending to the O'Neil children.
...The first metal money in the United States was coined in 1795; before that there was paper money in the colonies. In 1725, the Pennsylvania pound was worth about $3.30; the British pound was worth $5.00.
...Land, watered by Shepherds Run, Warrant Number 8, was granted, by patent, from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to "Henry, Barnard, and Sarah Neil." This land was known as Turkey Flat and contained 249 acres and 64 perches, dated April 18, 1785, and surveyed August 10, 1785. A survey was made on August 23, 1793, for 249 acres and 64 perches, plus allowances, and recorded in Survey Book, Volume H., page 267. On January 4, 1794, the tract under the name Union, was patented to Samuel Harrod, husband of Sarah Neil Harrod, et al. and enrolled in Patent Book, Volume 17, Page 346, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
...On October 5, 1798, Samuel and Sarah O'Neil Harrod, sold to John Trump, Sr., their one-third undivided interest in the tract. At that time they were living in Bracken County, Kentucky. After this property division, the original warranted land remained in the possession of the family until the late nineteenth century.
...Cumberland Township, at that time, roughly covered that part of present-day Greene County located between the Ten Mile Creek and Big Whiteley Creek, extending from the Monongahela River to Pursley Creek.


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