Adam NEAL,NEILL

                      LINCOLN CO. N.C. DEED, VOL.36,PG.610 LISTS HEIRS OF ADAMS DESC'S.
DAR # 488121,BY MARILYN WHEAT,LISTS ADAM AS REV. WAR PATRIOT.
1790 CENSUS LINCOLN CO. N.C. LISTS 7 SONS UNDER 16.  LINCOLN CO. N.C. WILLS PG. 321,322;ADAM NEIL, SEN. OF LINCOLN CO. N.C. BEING OLD AND WEAK IN BODY WIFE;RACHEL,,CHILDREN:BEQUEATH TO MY BELOVED WIFE RACHEL AND HER CHILDREN HUGH,ANDREW,MOSES,DEBORAH,PEGGY.  EXEC. SON ADAM NIELL. WIT. THOMAS NIELL. BK.1. PG. 321.  13 FEB.1819,NOV. 1834.
LAND ENTRYS 1778/80 TRYON/LINCOLN CO. N.C.  ADAM NEIL CLAIMS 100 AC. IN TRYON CO. ON WATERS OF BUFFALOE CR.;BORDER;OWN LAND; 9 FEB 1778;  100 AC. ON MUDDY FORK OF BUFFALOE CR. INC.OWN LAND ON N.SIDE.ENTERED 10 MAR 1778.
1790 census shows Adam with 1st wife and 7 sons under 16.
1800, 1st wife dead 5 sons at home 2 16-26 and 2 10-16 1 under 10 and 1 dau.und 10.  Adam is over 45 Two sons are probably married James and John.
1810,Adam is listed with his young wife 26/45  Rachel Brown who he marries in 1804,There are 3 sons under 10 which are rachels , 2 sons from 1st marr. at home ,two girls 1 10/16 and 1 16/26. nearby are two sons with young familys, John with wife and 5 young sons and 1 dau. and James with 3 young son and 1 dau.
Info. from Tim L. Daugherty,"Adam Neal came from Cumberland Co. Pa. to N.C. early in 1778,  He moved to the Muddy fork of Buffalo Creek in Tryon Co. N.C.  Adam was born in either Chester or Lancaster Co. Pa. between 1755 and 1760.  He was the son of Owen Neal,Sr. and Catherine Jones.  He married Miss (Mary)Beaty, the dau. of James Beaty and Deborah (Naylor)of Cumberland Co. Pa.  They were likely married in Cumberland Co. around 1774 or early 1775.
Info. passed down by early members of the Neel family of Monroe Co. WV verifies that Adam of Tryon Co. NC was the son of Owen Neel and Catherine Jones.  This tradition existed among members of this family at the turn of the 20th century and is the source of the info. about the Neel family of Monroe Co. WV.found in the book A HISTORY OF MONROE CO. WEST VIRGINIA.source Mr. D. Clark Hines recollects conversations at family reunions early in the 20th century about this Neel family from whom he is also a desc.
The first public record to date of Adam Neal (* see footnote) in North Carolina bears the date February 09, 1778. Adam Neal claims land situated in Tryon County of North Caroline. This land is on the Muddy  Fork of Buffalo Creek in present day Cleveland County, North Carolina. No marriage record has been located at present to tell us the name of Adam's wife. Because of Adam Neal's close association with the Francis Beatty and James Pauley families, Adam's wife was probably a Beatty. If naming ways are taken into consideration, she was probably Mary Beatty. Considering the birth dates of their children Adam and his first wife were married around 1774. Their first known child was born in 1775. Adam Neal was active in the civic life of Tryon County, he served on juries, was road overseer and dutifully paid his taxes. No records have been discovered to date indicating whether Adam Neal was an active participant in the Revolutionary war. Between 1778 and 1815 Adam Neal purchaced and sold several tracts of land in old Tryon County. The accumulated amout of Adam's recorded land holdings during those years totaled about 400 acres, all situated on or near the Muddy Fork if Buffalo Creek in present day Cleveland County, North Carolina.
#01. Adam Neal claims 100 acres in Tryon County on waters of Buffalo Creek, borders his own land. Entered 2/09/1778 L3.14. (Note. this entry suggests other lands owned prior to Febraury of 1778.) This is the earliest record found to date for Adam Neal in Tryon County, North Carolina.
#02. Adam Neal claims 100 acres in Tryon County on Muddy Fork of Buffalo Creek; includes his own land on North side. Entered 3/10/1778 L 3.14
#03. Peter sites of Tryon County to Adam Neal of same...100 acres on Muddy Fork of Buffalo Creek... adjoining Moses Moore.04/22/1778
#04. Adam Neal claims 200 acres in Tryon County on water of Shoal Run of Muddy Fork of Buffalo; borders Moses Moore and his own land. Entered 4/20/1779
#05. Adam Neal claims 170 acres on waters of Muddy Fork; borders widow white, John Rutledge and others. Entered 6/29/1811.
#06. Adam Neals claims 50 acres on waters of Muddy Fork; borders his own land. Entered 3/25/1812.
#07. Adam Neal claims 32 acres on waters of Muddy Fork; borders his own land. Entered 7/20/1813.

* The surename Neal is spelled various ways in the public records. There appears not to be one consistent way of spelling the name. Variation include: Neel, Neil, Neill. Many of Adam Neal's descendants now living in Lincoln, Gaston and Cleveland counties of North Carolina use the spellings of Neill and Neal. To help eliminate confusion, the spelling of NEAL will be used throughout this work.