Mrs. George Neale, Pioneer, Passes Away At Ft. Calhoun

Another one of our dear old friends has gone to the land of Everlasting Sunshine. Mrs. George Neale, Sr., died May 11, 1917. She was married in Breden, England, in 1854, and they celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1904. She came with her husband direct from England to old Point (Fort) Lesa in 1856 and suggested the new name of Rockport in this Washington County. On account of the fearful actions of the land clubs who infested the region, they moved to Iowa and then to Kansas but have spent most of their years in Washington County. Her husband is now past 91 and in past years has been post master, justice of the peace, school director, etc. They had no children of their own. A niece, Mrs. Minnie Neale, clerk and treasurer of the Presbyterian Church, lived with them. Mrs. Neale has all her life long been a faithful member of the Episcopal Church and a devoted Christian and noble woman. She was born in Worchester, England, June 28, 1834, and has lived here 35 years since coming back to the state.

Rev. Marsh, Episcopal pastor at Blair, preached the sermon. Prof. Bloss, Henry Jipp, Miss Edith Seirk, Miss Lena Schwager and Miss Jennette Cook sang the anthems with Mrs. Chas. Rathjen at the piano. One of the hymns they sang, “I’m a Pilgrim and I’m a Stranger,” both Mr. Marsh and Mrs. Neale heard on such occasions in England.

Pall bearers were John Wreidt, W. Kruse, Fred Frahm, Henry Rix, James Vaughan and Jacob Seirk; Honorary pall bearers, Geo. Rohwer, Nicholas Rix, Dr. Pettingill, John Hindrickson and W. H. Woods, of Fort Calhoun, and pioneer and veteran Lafe Shipley of Walthill.

Among other present were Mrs. Hans Schwager and Ralph Stewart, of Omaha; Miss Davis and William Cheely, of Blair; Wm. Steyer and wife of Douglas County. W. H. Woods

Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clipping on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.