Researched by Sharon M. Kouns
Henry Safford Neal, a Representative, was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, on August 25, 1828. He was the son of Henry H. and Lydia (Safford) Neal, and a grandson of John Neal, resident of Parkersburg, Va., and Dr. Jonas and Joanna (Merrill) Safford, who immigrated to Gallipolis, Ohio, in 1811,
A descendant of James O’Neill, a native of Ireland, who immigrated to Virginia with two brothers before the Revolution, changed his name to “Neal” and was a captain in the 13th Virginia regiment in the Continental army, and also a lineal descendant of Thomas Safford, who came to Ipswich, Mass., from England in 1641.
Henry Safford Neal graduated from Marietta College in 1847, engaged in mercantile business as his father’s clerk, studied law under Simeon Nash, state senator and a prominent jurist of southern Ohio, and settled in practice in Ironton, Ohio, in 1851.
He was prosecuting attorney of Lawrence county, 1853-57; a state senator from the eighth district, 1862-66; U.S. consul to Lisbon, Portugal, from July 1869, to January 1870, and chargé d’affaires to that kingdom from December 1869 to July 1870. He was chairman of the commission appointed [p.36] in 1871 to investigate alleged frauds under the treaties with the Chippewa Indians and a member of the Ohio constitutional convention of 1872-73.
He was a Republican representative from the eleventh district of Ohio in the 45th, 46th, and 47th congresses, 1877-83. He served as chairman of the committee on the District of Columbia and as a member of the committee on territories. He was solicitor of the U.S. treasury, 1883-85. He was married in 1861 to Mary J., daughter of John Campbell, an iron manufacturer in Ironton, Ohio, and Mrs. L. C. Gibbs of Zanesville, Ohio. He was a resident of Ironton in 1902.
Clippings referring to Hon. Henry S. Neal.
IR May 26, 1870 – H. S. Neal and family will leave Lisbon on or about July 1 next. His resignation takes place at that time.
I.R. April 21, 1887 – Hon. Henry Safford Neal was married to Mrs. Leila C. Gibbs, at the residence of her mother, Mrs. Pratt, in Zanesville, on Tuesday of this week, by Rev. J. McK. Pettinger, of St. James Episcopal Church. Misses Lillie and Alice Neal attended the wedding. The party return today, Wednesday, and Mr. and Mrs. Neal will henceforth be at their pleasant home on Fifth-st. The entire community will wish their old friend much joy and welcome the new partner of his life with friendly greetings.
I.R. April 21, 1887 – Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Neal arrived home this morning.
I.R. March 6, 1890 – Hon. Henry Safford Neal and Col. H. B. Wilson left for Philadelphia last night.
I.R. July 3, 1890 – Maj. and Mrs. Neal of Gallipolis stopped at Hon. H. S. Neal’s during the convention.
I.R. April 9, 1891 – Henry Safford Neal and H. B. Wilson are in Philadelphia engaged in a lawsuit.
I.R. November 21, 1861 – Married – On the 14th, inst., by Rev. T. S. Reeve, Henry Safford Neal, and Miss Mary Jane Campbell, daughter of John Campbell of Ironton.
I.R. August 21, 1884 – Mrs. Henry Safford Neal has left Cape Cod for Washington. Her daughter Lillie is seriously ill.
I.R. October 23, 1884 – DEATH OF MRS. H. S. NEAL – The sad news of the death of Mrs. Mary J. O. Neal, wife of Hon. Henry Safford Neal, Solicitor of the Treasury, reached here this Wednesday morning in the form of a dispatch from her husband to her brother. The day before, Mr. Campbell received a telegram from Boston, where the family was, that Mrs. Neal was at the point of death, so the last mournful intelligence was looked for any moment.
The dispatch also said they would leave today with the remains, bringing them to Ironton. Mrs. Neal was born at Mt. Vernon Furnace in this county in 1838. When 16 years old, she went to Pittsfield, Mass., to school and was away from home considerably after that time. On November 14, 1861, she was married to Hon. H. S. Neal.
Two intelligent and amiable daughters graced this union and were at their dying mother’s bedside. Mr. Neal’s foreign consulship and Congressional life took Mrs. Neal away from Ironton a great deal of the time. She was a good, kind, bright-minded woman for whom everybody had a friendly word and a feeling of warm respect.
She was pleasant, generous, and benevolent, and no good work started in this town while she was here that she did not take a prominent part in. Last Winter, during the flood, she was indefatigable, night and day, for the sufferers. No duty was too humble or hardship so keen that she did not essay for the good of the unfortunate. Who will wear bright crowns in the next world if not such as she?
For this additional burden of grief that falls upon Mr. John Campbell’s family (so fast one woe follows another), this whole community feels sympathy and hope that the hand of grief may not rest too heavily upon the venerable father and mother.
Funeral services at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 25.
S.W.I. July 17, 1906 – HON. HENRY SAFFORD NEAL PASSES TO HIS REWARD – AFTER AN ILLNESS OF MORE THAN TWO YEARS DURATION. A STROKE OF PARALYSIS WAS THE ORIGINAL CAUSE OF HIS DEMISE. THE NATION MOURNS THE LOSS OF A PATRIOT.
Hon. Henry Safford Neal, who suffered a paralytic stroke two years ago last June, died suddenly Friday afternoon. While his death was not unexpected, it surprised many who did not know of the severe turn his ailment had taken.
Mr. Neal was a son of Henry H. and Lydia Safford Neal and was born at Gallipolis on August 25, 1828, the fourth in a family of seven children.
He secured a liberal education, graduating from Marietta college in 1847. He studied law under Judge Simeon Nash, one of the most distinguished jurists of the state of Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in 1851. And began the practice of his profession in this city soon afterward and has been a continuous resident of the town since that time.
He soon established a good practice and became known as one of the leading lawyers in southern Ohio.
Mr. Neal was married to Miss Mary Campbell, the eldest daughter of the late John Campbell, the veteran iron master. Mrs. Neal preceded him to the great beyond several years ago, leaving the husband and two daughters, Miss Alice and Mrs. Hunter, to mourn her loss. Mrs. Hunter passed to her reward some five or six years ago. Mr. Neal married again a few years ago to Miss Lillie Gibbs of Manseville(?) O.
Soon after coming to this county, Mr. Neal formed a partnership with Thomas Cherrington until _____ when Mr. Cherrington was elected as a circuit judge.
Mr. Neal’s first public office was that of Prosecuting Attorney, to which he was elected soon after coming to this county. In 1861, he was chosen as a state senator, which position he held with distinction for four years.
He was sent as consul to Lisbon, Portugal, in 1869. In a short time, after he arrived at Lisbon, he was appointed charge de ‘Affairs of the American legation at that place, the duties of which position he discharged with credit.
He resigned from this position after a short period on account of ill health, returned to this city, and resumed the practice of his profession.
In 1873, he was chosen as a member of the Ohio Congregational Convention, which met at the Old ____cer House in Cincinnati the following year and took a very prominent part in the proceedings of the convention.
In 1876, he was elected to congress from this district, which was then known as the eleventh district. He served in this position for three terms. While serving as such officer, he was appointed as one of the commissioners of the District of Columbia and served in such capacity during the time that Boss Shepard was in charge of the affairs of the District, when significant improvements were made, which became the subject of much comment throughout this nation.
His last public office was that of Solicitor General of the United States, to which he was appointed by President Arthur and held until President Cleveland became President of the United States in 1885. He then returned to this city and resumed the practice of law. Politically, Mr. Neal was a Republican and supported all the measures of his party while in office. But he took issue with his party in 1896 and supported Mr. Bryan for President. He is an ardent believer in the coinage of silver.
He was connected with many of the industrial concerns of this city at different times in his life. He was a director of the First National Bank and was the attorney for that institution for several years. He became associated with the Hecla Iron and Mining Co. and was president of the company for an extended period.
He was one of the original promoters of the Hayward Fire Brick Co. and was at one time connected with the Fearon Lumber Co.
In the passing of Mr. Neal, not only the city of Ironton but the state of Ohio and the nation lost one of its most noble and patriotic citizens.
He was a genial, kind-hearted, whole-souled gentleman and was always on the right side of every moral question. He was generous to a fault and made numerous gifts to the poor and needy, and during his term in congress, was ever active in looking after the interests of the old soldiers ______ _______(can’t read this section of the newspaper) _______ daughter, _____Mrs. Neal______ of his death and arrived _______. The funeral services took place at the first Presbyterian church at 4 p.m. Monday.
I.R. Thursday, February 6, 1879 – BIOGRAPHICAL – The following is a sketch of our Congressman’s life as published in the Congressional Directory: “Henry S. Neal, of Ironton, was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, August 25, 1828; graduated at Marietta College in 1847; studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1851; was elected to the State Senate in 1861, and re-elected in 1863; was appointed Consul to Lisbon, Portugal, in 1869; by the resignation of the Minister Resident, became Charged’ Affaires in December 1869; in July 1870, resigned and returned to Ohio; was elected Delegate to the Ohio Constitution in 1873; and was elected to the Forty-fifth Congress as a Republican, receiving 15,213 votes against 14,639 votes for John L. Vance, Democrat.
Re-elected. I.R. Thursday, May 14, 1885 – Hon. H. S. NEAL has a new bookcase in his office. It is large and roomy. It is of solid walnut and was made by the wagonsmith of Howard Furnace.
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