Presley Neale, 4^th Generation

PRESLEY NEALE-4 was probably born sometime between 1693 and 1700 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was likely only a teenager or young adult when his father, DANIEL-3, died. By the terms of his father’s will and estate, he would have received some inheritance and slaves which would have helped him set up independent life. The estimate of his age is taken from his father’s known birth date of 1673, and may be a few years off.

PRESLEY NEALE-4 was sub-sheriff of Westmoreland County, Virginia, and owned quite a bit of land in several counties, including Westmoreland, Northumberland, and Fairfax, Virginia. Colonial Families of the Southern States of America on page 397, incorrectly states that the wife of PRESLEY NEALE-4 was “Margaret______ believed to be the daughter of Moore and Margaret [Micou] Fauntleroy, as their daughter married a Mr. Neale.”

PRESLEY NEALE-4 married MARGARET SANFORD. She was the daughter of ROBERT SANFORD and MARY MUSE, as proven by several documents listed below.

The Children of Presley Neale-4 and Margaret Sanford Neale

1. ANNE NEALE-5, who married HENRY WISHEART, was apparently deceased by 1777. She left three surviving daughters, including CHARLOTTE WISHEART, who married AARON SIMPSON. Her two other daughters married his brothers. The will of ANNE’s brother, Shapleigh Neale-5, confirms that she is his sibling, and therefore the daughter of PRESLEY NEALE-4.

2. Shapleigh Neale-5, born about 1741 [?], died 1777. His will, written in June, 1777, mentions his wife, Mary, but no children. He left her eight negroes and their increase. He left one-fourth part of one slave [which was to be sold] to be divided between Margaret [Peggy] Wisheart, Jean Wisheart, and CHARLOTTE WISHEART, daughters of his sister, ANNE NEALE-5 WISHEART.

The Will of Shapleigh Neale, published in Fairfax County, Virginia, June 8, 1777, starts off in “standard form.” [Copy in author’s possession.] Then goes on to bequest to “my beloved wife Mary Neale” eight Negroes: “Hannah, George, Rachel, Milly, Minty, Sames, Easter, and Robin” in fee simple, and one Negro named Jean during her natural life [i.e. life estate in this one slave] at the death of Mary Neale, the slave, Jean, was to be divided between “my bro. Daniel Neale and Richard Neal and my sister Jemima Gunnell.” He left a slave named Jack “to be sold by my executors and divided between my bro Daniel Neale, Richard Neal and Jemima Gunnell, and one-forth part to be divided between Mr. Wisheart’s three daughters Margaret Wisheart, Jean Wishart, Charlotte Wisheart.”

3. Daniel Neale-5, the oldest child, according to Colonial Families, page 397, was a Revolutionary soldier and died in Kentucky where he had moved in 1790. He died in 1804.

4. Elizabeth Neale-5, married John Spence and was mentioned in her mother’s will for a bequest. Her husband, John Spence, gave her Negroes named Great Will, Little Will, and Caesar, and “a full one-third of all my moveable estate, and if she have no issue by me to returen to my heirs.” It was dated August 26, 1760. She named her brother, Daniel Neale-5, as guardian of her children, Ann Spence, and Ursula Spence. She probably died before 1765. [Colonial Ancestors, pg. 396.]

5. Richard Neale-5, of Westmoreland, born about 1743, died about 1816. He was active in the affairs of church and state and served in the Revolution. He married, first, Frances Underwood, and second, Mary Nelson Smith, the widow of Lewis Smith.

6. Jemima Neale-5, was mentioned in her brother Shapleigh’s will as Jemima Gunnell.

PRESLEY NEALE-4 died about 1749 in Fairfax. MARGARET SANFORD, [Stanford, Staford, Sandford] NEALE died about 1753. ANNE NEALE-5 was probably little more than a child at the time of her father’s death, and may have not been mature at the time of her mother’s death. PRESLEY NEALE’s will, through the courtesy of Erick Montgomery, is as follows: [The copy is poor and the writing tiny, so several words and phrases are not readable. Others may be deciphered with careful attention paid to the context.]

Will of Presley Neale-4

In the name of God Amen. I Presley Neale of the county of Westmoreland and Parish of Cople being weak in body but of sound judgement do will and ordain this my last will and testement._____ I give to my loving wife Margaret Neale _____negro slaves during her natural life _____Item I give to my loving son Daniel my tract of land lying in parish of _____comprising___ acres to him and his heirs of his body lawfully begotten and in want of such heirs to my son Richard Neale. Item I bequeath to my son Daniel Neale Negro xxx after the death of my wife to him and his heirs forever. Item I give my loving daughter Elizabeth Neale negro _____after my wife’s dedcease Item I give to my loving daughter Ann Neal my negro wench _____ and her child called _____ forever. Item I give and bequeath to my _____ daughter Elizabeth Neale a negro girl called Hannah to her and her heirs forever. I give and bequeath to my son Shapleigh Neale a negro Kate to him and his heirs forever. Item I will and bequeath to my son Richard Neal negro ____ to his heirs forever. Item I will and bequeath to my daughter Jemima Neale mulatto Jean Honest. Item I will and bequeath to my son Daniel Neale negro Fillis after decease of my beloved wife Margaret Neal. Item I give and bequeath to daughter Jemima Negro Matt to her and her heirs forever. Item I give and bequeath to son Shapleigh Neale 100 acres more or less and in case Shapleigh dies before the expiration of the lease to my son Richard. Item I give and bequeath to my son Daniel 185 acres land lying in Northumberland County being part of five hundred and twenty acres which fell to me at the death of Col Presley and it is my will that the remaining 400 acres of the said tract be equally divided between my two sons Shapleigh and Richard. Item I give to my son Daniel a horse called _____ with saddle and bridle. Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth a young mare called Creeping Xxxx with woman’s saddle and bridle. Item I give to my beloved wife Margaret a gray mare know by the name of William Self’s mare. Item I give to Shapleigh Neal a black mare called Di___ saddle and bridle. Item I give to my beloved wife and son Daniel the two oxen which are now in use. Item I give to my Capt [?] Daniel Tilbert xxxx pounds of feathers to be delivered to him by the first day of October. Item I give to my beloved wife Margaret and son Daniel all the tight casks and _____ of the like on the plantation where I now live. Item all my horses, cattle, _____ not bequeathed together with my beds, china, tables and other household fureniture my desire is that they be equally divided between my wife and children each to have an equal share. Item I bequeath to my beloved wife Margaret and son Daniel all sheep on the plantation _____ to Daniel my long gun xxxx coopers and carpenters tools…..”

Wife, MARGARET, son, Daniel-5, and brother, Christopher Neale-4, were appointed executors of the estate of PRESLEY NEALE-4.

Note the unusual mention of slaves with “last names” in this will. There was another mention of a slave with the last name of “Wood” in another will in this same area. That slave was noted as being a mulatto as well.

MARGARET, as a widow, left her will, dated October, 1753, and probated May 27, 1755. We have, by the courtesy of Erick Montgomery, a transcription of the will.