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GREEN S. NEARY.
One of the honored citizens of the Hanging Rock Iron
Region is Green S. Neary, who is now living
retired in Portsmouth. His experience covers a
period spent as a soldier of the Union, as a
hard-working and capable farmer and business man and
useful citizen in all the varied relations of life.
He was born in Harrisonville, Scioto County, Mar. 12,
1844, and has seen more than threescore and ten years of
life. His father, Matthew Neary, was
born in Roscommon County, Ireland, in 1804. Left
an orphan when young, some years later he came to
America, being six weeks on a sailing vessel before
landing in New York, and in that state found work along
the canal. Coming here an entire stranger in a
strange land, he had his own destiny to make from the
first, his willing hands his only capital. He was
married near Geneva in New York and about 1834 came to
Ohio, making the journey by canal and river. At
Harrisonville he was employed at different work, and his
industry and thrift enabled him to make a good account
of his time. Finally, he bought a farm on the
Little Scioto in Harrison Township, near Harrison Mills,
and devoted his time to its cultivation and made his
home there until about a year before his death, when he
found a home with his son Green. His death
occurred when eighty-seven years old.
Matthew Neary married Sarah Ann Van Gorder,
a native of New York State. James Van Gorder,
her father, who is thought to have been a native of the
same state and of Holland ancestry, moved to Ohio about
1834, accompanied by his family. The trip was made
with wagon and teams, and it was several weeks before
they arrived at their destination at Harrisonville.
There he built a frame house and opened it for the
entertainment of the public, and for several years it
was a popular place for travelers. His death
occurred at the old home in Scioto County in 1853.
James Van Gorder married Rebecca Coryell,
who was born in New York State June 2, 1814, and
survived her husband a few years. Mrs. Matthew Neary
died Oct. 20, 1901. Her five children were
Henry, Sarah Ann, Lewis,
Daniel and Green S.
Green S. Neary had the usual experiences of the
farmer boy in the decade prior to the war, and gained an
education in the rural schools. In July, 1862, at
the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the Ninety-first
Regiment of Ohio Infantry, and was with the regiment in
all its battles, campaigns and marches until the latter
part of July, 1864. On July 24th he was captured
when near Winchester, and as a prisoner of war was
confined first at Danville, Virginia, and later became
an inmate of the notorious Libby Prison. At the
end of eight months, and when the war was drawing to a
close, he was paroled with the understanding that he was
to be exchanged at the end of thirty days.
Returning home and awaiting the stated time, he then
rejoined his regiment at Winchester, and continued in
the service until his honorable discharge in June, 1865,
having been in the army and prison almost three years.
Returning home, he helped his father a time and then
began contracting for the building of bridges, roads,
etc. In 1889 Mr. Neary bought a farm in
Harrison Township, and later acquired the home place of
160 acres at Harrison Furnace. After living there
until 1893 he sold, and bought the Judge Crull farm
in the same township. That was the scene of his
active labors until 1911, at which date he came to
Portsmouth and has since lived retired, enjoying the
fruits of a long and well-spent career.
Mr. Neary first married Hester A. Tibbs,
who was born in West Virginia, daughter of Samuel and
Sarah Tibbs. She died in 1869, having lost her
daughter Florence in her third year. Mr.
Neary married for his second wife Miss Lizzie E.
Humphrey. She was born in Morgan County, Ohio,
May 18, 1852. Her father, Benjamin Humphrey,
was born in West Virginia Sept. 19, 1827, a son of
John Humphrey, a native of the same state, who came
to Ohio in 1829, living for a time in Morgan County and
later in Pike County, where he died in middle life.
John Humphrey married Elizabeth Van Pelt,
who was of Pennsylvania stock. Brought to Ohio at
the age of two years, Benjamin Humphrey in
1854 came to Scioto County, and for twenty years was
employed in the Bloom furnace, afterward at the Webster
and Buckhorn furnaces, and finally became manager of the
Howard furnace, where his last years were spent.
Benjamin Humphrey married Lavinia
Elliot, who was born in Morgan County, daughter of
Simeon and Ellen (Mahew) Elliot.
Mr. and Mrs. Neary have a daughter, Edna L.,
who married Benjamin F. Stewart, and has a son
named Benjamin Donald. Mr. Neary has
been an active republican. Always a good citizen,
he has given official service as trustee and overseer of
Harrison Township and for three terms was one of the
county commissioners. With his wife he is a member
of the Manly Methodist Episcopal Church and belongs to
Bailey Post No. 164, G. A. R.
Source: A Standard
History of The Hanging Rock Iron Region of Ohio, Vol. II
- Illustrated - Published by The Lewis Publishing
Company, 1916 - Page 849 |
Source: