Captain Harvey NEVILLE, Sr.

This information taken from; A 370-YEAR HISTORY OF ONE NEVILLE FAMILY (1612 - 1982) 1988 by Joseph B. Neville, 2624 E. Southern Ave., C-213, Tempe, AZ 85282.

Harvey Neville, first child of John and Melinda Neville, and born February 22, 1805, served his country in three wars. First, in 1832 he was a sergeant in the Black Hawk War in which the Sac and Fox Indians were pushed from Illinois and Wisconsin to west of the Mississippi. Harvey had married Aly Harrison in Washington County, Illinois on Christmas Day 1831, and their first child was born October 28, 1832. When the Mexican War came along in 1846, Harvey again served in spite of the fact that he and his wife now had six children. He left his home and his law practice to become First Lieutenant Harvey Neville in the Illinois Infantry. Finally, in the Civil War, he was a captain of Company H, 22nd Illinois Infantry. He died at Chester, Illinois, May 10, 1877.

Lieutenant Harvey Neville, later Judge Neville, wrote a diary of his Mexican War experience. At some time in 1959 or before, his grandson, Morell Keith Neville, and Keith daughter Mary Nelson (Neville) Sieman published the complete diary in a 44 page booklet. Through the kindness of Mary Nelson (Neville) Sieman, I am fortunate to have a copy.

The diary is delightfully written by one interested enough in animal and plant life to describe each in detail. It begins July 27, 1846, on a ship sailing down the Mississippi and on its way to the Mexican coast. Aboard is at least Company H, and perhaps more, of the 22nd Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. They landed in Mexico near the town of Victoria, east by southeast from San Antonio. This vast area then was in Mexico. On August 25 they passed the Alamo, at San Antonio, of which he said:

"This immense ruin, built in 1798, though never finished, has for many years been used as a fort. It is now much decayed. It was once of great extent, and said to cover four or five acres. But I think the tale is a large one. So far as I could trace the confines, though it is hard now after a score of wars and diverse cannonades and entrenchings, to designate the corners. The place is now memorable and noted as the scene of the last struggle and death of the eccentric and much lamented Crocket and the brave Travis, who defended this place against the united Mexican force of 2,000 or 3,000 with a fraction over 200; but as no white person escaped the bloody scene, it is hard to give the particulars." The massacre had occurred just ten years earlier, in 1836.

From San Antonio, the direction of march was southerly, and on October 27, they crossed the Rio Grande, which was about one-fourth mile wide and from two to three feet deep. The current was pretty strong. With their One hundred wagons of provisions, an entire day was spent in the crossing. Now, they were in the area that now constitutes Mexico. There was little threat of hostile action until they had reached a point between Saltillo and San Luis Potosi, but the first such threat did not materialize.

By February 9, 1847, they were encamped eighteen miles south of Saltillo and were a part of General Zachary Taylor's force when he defeated General Santa Anna, the villain of the Alamo. Lieutenant Neville's company was under enemy fire at Buena Vista and performed admirably. With the war winding down, arrangements began being made to send the volunteer regiments home, and on May 28, 1847, the order was issued that terminated the service of the 2nd Illinois Regiment.

On June 8 the regiment started the march to Camargo, on the Rio Grande and about one hundred miles upstream from its mouth. Here, they had hoped to find steamboat transportation. On failing to find such they marched downstream to Reynosa, forty miles, where passage was found. By June 28, they were on a sailboat headed for New Orleans, where they spent Independence Day; and the next day, Lieutenant Neville was on the steamboat Patrick Henry on his way to St. Louis. Now, I shall let him end the story in his own well-chosen words:

"After passing many small towns and villages on the river, we landed on the 11th of July, 1847, about twelve o'clock, at the city of St. Louis, Mo. This is a flourishing city, and is outstripping any place west of the Alleghany Mountains. Here we began to meet our friends and neighbors, many of whom had repaired hither for the double purpose of attending market and meeting us to welcome us to our native homes. After taking some refreshments, I, in company with two of my old friends and neighbors, L.W. Crain and W. Cox, in a two-horse wagon, set out for home, where I arrived on the 12th of July, 1847, finding my family all well."

The Nevills are an old Virginia family. Harvy Nevill's grandfather, William Nevill, was a Captain in the patriot army during the Revolutionary war. He moved from Virginia to South Carolina, after the Revolution, from the latter State to Kentucky, thence to Tennessee, and he died in Missouri. His mother's father, James Nevill, was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, emigrating there in 1776. His family, according to tradition, was one of the first to make a settlement outside the forts.

His father, John Nevill, was born in South Carolina, and married in Kentucky, about the year 1804, Melinda Neville, a first cousin. harvy Nevill, the oldest child by this marriage, was born in Barren County, Kentucky, February the twenty-second, 1805. he lived in Kentucky till the spring of 1829, when he made his way to Galena, Illinois, and worked there a month or two as a carpenter. The summer of 1829 he came to St. Louis. Toward the close of 1831 he made his home in Washington County, Illinois, and on Christmas day of that year married Aly Harryman. The next spring he volunteered in the Black Hawk was, and served three months. He returned to Washington County, entered land, and began farming. In the fall of 1833 he was elected County Commissioner of Washington County.

On the breaking out of the Mexican war he entered the service as Lieutenant of Company A, Second Illinois Regiment. Previous to this he had occupied the position of Lieutenant Colonel of the militia of Washington County, with E. C. Coffee as Colonel, and the two went into the Mexican war respectively as Lieutenant and Captain of the company raised in Washington county. Lieutenant Nevill served a year in Mexico, and took part in the battle of Buena Vista, where his clothing was shot through by bullets. On his return to Washington County he was chosen Probate Justice of the Peace, and held that position for two years.

Judge Nevill came to Chester in the summer of 1851, and took charge of the ferry on the Mississippi for a year. In 1853 he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law. In May, 1861, on the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, Mr. Nevill entered the Union service as Lieutenant in the Twenty-second Illinois. In February, 1862, he was commissioned as Captain. He served nearly three years, and took part, among other battles, in those of Belmont, Stone River, and Chickamanga. He resumed the practice of law on returning to Randolph County. In the fall of 1865 he was elected County Judge. Judge Nevill has five children living. The only daughter is the wife of Captain Williams, of Chester. One son is living in Randolph County; James is United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska; Joseph is a physician of Ava, Jackson County, and William, the youngest, is a lawyer of Omaha, Nebraska. In his early life Judge Nevill was a Whig, but became one of the earliest Republicans of Randolph County.

The following biography was published in the Randolph County, IL 1875 Atlas:

Harvy Nevill

The Nevills are an old Virginia family. Harvy Nevill's grandfather, William Nevill, was a Captain in the patriot army during the Revolutionary war. He moved from Virginia to South Carolina, after the Revolution, from the latter State to Kentucky, thence to Tennessee, and he died in Missouri. His mother's father, James Nevill, was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, emigrating there in 1776. His family, according to tradition, was one of the first to make a settlement outside the forts.

His father, John Nevill, was born in South Carolina, and married in Kentucky, about the year 1804, Melinda Neville, a first cousin. harvy Nevill, the oldest child by this marriage, was born in Barren County, Kentucky, February the twenty-second, 1805. he lived in Kentucky till the spring of 1829, when he made his way to Galena, Illinois, and worked there a month or two as a carpenter. The summer of 1829 he came to St. Louis. Toward the close of 1831 he made his home in Washington County, Illinois, and on Christmas day of that year married Aly Harryman. The next spring he volunteered in the Black Hawk was, and served three months. He returned to Washington County, entered land, and began farming. In the fall of 1833 he was elected County Commissioner of Washington County.

On the breaking out of the Mexican war he entered the service as Lieutenant of Company A, Second Illinois Regiment. Previous to this he had occupied the position of Lieutenant Colonel of the militia of Washington County, with E. C. Coffee as Colonel, and the two went into the Mexican war respectively as Lieutenant and Captain of the company raised in Washington county. Lieutenant Nevill served a year in Mexico, and took part in the battle of Buena Vista, where his clothing was shot through by bullets. On his return to Washington County he was chosen Probate Justice of the Peace, and held that position for two years.

Judge Nevill came to Chester in the summer of 1851, and took charge of the ferry on the Mississippi for a year. In 1853 he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law. In May, 1861, on the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, Mr. Nevill entered the Union service as Lieutenant in the Twenty-second Illinois. In February, 1862, he was commissioned as Captain. He served nearly three years, and took part, among other battles, in those of Belmont, Stone River, and Chickamanga. He resumed the practice of law on returning to Randolph County. In the fall of 1865 he was elected County Judge. Judge Nevill has five children living. The only daughter is the wife of Captain Williams, of Chester. One son is living in Randolph County; James is United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska; Joseph is a physician of Ava, Jackson County, and William, the youngest, is a lawyer of Omaha, Nebraska. In his early life Judge Nevill was a Whig, but became one of the earliest Republicans of Randolph County.

Harvey and Aly Harryman Neville had seven children;

1. Jacob Neville.
2. John Neville died young.
3. Harvey Neville Jr. ~m~ Mary E. Mann.
4. Malinda "Mattie" Neville ~m~ Carter C. Williams.
5. Hon. James Neville ~m~ 1st Jeanette "Jean" S. Adams; 2nd Anna Ramsdell.
6. Joseph Neville ~m~ Mary Elizabeth Petsford
7. Hon. William Neville who became a US Congressman for Nebraska 1899 ~m~ 1st Mary Ann "Mollie" Keith and 2nd Irene Morrison Rector.

Inscription: [Mason symbol] IN MEMORY OF HARVEY NEVILLE BORN FEB. 22. 1805 DIED MAY 26. 1877 AGED 72 YRS. 3 Mos. 4 Ds.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 7 2018, 12:45:44 UTC