Joseph Ney, Sr

"The Ney family, who came here* at an early day, are related to Napoleon's great field marshal of that name. John Ney, grandfather of the younger ones here, was present at the battle of Waterloo. On the morning of that famous battle Marshal Ney was sitting on his horse listening to the roll call and heard the name of Ney, and a man answered to it in the ranks. He at once rode up and asked the man where he was from and who his people were. On the information being given, the marshal said, "You are my nephew." This was John Ney, ancestor of the Neys who now reside in Medina County. John Ney was in all the desperate fighting that day at Waterloo, and charged repeatedly with the troops led by the marshal. Of the large company to which Mr. Ney belonged, and with whom he fought that day, only seventeen came out alive. They were engaged from early in the morning until about 3 o'clock in the evening, when Marshal Blucher came upon the scene with 50,000 fresh troops to the aid of the English commander, Lord Wellington. The French army then went to pieces, and the rout commenced.

The Waterloo veteran, John Ney, had three sons - Joseph, John, and Nicholas - and two daughters, Elizabeth and Angelina. Elizabeth married Mr. Zurcher, and Angelina Mr. Herbert Weynand. Of the boys, John was killed by Indians on Black Creek, in Medina County, and Nicholas died at Fort Lincoln on Seco, two miles from D'Hanis. Joseph Ney had four sons - Joseph, John, Antone, and Henry. Joseph is now and has been for many years sheriff of Medina County, and lives at Hondo City, the county seat. John lives at New D'Hanis, and Henry at the old town of the same name. The writer was shown a bronze medal by Johnnie Ney which was given to their grandfather, John Ney, by the French government on account of his relationship to their great field marshal, and for services at Waterloo. On one side of the medal is an image of Napoleon, and the date of his death on the other. This medal is prized very highly by the Ney family. The Ney boys, except the sheriff, are engaged in farming, stock raising, etc. John has a gin at D'Hanis, and Antone is on a ranch in the mountains on Parker's Creek."

From the book "Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas" by Andrew Jackson Sowell, B.C. Jones & Company, printers, 1900

• D'Hanis, Medina County, Texas

Local lore says Joseph's grave was discovered by a farmer plowing his field. It is said that the Catholic Church would not allow Joseph to be buried in one of their cemeteries because he was a Freemason.