In a message dated 1/21/99 11:04:14 PM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: << First of all, you mentioned in your first posting that you may have the name of one of Ephraim's siblings - I'm dying of curiosity... Who?... and what info do you have on him/her? >> This is what I wrote about Ephraim's putative brother: ENOCH NEAVILL (dates of birth and death unknown), called Ephraim's brother in a history of Jackson Co., IA, also fought in the Blackhawk War, suffering crippling and painful injuries in the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. [NARA Invalid's Pension file]. <<Ephraim being born in VA is interesting... their parents must have done a lot of moving in 3 years. The 1850/1860/1870 census listed that Alexander and John's parents were both born in VA.>> Interestingly enough, Ephraim NEAVILL is listed on the 1850 census as having been born in the “United States.” In the 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses, he is listed as having been born in ILLINOIS and NO place of birth is filled in for either parent in the 1880 census which is the first that asked for parents’ birthplaces. I have discounted the place of birth given on these four censuses because another person, perhaps the second wife, Catherine NEAVILL (who was enumerated in Potosi, Grant Co. on 8 June 1860 AND in Union Twp., Washington Co., MO on July 10 ) might have given the information to the enumerator. Because Ephraim himself swore to VA as his place of birth on his application for a survivor’s pension, I have accepted that place of birth as being “true,” (unless, of course, it is later proven to be NOT true!) <<The fact that Ephraim was a lead miner in Council Hill, Jo Daviess Co IL in 1832, to me, makes it an open and shut case! Council Hill is/was a SMALL village, and that's where both Alexander and John D. lived as lead miners at the same time. John D. and Alexander M. arrived in the Galena area from Springfield IL area in 1827, and both also served in the Black Hawk War of 1832. John "Nivil" was in Capt Duncan's Company of Mounted Riflemen, transferred from Capt Scales' Co infantry, 27th Reg of IL military, evidently because he had a horse. Alexander M. was also listed as sergeant in Capt. Dowlings Company, same company as Ephraim. Another listing for Alexander also in Capt Lambert Vosburgh's company of 27th regiment. I think all of those companies were raised in Galena.>> Chris Heaton sent me info on mining permits at Galena on the following: James Neavill 1826-7 John Neavill approx July 1827 Alex Neaville July 10, 1830 I agree that there is a great deal of CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence for a relationship of some sort -- but am still hoping for PROOF. Until such proof surfaces, I have to label the relationships clearly as mere conjecture with qualifiers such as “probably,” “perhaps,” and “possibly.” I need to insert here that the compilation on Ephraim Neavill that I submitted to the list resulted from the joint efforts of the following descendants: Alvy Karin Flynn (greatgrandson), Neville (Wood) (Freiboth) (Gumensky) (Kuhne) Pedersen (greatgranddaughter), Sharon Honnold Anderson of Idaho, Marilyn Huizenga of Illinois, Susan Crumley Rigger of Oklahoma, (all 2nd greatgranddaughters of Ephraim and 1st wife Rachel Cox), Christine Joy Heaton of Florida (3rd greatgranddaughter of Catharine (Van Hook) (Heaton) Neavill and her 1st husband, William Heaton) and myself, Diane Wilson Flynn (2nd greatgranddaughter-in-law) of California. <<Diane, do you have family records, bibles, or other documentation like that which augments the very few public records there seem to be in that area?>> I sure wish I had official documents for each event in Ephraim’s life!!! This is some of what I do have: Census records: 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (last 3 from Chris Heaton) Photocopy of newspaper [The Galenian] announcement of Ephraim and Rachel Cox’s marriage on 29 April 1832 by the Rev. Mr. Thomas (Sharon) Death certificate (2): one from Los Angeles Co.; (Sharon) one from widow’s pension application (Diane) Ephraim’s Pension File from National Archives (NARA) in Washington, D.C. which I personally copied in its entirety, containing: Signed Affidavits: daughters Ellen Collins (Neavill) (Red) Mc Graw and Emily (Neavill) New about their mother, Rachel E. Neavill’s, death “in confinement” on 24 May 1845 at White Oak Springs, La Fayette County, WI. and from the sister-in- law of Ephraim’s widow, Catherine (Lemon) Van Hook on the same subject. Catherine Van Hook (wife of Franklin D. Van Hook) also submitted an affidavit on the death of Catharine Van Hook Heaton Neavill’s 1st husband, William Heaton “when my son Pence was a baby and my said son Pence is now forty six years old. . . .” (Peter Pence Van Hook was born abt.1848.) Photographs of EPHRAIM: Two portraits which both show a strikingly handsome person with high cheekbones and what appear to be luminous blue eyes, as a young man, taken in Madison, WI and as an old man, probably taken in CA. (from Sharon) Two cabinet cards showing the Bloss family in front of the homestead cabin in San Gabriel Canyon, Los Angeles County, CA, including an aged Ephraim and his five-year-old twin granddaughters (Alvy K. Flynn, prob. from Edna C. (Bloss) Gordon) Various excerpts from county histories that mention Ephraim Neavill and the Cox family. Enoch is only called Ephraim’s brother in one of the histories -- and that particular historian was incorrect on other details about Enoch. ENOCH Neavill’s Invalid’s Pension File that I examined and photocopied at NARA. An anecdote about Enoch that appeared in one of the county histories. There is one other Neavill you guys haven't mentioned yet: DIANNAH NEAVILL, who appears in the 1852 Territorial Census of IA as head of household. Total in household: one male and three females (no ages given). Since this is the twp. where Ephraim was allegedly the first jp and Enoch the constable, I have often wondered whether this woman was Enoch's wife and that he was deceased. Does anyone out there know who DIANNAH NEAVILL was and where she fits in? Neavill, Diannah State : IA County : Jackson Co. Location : Fairfield Twp Year : 1852 Page # : 012 Anxiously, Diane