Initially, some of the Information (names) connecting this family was provided by: Virginia Cornett Smith's records, and Reginal Dean's Records.


When Hugh's son, Robert, was of a very early age, Hugh moved his family south, from Marsh Creek in Pennsylvania, to settle a few hundred miles away, on the stony fork of the Fishing Creek in South Carolina. About 80 miles above Camdon, within about 8 miles of the Catawba nation.

Robert was living in this place when he first drafted into service, in the Revolutionary War, and also when he afterwards, entered it as a substitute for his father. He was drafter as a private for 3 months in Capt William Hanna's Company of Militia, which was attached to a Regiment or Party under the command of Col. William Bratton. He received his discharge signed by Capt Hanna, for his 3 months of service, and returned home. About a month after this time, he undertook to serve, and did serve as a substitute for his father, Hugh Neely, who was drafter as he thinks for 4 months, in Capt. Adams Company, which belonged to a Regiment or Party under the command of Capt. Lacey. The company was marched to the Cowpens, where they remained until the expiration of the four months during this time. He received his discharge, signed by Capt. Adams, for his four months of service.

Robert Neely and his parents moved to Washington Co., Virginia about five years after the last mentioned service, where he has ever since resided.

In his application for pension Robert made this statement:
He states further in reference to this age, that his father's family bible in which his age was recorded, together with a good deal of other property belonging to his father and his Uncle, ROBERT SMITH, was taken by a party of British during the war of the Revolution, from the house of said Smith, who then lived near Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, and carried off or discharged. At this time of this occurrence his father with his family was residing temporarily at the house of said Smith with a view to void the depredations of the British. The said Smith afterward moved to Tennessee and has since died.

**Note Military Service was most likely between mid to late 1780 through early 1781, as the battle of Cowpens was January 17 1781. This time frame would fall in line with when Hugh Neely first shows up on the Washington Co., VA Personal Property Tax Lists, in 1786.


08 Nov 1791 -- Robert Neeley & Jenny Berry were married in Washington County, Virginia by Rev. Charles Cummings, a Presbyterian Minister. He served both Sinking Springs and Ebbing Spring congregations. ( The Marriages of Washington Co., VA, 1781 - 1853, by D. E. Brown, pages 45 (marriage) & 75 - 76 (minister).

16 Aug 1795 -- George Messenor of the County of Frederick, Maryland, to Robert Neely, $400. 140 acres on the north side of the South Fork of the Holston River. Bounds: white oak on the bank of the South Fork of the Holston River, Edmondson, Montgomery. (Washington County Deed Book 1: 468 - 469. This 140 acre tract bordered Hugh Neely's 234 acre tract.

21 Aug 1798 -- Robert Neely & Jane his wife to Robert Caldwell for $100. 42 acres on the north side of the South Fork of the Holston River. Bounds: corner to said Neely. Washington County Deed Book 3: 174 - 175. The 42 acres was part of the 140 acres that Robert Neely purchased from George Messenor in 1795.

1806 Washington County Virginia, Personal Tax List, Lower District -- Robert Neely - 1 White & 6 Horses. Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800 Transcribed by Jeffrey C. Weaver, September 22, 1998

18 Mar 1806 -- Hugh Neely sells items to Robert Neely. Ordered to be recorded 16 Dec 1806. (Washington County Will Book 3: 24 - 25)

1810 Census of Washington County, page 700:
Line 1 - Hugh Neely
Line 2 - Samuel Tase
Line 3 - Thomas McSpadden
Line 4 - Robert Neely
Line 5 - Matthew Brown

02 Apr 1819 -- Robert Neely & Jane his wife (to) Thomas McSpadden, all of WC VA, for $25 -- 7 acres and 47 poles. Bounds: Down the creek. [Signed]: Robt. (his X mark) Neely, Jane (her X mark) Neely. (Washington County, Virginia Deed Book 7 : 194 - 195, 1818 - 1822 by Jack Hockett, page 50.

20 Mar 1828 -- 22.5 acre survey for Robert Neely on the south side of the South Fork of the Holston River. Bounds: Wm. Duff, John Larimore, Edmund Henry and Hugh Berry. (Washington County Survey Book 2:506) This tract was due south of Hugh Neely's tracts and bordered the southeastern boundary line of Hugh Berry's 900 acre Survey dated 25 Mar 1826. (Washington County Survey Book 2:493)

01 Sep 1830 -- Land Grant granted to Robert Neeley for 22.5 acres on the south side of the South Fork of the Holston River. (Virginia Land Grant Book 79.245)


There is an earlier affidavit when Robert Neely appeared in court, having sworn on 27 Jan. 1835, to various things, all of them very important genealogically. It lists the family's residence in Guilford Co., NC, during the Revolution with an uncle, Robert Smith (per Reginal Dean's Records, I have since found that Hugh's father-in-law, was Robert Smith, Sr., of Guilford Co. Found this in a book of old wills of that county).

• Married: 8 NOV 1791 in Washington Co., Virginia ¹⁴

1. Mary NEELY b: BET 1792 AND 1816 in Virginia
2. Margaret NEELY b: BET 1792 AND 1816 in Virginia
3. William Berry NEELY b: ABT 1793 in Washington Co., Virginia
4. Jane NEELY b: ABT 1799 in Virginia
5. Robert NEELY b: ABT 1804 in Virginia
6. Susannah "Susan" NEELY b: ABT 1814 in Virginia
7. Hugh Smith NEELY b: ABT 1818 in Virginia

1. Title: Affidavit from Hugh Smith Neely, dated 26 September 1854
   Note: Affidavit from Hugh S Neely, that his father, Robert Neely, died in the County of Washington, in the year 1837.
2. Title: Revolutionary War Pension Papers for Robert Neely, son of Hugh Neely
3. Title: The Marriages of Washington Co., VA, 1781 - 1853, by D. E. Brown, pages 45
4. Title: Washington County Deed Book 1: 468 - 469 Robert Neely
5. Title: Washington County Deed Book 3: 174 - 175 Robert Neely
6. Title: Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800 Transcribed by Jeffrey C. Weaver, September 22, 1998 Robert Neely
7. Title: Washington County Will Book 3: 24 - 25 Robert Neely
8. Title: Washington County, Virginia Deed Book 7 : 194 - 195, 1818 - 1822 by Jack Hockett, page 50.
9. Title: Washington County Survey Book 2:506
10. Title: Washington County Survey Book 2:493
11. Title: Virginia Land Grant Book 79.245
12. Title: Reginal Dean's Records
13. Title: Virginia Cornett Smith's records
14. Title: Virginia, Washington Co. Marriages