Please Note**** Some have suggested that Samuel Neely, the Peddler, is the father of Hugh Neely. First documentation on Samuel Neely in West Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania was in 1750, when he made Bond and Application for a Peddlers License ( Horse Peddler), that was issued in 1751. Note Marsh Creek is located in adjoining Townships, East Nantmeal and Uwchlan. (Hugh's son Robert Neely states he was born on Marsh Creek, in Pennsylvania.) However, Samuel Neely, the peddler, married Sarah Ferguson. From the Will of Samuel Neely, husband of Sarah Ferguson, living in South Carolina, from Chester Co., S.C. Will Book C, Page 70, Samuel was born in 1726 and died in 1803. There is #1 - no mention of "Hugh Neely" in his Will and #2 Samuel and Hugh are too close in age to have been father and son. This is not to say, there might be some distant family connection.

The following is from the application for Revolutionary Pension for Robert Neely, son of Hugh Neely.
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 Neely was living in this place, with his parents, when he first entered in 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. 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 another section of the application, Neely states the following:
From the Revolutionary War Pension Application for Robert Neely, son of Hugh Neely and Mary Smith.
He (Robert) states further in regerence 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 occurance 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. (This statement was given on the 27th day of January 1835)


Washington Co., Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists by Thomas Jack Hockett, lists the following names: Volume I, 1782 - 1786 & 1788 - 1790
1786 - Hugh Neely 1 Wh Male 16-21 other than self; 5 horses/mules; 5 cattle.
1787 - Hugh Neely 1 Wh male 16-21 other than self; 6 horses/mules; 5 cattle.
1788 - Hugh Neely 2 Wh males 16-21 other than self; (possible) 7 cattle.
1789 - Hugh Neely 2 Wh males 16-21 other than self; (possible) 7 cattle.
1790 - Hugh Neely 1 Wh male 16-21 other than self; (possible) 6 cattle.
Volume II, 1791 - 1810 Listed name of person on the personal tax rolls.
1792 - Hugh Neely
1793 - Hugh Neely
1794 - Hugh Neely
1795 - Hugh Neily
1796 - Hugh Neily
1797 - Hugh Neilly
1798 - Hugh Neely
1799 - Hugh Neily
1800 - Hugh Neely
1802 - Hugh Neely
1803 - Hugh Neely
1804 - Hugh Neely
1805 - Hugh Neely
1806 - Hugh Neely
1807 - Hugh Neely
1809 - Hugh Neely
1810 - Hugh Neely
This establishes Hugh Neely in Washington Co., Virginia as early as 1786.


21 May 1793 -- James Gilliland and Hannah his wife to Hugh Neely, 10 pounds. 30 acres. (Washington County Deed Book 1:296)

James Gilliland's 200 acre Land Grant was surveyed and recorded in 1782, with settlement proven to 1770. It was sold in three tracts in 1792 -1793. (L74) Carrickfergus -- Hugh Neely purchased 30 acres on the southeast end of the tract. This land extended across the Middle Fork of the Holston River to a 234 acre survey Neely had entered in 1791. On the east side of the river, Neely laid out streets and lots in 1801 for a town he called Carrickfergus, perhaps named for the port city in Northern Ireland from which many Scots-Irish embarded for America. An act establishing the town was passed by the Virginia Assembly in 1802. The town was well planned. Located where the Middle and South Forks of the Holston River joined, space along the banks of both rivers was reserved for public landings for boats and barges that might be used to ship products down river. Streets were named Liberty, Republic, Independence and Freedom, and lots were set aside for a church and school. There was strong interest in the town, and 35 of the first 42 lots were quickly sold to individuals throughout the county. However, the town failed to materialize. Purchasers had been required by the Virginia legislature to build a dwelling house on their lots within 10 years of the date of sale. Other than Neely's own home, there is no record of any other buildings having been built here, and the purchasers therefore forfeited their investments. (Places In Time, Volume III, South from Abingdon to Holston, by Nanci C. King, pages 33 - 34)

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.

23 Apr 1798 -- Hugh Neely -- 234 acre survey -- Bounds: both sides of the South Fork of the Holston River at the conjunction of the South Fork of the Holston River & Middle Fork of the Holston River, Wm. Duff, Neely's 30 acre survey, bank of the Middle Fork of the Holston River, crossing the river, John Steel, Robert Demondson, crossing the river. Warrant #10053 (Washington County Survey Book 2:67)

21 Nov 1800 -- Hugh Neeley's Land Grant. Bounds: white oak corner to said Neeley's survey of 30 acres, red oak on the bank of the Middle Fork of the Holston River, corner to John Steel, Robert Edmondson, Wm. Duff, sugar tree on the bank of the South Fork of the Holston River, thence North 14 West 20 poles, crossing the river. ( Virginia Land Grant Book 46:551 - 552)

1802 -- At different times in 1802 Hugh Neely & Mary, his wife sold various tracts in the town of Carrickfergus to:
Archibald McGuninis, Wm. Blackwell, Claiborne Watkins, Cary Ashley, Adam Little, John Keys, Wm. Steel, Daniel Neal, James Keys, James Gilliand, Bartholomew Neel, Welcome Martin, James Caldwell, Robert Neely, Wm. Berry, Charles Neely, James Gilliland (2nd deed), Jonathan Spyker, Thomas Berry Junior, Jonathan Eppler, Michael Hoover, John Toneray, Robert Ferril Junior, James Edmondson, Robert Ferril Senior, John Gold, Thomas Berry Junior, (2nd deed), John Jones, James Keys, Michael Sugart [Shugart], and Samuel Glenn Gent. The last deed was witnessed by: David Dryden Junior, Joseph Campbell and Benjamin Spyker. (Washington County Deed Book A:384 - 414) (Washington County, Virginia District Court Deed Book A, 1789 - 1801, by Thomas & Jane Colley, pages 110 - 120)

07 Jun 1803 -- Hugh Neely sold a horse to Wm. Beatie. Ordered to be recorded on 10 Aug 1803. (Washington County Will Book 2:418) Hugh had several of his transactions recorded in a Will Book.

1806 Washington County Virginia, Personal Tax List, Lower District -- Hugh Neely - 1 White & 1 Horse.
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

*Note: There is no indication nor records, that Hugh and Mary ever left their home in "Carrickfergus" after 1810. No census record was found for Hugh Neely, or any other spelling, in 1820, which leads me to believe Hugh Neely died between 1810 & 1820, in Washington County, Virginia.

• Married: in Possibly Pennsylvania

1. Charles NEELY b: BET 1760 AND 1765 in Marsh Creek, Pennsylvania
2. Robert NEELY b: ABT 1761 in Marsh Creek, Pennsylvania

1. Title: Washington County Deed Book A:384 - 414) (Washington County, Virginia District Court Deed Book A, 1789 - 1801, by Thomas & Jane Colley, pgs 110 - 120
2. Title: Revolutionary War Pension Papers for Robert Neely
3. Title: Washington Co., Virginia Personal Property Tax List, by Thomas Jack Hockett
4. Title: Washington County Deed Book 1:296
5. Title: Places In Time, Volume III, South from Abingdon to Holston, by Nanci C. King, pages 33 - 34
6. Title: Washington County Deed Book 1: 468 - 469
7. Title: Virginia Land Grant Book 46:551 - 552
8. Title: Washington County Will Book 2:418
9. Title: Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800 Transcribed by Jeffrey C. Weaver, September 22, 1998
10. Title: Washington County Will Book 3: 24 - 25