Lewis & Elizabeth Neeley

Neeley/Cornwall
Lewis (or Louis) Neeley Sr.,  father of William Neeley, great grandfather of Kenneth Roosevelt Neeley, great great grandfather to Kent Neeley Cornwall.

Lewis  Neeley was the third generation of Neeleys in America. He was born at Ovid, Seneca County, New York on 4 October 1805, the son of John Neeley and Jane Kaiser. He was but seven years old when his father met his death after one month’s service in the War of 1812.

It is not known exactly when Lewis left his home state of New York, but by 1828 he was residing in Illinois where he married Elizabeth Miller on 20 April 1828 in Vermilion County, at the age of twenty-three. Elizabeth, known as Betsey, was the daughter of Oliver Miller and Cynthia Sophronia Nobles. She was born on 4 April 1806 in New York. When she was young her family moved westward, settling in Vermilion County, Illinois.  Lewis  was described as large, fine looking man, with curly black hair, and a very clear and beautiful complexion with powerful build and great strength.

"The missionaries of the Mormon Church came to Vermilion County in 1831 to get converts. They did their work in Newell township and had some success. The missionaries were Orson and Parley Pratt.  (See D&C 52:26) . The first preaching place they made was at the house of Olive(r) Miller. [Oliver was interested and invited his daughter, Betsy and son in law, Lewis Neeley to hear the message.]...  Harrison Oliver, Louis Neely and Olive(r) Miller all were converts to the doctrine. . .” History of Vermilion County, Vol 1; by Lottie E. Jones, 1911; Pg 153. Betsey’s parents were baptized in 1832 and soon thereafter “gathered” with the early Saints in Missouri where they both died.

In 1839 the Neeleys lived in or near Nauvoo, Illinois.  It is said that Lewis knew the Prophet Joseph Smith intimately.  He recalled throughout his life the scenes of sorrow and despair when the dead prophet and his brother were brought home from Carthage.

There was some doubt as to who would lead the Church with the death of the Prophet.  Lewis and his son William attended a meeting in which Brigham Young got up to speak.  William's grandchildren recorded their father's telling of the event, "... William Neeley was fourteen years old ... when he and his father were seated in the congregation when suddenly they were startled to hear the voice of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Looking up, they saw him standing in the pulpit; in a moment the vision passed, and Brigham Young stood before them, but there was not a single soul in the meeting who doubted that Brigham Young was to carry on the work that Joseph, the Prophet had begun."

Lewis assisted in the finishing of the Nauvoo Temple.  Lewis and Elizabeth received their endowments on February 6th, 1846, two days after the first covered wagons began the exodus West to flee their enemies.  Lewis and Elizabeth, with their 6 surviving children (6 died as small children) left their property behind and crossed the Mississippi River at the time is was so cold it froze over and the wagons were able to cross on a floor of solid ice.

The family stopped in Council Bluffs, Iowa where a daughter, Elizabeth Ann was born, Jan. 25, 1847.  Elizabeth, the mother, died 8 days after giving birth and the baby died a few days later.  The names of Elizabeth Miller Neeley and her baby are cast on the great monument in Florence Nebraska, recognizing those who died in Winter Quarters.  A few months later Lewis married Sophia Parsons Ketchum, who had 4 children of her own.  In 1848 two of Lewis' sons died, probably due to cholera which was prevalent in the area.

Brigham Young asked for volunteers to stay behind the first wave of Pioneers to labor in building log houses, bridges and clear land and plow and plant seeds for other Mormon Pioneer groups traveling from the East.  Lewis and his family stayed behind while the main company of saints moved west.  Eventually the family joined the Warren Foote Seventh Company organized to began the trek to the Valley of the Salt Lake on June 12, 1850 arriving there on the 17th of September.  Lewis built an adobe home for his family on 9th East and 6th south.  Lewis died Nov. 6, 1857 and is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Photos of William Neeley - no known photos of Lewis and Elizabeth Neeley