Theodore Augustus Neal, Esq., of Boston, a life member, admitted to the society May 3, 1859, was born in Salem, Mass., March 23, 1827, and diedat his residence in West Cedar Street, Boston, October 26, 1881. His death came suddenly from heart disease.
Mr. Neal has been a commission merchant in this city for about thirty years, a portion of the time having his residence at Salem. His last place of business was No. 11 Central Street. His firm at one time was that of Neal & Crowninshield.
His father was David Augustus Neal, formerly president of the Eastern Railroad. The father was born June 7, 1793, and married July 26, 1818, Harriet Charlotte, daughter of James and Mary (Hall) Price, of Boston.
The founder of this branch of the Neal family upon these shores was John Neal, who was admitted a freeman at Salem, Mass., May 18, 1642. From him the descent was through
Jeremiah, born Nov. 13, 1645, who married Sarah Hart :
Jeremiah, born July 25, 1674, who married Elizabeth Small ;
Jonathan, born June 6, 1713, who married Mrs. Mary Marston ;
David, who was born in 1730, and married Hannah Webb;
Jonathan, born Jan. 15, 1779, who married Mehetable Eden ;
David Augustus, the father of the subject of this sketch, whose birth and marriage are given above.
He was therefore of the eighth generation from John Neal, of Salem.
He was united in marriage. May 30, 1847, with Elizabeth Boardman Whittredge, oldest child of Thomas Cook and Susan Louisa (Mead) Whittredge.
Some of these facts are gathered from a little volume entitled "The Neal Record : being a list of the descendants of John Neale, one of the early settlers of Salem, Mass. Compiled by Theodore Augustus Neal, Boston, 1856." In the preface the author says; "When first I undertook the investigation of which the result is given in these pages, it was to gratify a sudden and I supposed a transient curiosity, and to while away a few leisure hours occurring occasionally in the intervals
of business and of habitual recreations. I speedily became convinced, however, that I had entered rather upon a task requiring application and perseverance than a pastime which might be taken up and dropped at will ; but with this conviction arose a feeling that I owed it as a filial duty to my ancestors to rescue from utter oblivion among their posterity their untarnished though humble and uneventful record, and I applied myself to my work with increased zeal."
Mr. Neal, when a child, attended at school in Paris, and was afterwards graduated at the Salem High School.
His two daughters are named Elizabeth Martingini Whittredge and Caroline Frothingham.
