My Genealogy Hound

William M. Neal is a real-estate and insurance agent at Helena, and a record of his life will be of more than passing interest, for he is a man of recognized worth and of a substantial and progressive spirit. He was born in Wilson County, Tenn., September 6, 1853, and is a son of William Z. and Josephine (Puckett) Neal, who were also natives of that State, the father being a man of superior education, and the founder of the Lebanon (Tenn.) Herald in 1852. This journal he continued to publish until 1872, at which time he sold out, purchasing a farm and moving thereon, and there now lives. He was internal revenue collector under Gen. Grant, and was a Whig in his political views for many years. He and wife, who is now dead, became the parents of five children, three now living, of whom our subject is the eldest. His early scholastic-advantages were received in the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., and he there also learned the printer’s trade, serving a four-years apprenticeship in his father’s office, after which he wrote for and read proof on the Nashville Daily American for some time. He next went to Washington, Miss., and after working as a book-keeper for a number of years he, in March, 1876, came to Helena and worked in the same capacity for the bank here, continuing to be thus occupied four years, at which time he began giving his attention to merchandising. Four years later he embarked in his present calling, and in this branch of business has become one of the leading men of the county. He handles an immense amount of real estate and owns some very valuable property himself. He represents the Manhattan Life Insurance Company; being, too, a stockholder in and secretary of the Helena & Brick Manufacturing Company, and is also a stockholder and secretary of the Mutual Building & Loan Association, which he assisted in organizing, in June, 1887,with a capital stock of $600,000. He is also secretary of the Helena Gas, Water & Power Company, which has a capital stock of $10,000. December 5, 1888, he was married to Miss Margaret Bedford, who is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.