My Genealogy Hound

Hon. Tom W. Neal, editor and publisher of Neal’s State Gazette, of Dyersburg, Tenn., was born in Nashville in 1835, son of Richard P. and Caroline (Buck) Neal. The father was born in 1802 near Lynchburg, Campbell Co., Va., and in youth came to Middle Tennessee and located in Nashville, where he died in 1839. He was for many years assistant book-keeper for the officers of Davidson County, and was the father of four children, two of whom are living: Richard H., who resides in Nashville, and Thomas W., our subject. Their mother was born in Davidson County, Tenn., in 1816, and after the death of Mr. Neal, married J. K. Moffat, and both are now living in Nashville. Mr. Neal’s grandfather was Laban Neal, a Virginia planter. Mr. Tom W. Neal’s great grandfather on his mother’s side was Wm. Williams, from Wales, a colonel in the Revolutionary war and an officer in Gen. George Washington’s body guard. Tom W. was reared without a father’s care or guidance. He received an academical education in Nashville, and at the age of thirteen began working in the printing office of Washington Barrow, who at that time edited the Republican Banner. He served about a five years’ apprenticeship, and in 1856 became a journeyman printer and worked on and finally edited the Bedford Yeoman, at Shelbyville, one year and the following few years edited papers at Trenton, Hickman, Dyersburg and Warren (Ark.), and was at the last named place when the war broke out. He dropped all business, and in the summer of 1861 enlisted in the Ninth Regiment Arkansas Infantry, but in the winter of 1863 was honorably discharged for disability. He returned to Dyersburg, and at the close of the war went to Memphis and established the Play Bill, and at the same time was city editor of the daily Bulletin. He became editor of the Dispatch, of Pine Bluff, Ark., in 1865, but sold this after a short time. In the fall of the same year he returned to Dyersburg and established the State Gazette, of which paper he has been-sole editor up to the present time. Jerry Martin was in partnership with him in 1866, and Samuel Sidway was proprietor two years. Mr. Neal is an editor of original and independent thought, and is a Democrat in politics. He boldly and fearlessly advocates what he believes to be right, and his paper now has a circulation of 1,050 weekly copies. In 1876 he was elected on the Democratic ticket to the State Legislature and received the largest majority ever secured by one man in the county. In 1884 he was elected as floater to the same position, representing Dyer, Obion and Lake Counties, and again receiving the largest majority of any Democrat in the house. He was Mayor of Dyersburg one year; a Mason and Grand Dictator of the Grand Lodge of the State, of the K. of H. In 1859 he married Fannie Benton, daughter of Dr. Abner and Mary Ann Benton, of Dyersburg. Mrs. Neal was born in the town in 1840 and became the mother of two daughters: Ella and Lillian. She died in 1880, and in June, 1881, Mr. Neal married Alice Hoyt, who was born in Bennington County, Vt., in 1851. They have one daughter- Carolyn Gerster. Mrs. Neal is a member of the Presbyterian Church.