NEAL, JOHN LUTHER (LOUIE) JR. AND MARY LOU (HERNCALL)

by Anna Neal Crouse

Entry F310 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

L-R, Back: John (Louie) Neal family, 1932. Alois, Francis, Anna,
Joedph, Regina, Mary, John Louie. Front: James and Mary Dorothy.


John Luther "Louie" Neal, Jr. born Febr.
7, 1875, son of John Luther, Sr., and Julia
Prudilla Davis. John Luther "Louie" married
Mary Lou Herncall Jan. 1, 1907. he died Mar.
3, 1942. Mary Lou, daughter of W.K. Herncall
and M. Barbara Bame born Mar. 24, 1882,
died May 12, 1968.

John Luther, Sr. born Oct. 14, 1842 in Van
Buren Co. Iowa, and died Aug. 14, 1914. John
Sr. and Julia Prudilla Davis daughter of Joel
Davis and Nancy Stanley, were married Mar.
15, 1866. Julia died 1881. John Luther, Sr.,
was a son of Jesse Neal born Aug. 27, 1787,
served in Ranger War 1812, died Sept. 9,
1846. he married Nancy Ann Stricklin in
1816. Nancy born Aug. 6, 1787, died Oct.
1880. Jesse Neal is son of Benjamin neal and
Elizabeth of Knox Co. Tennessee. Louie and
Mary (Herncall) Neal had nine children.

Joseph L. Neal, born May 25, 1908 attend-
ed Hooker Co. grade school, 1 year high
school at Ulyssis, Ne., graduated in Mullen
High School Class of 1929. Married Margaret
Polzkill daughter of Frank Polzkill of Staple-
ton, Ne., July 1, 1935. Their children are Joe
Lee, Paul, John, Patrick, Dorothea Paisley.
Joseph and Margaret moved to Calif. 1965.
Joseph died Nov. 27, 1979. Margaret died
Febr. 7, 1980 in California.

Francis A. Neal, born June 4, 1910, attend-
ed schooling in Hooker Co. School Class of
1928. He married Helen Wrobluski May 15,
1937. She was daughter of Stanley and
Hedwig (Jakubowski) Wrobluski of Ashton,
Ne. They lived in the Detroit, Michigan area.
Their children are Kenneth, Kathleen, Jef-
frey and Debra. Frances served in the Navy
World War II.

Alois W. Neal, born on Oct. 12, 1913, went
to school in Hooker Co. and Graduated Class
of 1933. Serving C.C.C. after graduation.
Married Ruth Kreiling of Minatare, Ne. May
26, 1941. Their children are Gayle and
William A. "Bill". They also raised a nephew
David Krieling, his mother died at his birth.
Alois served in the Army W.W.II. They have
lived most of their married life in Melbeta,
Ne. Ruth has a cafe and Alois has a shop and
filling station.

J.L. Regina Neal born June 11, 1915,
schooling in Hooker Co. graduated Mullen
High School, class of 1932, taught in rural
school of the County, attended Chadron
State College. She married Stanley E. Brewer
June 11, 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their
children are Francis E. born May 7, 1938,
died Febr. 21, 1939 in farm accident. Neal,
twins Barbara and Betty, R. Karen, Jerry,
Nancy, twins Donald and Daniel born April
4, 1948 and died same day, buried near their
grandparents at Mullen, Regina and Stanley
retired to their bean farm, Dove Creek, Colo.

Anna M. Neal was born Febr. 10, 1918. She
attended Hooker Co. Schools 12 years,
graduating with the Class of 1936. Married
George W. Crouse son of O'Dell and Rosa
Mae (Brumbaugh) Crouse of Ashby, Nebr.
May 19, 1941 at Paxton, Ne. George served
in Army W.W.II. Their children; Rosemary,
Louis W., Georgann (married Larry French,
son of Ben and Bernadette (Piel) French);
Josephine "Jo", (married Richard Macke,
son of Ed and Pauline (Boyer) Macke). Last
two live in Hooker Co. Anna and George
moved to Ashby, Nebr. in 1948 when Rose-
Mary was ready for school. Retired there.

Alicia born Mar. 15, 1917 and Peter born
Oct. 18, 1920. Both died soon after birth.

James Z. born 1923, attended
Mullen schools, worked on ranches, served
Army in Alaska and Japan where he met and
married Tomoko Kyoko (Suzanna) of Koku-
ra, Japan. Their children; Thomas M., Peter
J., Robert D. James and Susie have worked
at ranches since coming back to U.S. They
have worked, Susie, (as a cook) at the Rex
Ranch near Whitman since 1964.

Mary Dorothy Neal, born 1925 in
Mullen. Attended Mullen schools till Sept.
10, 1942 when she married Fred R. Johnston
of North of Thedford, Nebr. Their children
are James F., Jack R., Barbara A. The boys
and families live at Thedford. Fred was a
Director for N.E. High School Rodeo several
years. M. Dorothy worked organizing H.S.
Rodeo Queen. James and Jack each served as
State President for H.S. Rodeo. Barbara was
State Queen and Runner-up to National
Queen. She also served as National Secretary
1968. This was also the time when Fred was
injured in a Rodeo accident at Broken Bow,
Nebr. He was confined to a wheel-chair the
rest of his life. He continued to enjoy people
and Rodeos. He died Nov. 9, 1978 and is
buried at Thedford, Nebr. Mary Dorothy
lives in North Platte, Nebr.