Henry is mentioned in the Vinton book as the father of Ruth, wife of Ebenezer Thayer, and the father of Mary, wife of John Thayer and in a footnote — all on page 362. The footnote says that both Mary and Ruth were mentioned in Henry’s will.

Henry is also mentioned on page 324 as the father of Hannah who married Nehemiah Hayden. But no biographical information for Henry is given by Vinton in either place.

However, a find-a-grave memorial for Henry Neal (the find-a-grave spelling) does give a date of birth, death and marriage and some biographical information. He married Hannah Pray and they had twenty children — including daughter Mary who married John Thayer, daughter Ruth who married Ebenezer Thayer and daughter Hannah who married Nehemiah Hayden. Clearly, Henry Neal is Henry Neale.

The number of children attributed to him is rather astounding and my first instinct is to wonder whether maybe there might have been two men named Henry Neal/Neale. But in this case, there is a photo of his tombstone on find-a-grave and it is inscribed on his stone: “the father of 21 children”. I do though suspect that Henry had more than one wife.