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         B. G. NEAL, M. D., a pioneer physician and surgeon of Louisa County, now residing at Columbus Junction, was born in Howard County, Mo., Jan. 8, 1828, and is a son of Daniel and Margaret (Griffith) Neal. His parents were born, reared and married in Virginia, and in 1830 removed to Texas, then a Mexican State. The family resided in Van Zant, where the husband and father died. In 1833 our subject with his mother and family removed to Vicksburg, Miss., where his mother died the same year. When quite a young man our subject learned the printer’s trade, and followed this business many years, working in Cincinnati, Ohio, and various other cities in the Eastern States, alternating work at the trade and the study of medicine, and in September, 1849, came to Columbus City, Iowa, where he began the practice of his chosen profession. In 1851 he returned to Ohio, and spent the next three years in practice near Ironton, Lawrence County, after which he took a regular course of lectures at the Rush Medical college, Chicago, being graduated in the class of ’55-56. The same year he returned to Columbus City, and resumed practice at that place, but in 1857, with the hope of bettering his chances for success, he removed to the historic city of Burris, Louisa County, which is now extinct. One year’s residence there convinced him of his mistake, and he returned to Columbus City, where he built up a large practice and continued to reside until 1869, when he removed to Columbus Junction, his present home. Dr. Neal opened an office at the last-named town in 1870, making it his principal headquarters. Although trained in the old school of medicine, upon investigation of the theory of homeopathy, he became convinced of the superiority of that system of practice, and since 1879 has adopted it to a great degree.

On the 24th of December, 1850, at Columbus City, Dr. Neal was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Gore, daughter of Philip Gore, one of the pioneer settlers of Louisa County. Mrs. Neal was born near Baltimore, Md., and four children grace their union: Mary, wife of H. W. Dodd, of Ft. Madison, Iowa; George P. married Maria E. Thorley, who is now deceased, and is the present Postmaster of Columbus Junction; Benjamin R., the second son, died in 1864, aged nine years, and Lizzie D. resides with her parents. Mrs. Neal and her daughters are members of the Christian Church.

The Doctor is an earnest Democrat, but while he always took an active interest in politics he never sought office. The only office that he ever held was that of Postmaster of Columbus City under President Fillmore. He has practiced medicine continuously since 1849, although in 1857 he for a short time conducted a newspaper at Columbus City, the Courier, but he continued his practice at the same time. He also went to Iowa City, in 1850, and worked on the State printing under Hon. George Paul, who was State printer at that time. The doctor quietly pursues the even tenor of his way, making a specialty of office practice at present.