Soules, David Neer 'Davy'

1842 - 1937  (94 years)

• Name	Soules, David Neer 'Davy'
  		Clay County Court House, Maysville, Illinois, home of David Soules Contributed by Barbara Julien
  		David and Mary Alice Soule, standing, George David and Iris Glen Toliver Wilkin and four children Contributed by Barbara Julien
  		Membership, G.A.R. Post 270 Top row--left to right-- Thomas Viskniskki, Company G, 18th Illinois Infantry; Jerre McKinney, Co. D 11th Mo. Inf; J.B. Smith, Co. K 40th Ill. Inf; Wm Eden, Co K 83rd Ind Inf; George Robins, Co. I 175th O. Inf.; R. L. Gibbs, Co. M 2nd N.J Cav.; R. F. Campbell, teamster. Lower row--left to right--D. N. Soules, Co. A, 96th O. Inf.; J. E.…
  		David Soules with granddaughter Iris Glen Toliver and Robert C. Wilkin Contributed by Barbara Julien
  		David Neer Soules (1842-1937) Contributed by Barbara Julien
  Birth	23 Jan 1842	Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Census		1930 Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, page 07a 1930 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, (District 0003) (Village), image 13, page 07a
  		1870 Census, Widner Township, Knox County, Indiana, page 04 1870 United States Federal Census, Widner Township, Knox County, Indiana, page 04 Contributed by Barbara Julien
  		1880 Census, Clay City Township, Clay County, Illinois, page 11 1880 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Illinois, (District 155) (Clay City Township), image 11, page 11c
  Occupation	Saddler, Harness Maker  [1, 2, 4, 8]
  Reference Number	SOUL.D001
  _FGRAVE	20756000
  Death	19 Jan 1937	Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [7, 9]
  	David Neer Soules was born at Bellefontaine, Ohio, January 23, 1842, and departed this life at his home in Clay City, IL January 19, 1937, at the age of 94 years, 11 months, and 27 days. He was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Smith on 11 Jun 1870 in Indiana, his first companion, who preceded him in death March 10, 1911. To this union were born three daughters, two who preceded him in death. He then was united in marriage in Richland Co, IL on 7 Apr 1914 to Mrs. Mary L. (Osborn) Bunn from Sycamore, Ohio who preceded him in death January 13, 1927. He was then united in marriage to Mrs. Mary (Enlow) Bethel of Bell City, Missouri, who survives. He was converted and united with the M. E. Church of Clay City, Illinois many years ago. He lived a faithful Christian life until the Lord called him home. He enlisted in the Civil War August 8, 1962 in company 96 Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was honorably discharged August 8, 1865 and was the last one of the Boys in Blue who lived in this community. He came to Illinois in 1871. He settled in Old Maysville in the Court House in 1872 where he spent the rest of his life. He leaves to mourn his death his loving companion; one grandchild, Iris Glenn Toliver Wilkens of Frankfort, Indiana and four great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; two step grandsons, Dave and Millard Van Metre; and seven step children: Bluford Charles Bethel of Detroit; Pearl Johnson, Wiley Maynard of Detroit; Ina Altom of Flora; Hugh Sharp of Oklahoma and Carl Powell of Clay City, Illinois and a host of friends to mourn his departure. His funeral was held Thursday afternoon, January 21, 1937 at the M. E. Church in Clay City, Illinois by his pastor, Rev. E. W. Barrett assisted by Rev. Roberts, pastor of the M. E. Church, South after which interment was made in the Clay City Cemetery with military honors by the American Legion Post of Sailor Springs, Illinois. (Newspaper clipping with handwritten date of 1937) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Born in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Co. A. 96th O. V. I. 1862-1865 David Neer Sowles was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, January 23, 1842. His parents are unknown. He was raised by his Grandparents, Joseph Gordon and Mary Davis Gordon who were married in 1811. Joseph Gordon was well known in Ohio as he carried the mail on horseback for many years. He had three Grandchildren in the Civil war, David Neer Soules, Vandiver Lemmon Obenchane and Wilson Vance Gordon who perished at Andersonville prison in Georgia. Vandiver was David's half brother and was in the 144th as a musician. My dad told me that David Soules was quite a character. He said he always weighed 96 pounds. My Dad's sister said he would sometimes gain up to 125. He was one of the Ohio swamp boys and spent two stretches of the war in the hospital with dysentery. After the second hospital stay, they made him an ambulance driver because they didn't feel he was strong enough for battle. He suffered with dysentery his whole adult life. After the war, he lived with Vandiver and wife Mary Ingerson for a while in Ohio and she cared for him. Then he moved to Pleasantville, In., where he married Louisa Jane Smith and they had three children. In roughly 1873, they moved to Maysville/Clay City and stayed there. (As remembered by his granddaughter)
  Funeral	21 Jan 1937	Clay City Methodist Church, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [9]
  Military Service	American Civil War, Company A, 96th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment  [1, 6, 7, 10]
  	He enlisted in the Civil War August 8, 1962 in company 96 Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was honorably discharged August 8, 1865 and was the last one of the Boys in Blue who lived in this community.
  		Flag of the United States, 35 Stars (1863-1865) This flag was flown by the Federal States during the United States Civil War. The flag of the United States of America from 1861 to 1863, with 34 stars for all the 34 states. In 1863 a 35th star was added to represent the new state of West Virginia (the loyal northwestern counties of Virginia), and in 1864 a 36th star for Nevada (previously the…
  		American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865)
  		96th Ohio Infantry Regiment
  Burial	21 Jan 1937	Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois   [7, 9]
  		Civil War Veterans Buried in Clay County, Illinois, page 43 Compiled by Les Higgason
  		Headstone, Soules, David N.
  Person ID	I18949	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	5 Sep 2025

  
  

  Family 1	Osborn, Mary L.,   b. 21 Oct 1848, Sycamore, Wyandot County, Ohio d. 3 Jan 1927 (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	Y  [5, 9]
  Family ID	F8578	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Smith, Louisa Jane,   b. 23 Jun 1846, Monroe County, Indiana d. 10 Mar 1911, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois (Age 64 years)
  Marriage	12 Jun 1870	Pleasantville, Sullivan County, Indiana   [5, 8, 9, 11, 12]
  Age at Marriage	He : 28 years and 5 months - She : 24 years.
  Children	1. Soules, Gene   d. Bef 10 Mar 1911 > 2. Soules, Elizabeth A. 'Lizzie',   b. 1867, Indiana + 3. Soules, Maud O.,   b. 1873, Indiana d. Bef 10 Mar 1911 (Age < 38 years)   4. Soules, Ellen 'Eva' Glenn,   b. 22 Jul 1881   d. 19 Mar 1886 (Age 4 years)
  Family ID	F8576	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2023

  
  

  Family 3	Enlow, Mary Alice,   b. 20 Aug 1864, Mount Erie, Wayne County, Illinois d. 22 Mar 1948, Olney, Richland County, Illinois (Age 83 years)
  Marriage	1930  [1, 2, 5, 9, 13]
  Age at Marriage	He : ~ 87 years and 11 months - She : ~ 65 years and 4 months.
  Family ID	F8577	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2023

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 23 Jan 1842 - Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio Marriage - 12 Jun 1870 - Pleasantville, Sullivan County, Indiana Death - 19 Jan 1937 - Clay City, Clay County, Illinois Funeral - 21 Jan 1937 - Clay City Methodist Church, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois Burial - 21 Jan 1937 - Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos		Members, Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Post 270 Top row--left to right-- Thomas Viskniskki, Company G, 18th Illinois Infantry; Jerre McKinney, Co. D 11th Mo. Inf; J.B. Smith, Co. K 40th Ill. Inf; Wm Eden, Co K 83rd Ind Inf; George Robins, Co. I 175th O. Inf.; R. L. Gibbs, Co. M 2nd N.J Cav.; R. F. Campbell, teamster. Lower row--left to right--D. N. Soules, Co. A, 96th O. Inf.; J. E.…
  		David Neer 'Davy' Soules (1842-1937) Displayed with permission of Lady in Black

  
  

• Sources

  [S37] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, (District 0003) (Village), image 13, page 7a, (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/6224/4584337_00604?backurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fd), none. (Reliability: 2). [S78] Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois, Enumeration District 3, Page 15B, (http://search.ancestry.com/content/viewer.aspx?dbid=6061&iid=4300174_00637&noredir=true&sid=&gskw=) (Reliability: 2). [S16733] https://www.ancestry.com/, 1880 Census, Clay City Township, Clay County, Illinois, page 11, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4240459-00201?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Jsm1&pId=20621191) (Reliability: 2). [S5079] https://www.ancestry.com, 1870 Census, Widner Township, Knox County, Indiana, page 04, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4263403_00522?usePUB=true&_phsrc=suL7&pId=21610907) (Reliability: 2). [S15526] Obituary, Soules, David Neer, 94, none. (Reliability: 2). [S5075] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Soules, David Neer, 94, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20756000), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5076] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Soules, David N., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20756000), none. (Reliability: 2). [S5078] http://www.ancestry.com, 1880 Clay City, Illinois, District 155, page 388c, (http://www.ancestry.com, 5 June 1880) (Reliability: 2). [S5077] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Soules, David N., (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Soules&GSiman=1&GScid=105163&GRid=20756000&), none. (Reliability: 2). [S493] Les Higgason, Civil War Veterans, Buried in Clay County (including Confederate), Compiled by Les Higgason (Reliability: 2). [S5133] Obituary, Soules, Mrs D N, none. (Reliability: 2). [S5132] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Soules, Louisa J., (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=24056352), none. (Reliability: 2). [S14483] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Soules, Mary A., (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2419724), none. (Reliability: 2).