Coryell Co. TX - Stephen O'Neal - Armelia (Gray) Pierce

Submitted by Bobbie Ross  <bwross@htcomp.net>

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                   STEPHEN O'NEAL - ARMELIA (GRAY) PIERCE
                                      
    Stephen O'Neal was born September 20, 1839 in Batesville 
Arkansas to John and Nancy O'Neal. John and his family moved to Sugar Loaf 
area of Coryell County in the 1850's after leaving Arkansas. Stephen and 
Armelia (Gray) Pierce, widow of Young Pierce, were married February 28 
1861. 
    On May 12, 1862 Stephen O'Neal went to Belton and enlisted in Company F 
6th Texas Volunteer Infantry.  This unit saw action in Tennessee, Georgia 
and at the battle of Arkansas Post January 11, 1863 where most of Company F 
was killed or captured.  Stephen O'Neal was captured but later returned in 
a prisoner exchange and continued to serve.  On April 28, 1865 Stephen was 
at Greensboro, North Carolina when his unit was paroled and he returned home.  
He had served three years and participated in many battles.   
    David O'Neal was born December 22, 1861.  He married Mary Young and they
had ten children. Martha Matilda was born after the war on June 22, 1866 and
she married William Early Brown April 13, 1884 and they had 11 children.  
William was an older brother to Roxie Brown, who in 1883 had married Young 
Pierce Jr. Mary Luritta was born October 2, 1871 and she married James Baker
October 10, 1887. They had four children.  At some point Stephen and Armelia 
moved to Lampasas County and settled on the Colorado River in the Bend area
to be near the Young Pierce Jr. family.  Armelia died July 23, 1898 and was 
buried in the Sugar Loaf cemetery.
    In later years Stephen O'Neal and Thomas Early Brown, Roxie's father, 
moved in with Armelia's son, Young Pierce Jr. at China Creek in San Saba County
.
Stephen was called "Pap" by the children.  Grandpa Brown was a confederate 
veteran but after his capture he signed allegiance to the North.  For this he 
received a Federal pension which caused some contention between the two 
grandfathers.  He and Pap O'Neal fought many Civil War battles on Young's front
 
porch in their declining years.  When the children came in from the fields and 
Pap was at one end of the porch and Grandpa brown on the other, the kids would 
say "Uh oh, Pap and Grandpa been fightin' the war again."
     Stephen O'Neal died March 10, 1926 and is buried at China Creek Cemetery 
under a CSA Company F Teas Infantry grave marker.

By Eldon Pierce, step great grandson of Stephen O'Neal, great grandson of Armel
ia
Gray Pierce O'Neal.

                                      
               Copyrighted Don Pierce & Bobbie Ross Sep. 2000