Edward Asbury O'Neal was born September 20, 1818, in Madison County and died November 20, 1890 in Florence, Lauderdale, County. He was the son of Edward and Rebecca Wheat O'Neal, the former a native of Ireland. When Edward was four years of age, his father died and his mother took over the family affairs and the education of her sons. O'Neal was educated at Green Academy and at LaGrange College, from which he graduated in 1836. He studied law under James W. McClung of Huntsville, was admitted to the bar in 1840 and began his law practice in Florence. In 1841, he was appointed to the office of solicitor of the fourth circuit and served for four years. In 1848 he was unsuccessful in his candidacy for election to the Thirty-first Congress. O'Neal was a leader in the secession movement. He joined the Confederate army on June 4, 1861 as a captain. In Richmond he was promoted to major in the Ninth Alabama Infantry Regiment. On October 21, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. This was followed by a promotion to colonel in March 1862 and reassignment to the Twenty-sixth Alabama Infantry Regiment at Richmond. While commanding this regiment, he was wounded at the battle of Seven Pines. He led Rhodes' brigade in the Battle of Boonesboro, in which he was severely wounded. In 1864 O'Neal returned to Alabama where his regiment was strengthened and sent to fight Sherman near Dalton, GA. Although he never received the commission, O'Neal served as acting brigadier general at the close of the war. After the war O'Neal returned to Florence and resumed his law practice. In 1875 he was elected to serve as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. He served as the chairman of the Committee on Education. O'Neal was elected governor in 1882 and reelected in 1884. The principle concerns of his administration were reduction of taxes, prison reform, and aid to education. The legislature created a Department of Agriculture and the Office of Examiners of Accounts. Reforms to improve the treatment of convicts began. Congress granted forty-six thousand and eighty acres of land to the University of Alabama. Jefferson Davis laid the cornerstone of the monument to the memory of Confederate soldiers on the capitol grounds in Montgomery. O'Neal's administration was marred by State Treasurer Isaac H. Vincent's theft of $250,000 of state funds. This incident led O'Neal to establish the Office of Examiner of Accounts and begin a strong campaign to bring tax collectors in line. (Stewart, p. 130) Robert McKee, private secretary to Governor O'Neal, stated that "the embezzlements of the late treasurer have swept away nearly every dollar of the surplus funds of the state, the accumulations of eighth years of almost niggardly economy in public expenditures." (Woodward, p. 73) The same month that Vincent absconded with the state's funds, the state Superintendent of Education "reported defalcations among county superintendents of education over a period of three years amounting to over $40,000." (Woodward, p. 73) In his biennial message on November 12, 1884, O'Neal stated, "that the settlement had been made with the sureties on Vincent's bond, for an amount equal to only a small portion of the amount in default; and that he was still making every possible effort to discover Vincent's whereabouts and have him brought to trial." (Owen, Vol. 2, p. 1324) At the end of his second term as governor, O'Neal returned to Florence where he lived until his death in 1890. Edward Asbury O'Neal - distinguished in Alabama as a Soldier, Statesman, Lawyer, Citizen. His parents were Edward and Rebecca (Wheat) O'Neal, the former a native of Ireland, and the latter, of Huguenotish extraction, of South Carolina. The senior O'Neal, after his marriage in South Carolina, came early to Alabama, and settled in Madson County, where he died, when his son, the subject of this sketch, was but three months old. His widow survived him several years and died, also in .Madison County, in 1850. Of their two sons, Edward A. is the younger. The elder, Basil Wheat O'Neal, died in 1881, in Texas, where he was for many years a planter. Edward Asbury O'Neal, after receiving an aca- demic education, mastering the classics and English literature, entered La Grange College, and graduated its A.B. in 1830, taking the first honors of his class, and delivering the baccalaureate address. He studied law under Hon. James W. McClung, of Huntsville, and was there admitted to the bar in 1840. He began the practice at Florence, and made his first appearance at the trial of a cause before the late Daniel Coleman, and so successfully conducted the issue as to place himself at once in the van of popular favor. In 1S41 he was elected solicitor of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and held the office four years. This appointment was made by a called session of the Legislature and was to till out the unexpired term of George S. Houston, who was then first elected to the United States Congress. From that period it seems that Mr.O'Neal declined further official position for many years, prefering to devote his time to the practice of law. although never losing his interest in political affairs nor abating his efforts in the advancement of bis friends and the interests of his party, of which he was so conspicuous a member, he was regarded as the leading Democratic speaker in North Alabama, and in fact, he had no superior, and but few equals in the State. June 4, 1SG1, with the commission of captain, he took his departure from Florence, for Richmond, Va., taking with him a battalion of three companies of soldiers, then but recently recruited in Northern Alabama. Arriving at the seat of the Confederate Government, he was at once made major of the Ninth Alabama Infantry. In the spring of 18G*J he was commissioned colonel and assigned to the command of the Twenty-sixth Alabama Infantry, was promoted for gallantry in action to the rank of brigadier-general. From the first to the last he was in the army of Northern Virginia, and participated in almost, if not every, distinguished buttle fought by that incomparable army. He was at Williamsburg, Seven Pines, in the Seven Days* Fight in front of Richmond, Boonesborongh, South Mountain, Chancellorsville, through all the battles from the Rapidan to Petersburgh, and in many others equally famous now in the history of the American conflict. In all of these General O'Neal conducted himself with distinguished gallantry, and won for himself fresh laurels with each succeeding engagement. He was wounded at Seven Pines, but slightly; also at Boonesborough. He carries upon his person other honorable scars, as souvenirs of the terrible war through which be passed as one of its most conspicuous actors. At Chaneellorsvile, the brigade under his command won the honors of the day by whipping and driving from the field Howard's entire division, and capturing two or three thousand prisoners. In 1803, in Rhode's division, Jackson's corps, his brigade accompanied the invasion of Pennsylvania, and he led them at their head and front, like a Navarre, during those three most terrible days of a war unparalled in the histories of battles. He was mustered out of the service just four years from the day he left Florence, and returning directly home, resumed the practice of law. Of the many advocates of secession in North Alabama who distinguished themselves as its advocates, it is remarkable that O'Neil and not to exceed four others went to the front when war became a reality. With him, the right and justice of secession was accepted as fundamental, and he believed in it and advocated it prior to its culmination, and had the courage and manhood to fight for his convictions when it had resulted in war. In 1ST4 he devoted his time and his talents to the fight that was that year waged in Alabama for the supremacy of the Democratic party ; and in August, 1875, was elected by the popular voice of the people to the Constitutional Convention. In that assembly, he was one of the most conspicuous factors, lie was chairman of the Committee on Education, and, as such, framed and secured the adoption of Section 0, Article XIII., which gives authority for the re-organization of the Universities, Normal Schools, the Agricultural and Mechanical College, etc.. and placed the educational system of Alabama to the very front and opened the doorway to the flood gates of her succeeding prosperity ; for it is a well-known fact that without superior educational facilities, immigration would never render the State populous. In 1880, "Sen. O'Neal was elector for the State at large, and stumped the State in behalf of Hancock and English. In 1882 he was elected Governor of Alabama, and succeeded himself in that high office in 1884. His administration of the affairs as chief executive of the State during those four years has passed into history, and we can not better gather the results and the consequent impressions upon the people than by referring to the evidences of public sentiment as disclosed through the then leading current publications. Upon his retirement from office, the Mobile Register said: " Governor O'Neal leaves the executive office with the proud consciousness that the people are satisfied with his rule, and can heartily say to hint 'well done good and faithful servant. The Montgomery Dispatch, in a leading editorial, says: " His administration has been characterized by sincere regard for the welfare of the State in her various departments, and his policies, in the main, bear the impress of a statesmanship, wise, broad and enlightened; to it will be traceable much of the good of future administrations, and in it ended much that was bad of those that indirectly preceded it. These are but specimensof the utterancesof the press, not alone in Alabama, but in many other States of the Union. Congratulations were heaped upon him by newspapers and people, to copy which would of themselves fill a volume. His final message to the Legislature, November 10, 188)', is regarded as one of the greatest State papers that has ever emanated from any governor. In the maxim, "a public office is a public trust bestowed for the good of the country/* he preceded the present popular chief executive of the United States in its utterance very nearly two years, for we find it in the Governor's inaugural address, December 1, 1SS"2. We also find in that magnificent address, so replete with wisdom, the follow- ing few words, which, with Governor O'Neal, judging from the part he took in the Constitutional Convention of 1ST5, seems to be a motto: "The test of a country's civilization and prosperity is to be found in its educational institu- tions." Under his administration, the revenue department of the State underwent the. most severe trials of its history ; but his administration, that was confronted at the outset with so many difficulties, survived them all, and the future will verify the fact that it was one of the strongest and best administrations the State has ever had. Brought into official life amid those stormy scenes, with a plundered treasury and the consequent demoralization of finances, the prospect was certainly inauspicious ; but despite all these unfavorable conditions.be bore himself as a courageous and incorruptible public servant, earnestly devoted to Alabama and all her interests ; and the historian will have to conclude that his efforts to correct abuses were crowned with success. April 12, 1S3S, at Huntsville, Ala., Mr. O'Neal was married to Miss Olivia Moore, the eldest daughter of Dr. Alfred Moore, and a brother of the late distinguished Dr. David Moore. To this union nine children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The eldest son, Alfred M., is a merchant in New York City ; Edward A., Jr., a brilliant young lawyer, died February 13, 1876 ; and Emmet is associated with his father in the practice of law. One of his daughters, Rebecca, is the.wife of Col. R. H. Shotwell, of St. Louis; another, Georgie. is the wife of Mr. E. F. Williams, of St. Louis; the third, Sydenham Moore, is the wife of George H. Dudley, Esq., of Montgomery, and Miss Julia is, at this writing (1887), yet of her father's household. Governor O'Neal is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and the family are of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Northern Alabama Historical & Biographical by T.A. DeLand and A. Davis Smith 1888 Birmingham AL Governors of Alabama Biography of his son Emmett O'Neal - Governor of Alabama 1911 - 1915