NEIGHBORS Family: Bexar County, Texas Genealogy & History

Maj. Robert Simpson Neighbors, Indian Agent
NEIGHBORS, ROBERT SIMPSON (1815-1859). Robert Simpson Neighbors, Indian agent and legislator, was born in Charlotte County, Virginia, on November 3, 1815, the son of William and Elizabeth (Elam) Neighbours... He was left an orphan at four months of age and was educated by private tutors hired by his guardian, Samuel Hamner, a planter. He left Virginia at the age of nineteen, sojourned for a time in Louisiana, and arrived in Texas in the spring of 1836. From 1839 to 1841,...he was assistant quartermaster and acting quartermaster of the Texas army. On September 11, 1842,...[Neighbors] was made prisoner by Gen. Adrián Woll and taken to Mexico. Neighbors was released on March 24, 1844, and returned to Texas. Early the next year he began his service as Indian agent of Texas. As agent for the Lipan Apaches and Tonkawas, he instituted the field system of Indian control; instead of remaining at the agency headquarters and waiting for the Indians to pay him a visit, as was the common practice, Neighbors dealt with them directly in their home territory. Later, when he was overseeing Comanches, he continued this practice, with the result that he spent much time far beyond the frontier and exercised greater influence over the Indians in Texas than any other white man of his generation. After annexation he received a federal appointment as special Indian agent, on March 20, 1847. He took part in several councils, including one between commissioners of the United States and the Texas Comanches near the site of Waco in 1846 and one between the Comanches and the German colonists on the San Saba River in March 1847.

Since Neighbors was a Democrat, his services as Indian agent were terminated by the national Whig administration in September 1849, but he remained in public life... As a member of the Fourth Texas Legislature from 1851 to 1853, he successfully sponsored a law that opened the way for establishing Indian reservations... [S]hortly after the election of Franklin Pierce he was again appointed Indian agent. In 1853 he was made supervising agent for the Texas Indians. In 1854 he joined Capt. Randolph B. Marcy of the United States Army to make extensive explorations in Northwest Texas in search of sites for Indian reservations...

Neighbors alleged that the United States Army officers located at the neighboring posts of Fort Belknap and Camp Cooper failed to give adequate support to him and his resident agents. The unsympathetic attitude of the military aroused the hostility of many frontier civilians, who charged that the Indians of the reservations were committing depredations on the white settlements. In spite of threats of lawless characters to take his life, Neighbors never faltered in his determination to protect the Indians. With the aid of federal troops he managed to hold back the white people from the reservations, and in August 1859 he eventually succeeded in moving the Indians without loss of life to a new reservation in Indian Territory. On his return he stopped at the village of Fort Belknap. There on September 14, 1859, while he was engaged in conversation with another man, one Edward Cornett shot and killed him. Neighbors probably was not even acquainted with his assassin. He was buried in the civilian cemetery at Fort Belknap... He married Elizabeth Ann Mays in Seguin on July 15, 1851, and their home was in San Antonio. Two sons survived childhood.
[Source: Rupert N. Richardson, Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "NEIGHBORS, ROBERT SIMPSON," http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/NN/fne8.html]

[Submitted by Dorman Holub, Chairman, Young County Historical Commission]
Major Robert Simpson Neighbors
b. VA 3 Nov 1815
served in the Army of TX, 1836
captured by Gen. Woll, 1842
U. S. Indian Agent, 1845
d. 14 Sept 1859

Two sons of Robert Simpson Neighbors and Elizabeth Ann Mays were Ross Simpson and Robert B. Neighbors.

Floresville Chronicle-Journal, 11-27-1936

R. S. Neighbors, 77, Dies at LaVernia

(San Antonio Express, Wednesday, Nov 18, 1936)
Ross Simpson Neighbors, 77, native San Antonioan and member of the Old Trail Drivers' Association, died Tuesday in the home of his daughter, Mrs. W. G. Scull, of LaVernia, according to word received here.

Member of a Texas pioneer family, Neighbors was the son of the late Major Robert Simpson Neighbors, Texas Volunteer, Texas Ranger and Union veteran. His mother was Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Mays Neighbors of Seguin.

He was born on Soledad Street near the first site occupied by what is now Travis Park Methodist Church, where he was baptized. He was orphaned at an early age and was reared by his maternal grandmother, Mrs. John Mays, who lived in Seguin. When he had become of age he returned to San Antonio and made his first trip to Kansas as a trail driver in 1878. For many years he was engaged in the cattle business with his brother, the late Robert B. neighbors, of Ft. Stockton. He retired from the cattle business several years ago.

He also was a member of the Woodmen of the World, Selma Camp No. 1256.

Besides his daughter, a son, R. S. Neighbors, Jr., survives.
[Submitted by Connie Rodriguez as requested by the Selma Historical Foundation]

Two daughters of Ross Simpson Neighbors were Kate Darden and Nell Elizabeth Neighbors. Nell was born 10 March 1896 and died 5 September 1900. She was buried in R. B. Evans Cemetery. Kate married W. G. Scull.

The little girl standing to the left is Kate Darden Neighbors, age 5; born March 15, 1893; died May 26, 1965.

The little girl sitting in the chair is Nell Elizabeth Neighbors, age 2; born March 10, 1896; died September 6, 1900, at the age of 4 years, 6 months buried in the Evans Cemetery in Selma.
[Submitted by Jean Heide, President, Selma Historical Foundation]

Floresville Chronicle-Journal
Thursday, May 27, 1965

Funeral Services to be Held Friday for Mrs. W. G. Scull, Sr.

Mrs. Walter G. Scull, Sr. passed away at 8 o'clock Wednesday morning, May 26, 1965 at Weslaco, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 28th in Methodist Church in LaVernia with burial to follow there in Concrete Cemetery.

Mrs. Scull the former Kate Neighbors, was born in Selma (Bracken) Texas, Bexar County on March 15, 1894. In September 1920, she was married to Walter G. Scull and he preceded her in death.

Surviving are three sons, Walter of LaVernia and twin sons, Ross of LaVernia, and Robert of Houston; one daughter, Mrs. R. J. Welch of Weslaco; one brother, Ross S. Neighbors of San Antonio and eleven grandchildrem.

A complete obituary will follow in next weeks issue of the Chronicle-Journal.

Floresville Chronicle-Journal
June 1965

Last Friday afternoon, LaVernians said good bye to Mrs. Walter G. Scull (Miss Kate) the most neighbor-loving citizen this twon has had in many a moon.

Miss Kate will live on in the hearts of those who knew her and in the hearts of those who knew of her. Her benevolent life history will be legend in the files of this community's recordings, for all times to come.

It is only natural then, that the community as a whole will stand united in extending to her bereaved family, its deepest and heartfelt sympathies.