The O'Neal Family is celebrating 10 years of holding their family reunion in Trenton, Ga. They are beginning on June 13th with a program along with the Sons of the Confederate Veterans from the Trenton, LaFayette and Walker County Camps.
This event will be at the Baptist Cemetery in Trenton and the family is inviting the public if they would like to attend. It will start at 7 pm on Friday June 13th. If raining, it will be held at the Dade County Senior Center.
The O'Neal Family came to Walker County about 1835 and was instrumental in helping to form the upper northwest corner of the state to become Dade County and later Trenton.
Baillen Brittain and Hannah Sherrill O'Neal migrated from Greenville, SC into Hambersham County Georgia about 1820 and then on into Dade County. They brought with them Zachariah, Brittian Byrd, Berry and possibly James and Phillip.
Zachariah and his wife Katherine Perry O'Neal built their home about 1835, which is still standing today.
This cabin is privately owned and very well kept. It is also the only home that survived the Civil War. The reason was probably because it was in such a remote area at the time.
There were several O'Neal men who went to war. The family is honoring these Civil War heroes:
George Washington O'Neal, Thomas Jefferson O'Neal, James Allen O'Neal, John Wilburn O'Neal, (all Zachariah's sons), Brittian B O'Neal (son of Baillen), James P O'Neal Jr. (son of James) Edward W O'Neal (son of Andrew), Zachariah O'Neal (son of Andrew) and his 2 sons, Joel Andrew O'Neal (son of Edward O'Neal), Augustus F O'Neal (son of Andrew), Phillip Sherrill O'Neal Jr. (son of Phillip S O'Neal Sr).
Brittian Byrd and James P O'Neal Jr did not survive the war. The both were in the 21st Regiment Infantry and went to Cold Harbor, Va. They were killed within one day of each other.
For more information you can contact Debbie Smith at dsmitty930@yahoo.com. Please come and join us in this celebration.