# Henry S. Neal *American lawyer and Republican politician from Ohio; U.S. representative (1877–1883); member of a federal commission on Chippewa half-breed scrip (1871)* Henry Safford Neal (August 25, 1828 – July 13, 1906) was an Ohio lawyer and Republican politician. He sat in the United States House of Representatives for Ohio in the Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses, from 1877 to 1883.[^1] He was later Solicitor of the Treasury, from 1884 to 1885.[^1] He enters the Minnesota record in an official capacity. He was one of four members of a commission appointed April 21, 1871. The report of that commission on [[Chippewa half-breed scrip]] is contained in the U.S. Department of the Interior volume *Half-breed Scrip, Chippewas of Lake Superior*.[^2] The validated record confirms the report, the commissioners and a corrective Act of June 8, 1872. It does not, in the material available, set out the commission's findings or any finding about Neal individually.[^2] ## Biography Neal was a native of Gallipolis, Ohio. He had a common-school education and took his degree from Marietta College in 1847.[^1] After reading law, he joined the bar around 1851 and opened a practice in Ironton, Ohio. At about the same time he was prosecuting attorney for Lawrence County.[^1] He sat in the Ohio Senate from 1861 to 1863.[^1] In 1869 he was named consul at Lisbon, Portugal. When the Minister Resident resigned, Neal acted as Chargé d'Affaires from December 1869 until July 1870. He then resigned and went back to Ohio.[^1] In 1873 he was a delegate to Ohio's constitutional convention.[^1] ### Congress Neal won election as a Republican to three successive Congresses, the Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh. He held his seat from March 4, 1877, to March 3, 1883.[^1] During the Forty-seventh Congress he chaired the Committee on the District of Columbia.[^1] He did not seek renomination in 1882.[^1] ### Later career After leaving Congress, Neal practiced law again in Ironton. President Arthur then named him Solicitor of the Treasury. He held the post from July 3, 1884, until April 13, 1885, when a successor appointed by President Cleveland took office.[^1] Afterward he returned to private practice.[^1] ### Death Neal died at Ironton on July 13, 1906, and was buried in Woodland Cemetery.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who Neal served on the commission appointed April 21, 1871. The other three commissioners were [[Selden N. Clark]], [[Edward P. Smith]] and [[R. F. Crowell]].[^2] ### What The Interior Department volume *Half-breed Scrip, Chippewas of Lake Superior* includes two reports. One is the report of the 1871 commission on which Neal sat. The other is the report of a second commission, appointed July 15, 1872.[^2] The source also records the [[Corrective act of June 8, 1872]]. That Act allowed holders who had acted in good faith ("innocent" holders) to perfect their title.[^2] ### When The record gives three dates in sequence:[^2] - April 21, 1871: the first commission is appointed. - June 8, 1872: the corrective Act is passed. - July 15, 1872: a second commission is appointed. ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Henry S. Neal* (revision 1378343266, retrieved 2026-10-26) — birth, education, legal career, Ohio offices, Lisbon posting, congressional service, Treasury appointment and death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_S._Neal [^2]: Minnesota wiki project, *The Instrument No One Will Name* (densified, validated passage, item 7, 2026-06-18), describing U.S. Department of the Interior, *Half-breed Scrip, Chippewas of Lake Superior* — establishes the commission appointed April 21, 1871 (Neal, Clark, Smith, Crowell), the commission appointed July 15, 1872, and the Act of June 8, 1872 permitting good-faith holders to perfect title. No URL for this source is in the record's allowed list.