James C. Neill
Alamo defender
James Clinton Neill (c. 1788 – 1848) was an American soldier and politician, most noted for his role in the Texas Revolution and the early defense of the Alamo. He was born in North Carolina and served in the Alabama House of Representatives between 1825 and 1827.
Early life and career
James Clinton Neill was born in 1788 in Rowan County, North Carolina, the third child (and third son) of James Neill and Hannah Clayton Neill. William Clinton Neill (James Clinton's grandfather), was a captain in the American Revolution, who along with five of his sons, including James Clinton's father James, fought in the War for Independence. James Clinton's uncle, Lieutenant William Neill, was killed at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill. The Clinton middle name comes from both his paternal grandfather and grandmother, Captain William Clinton Neill and his wife Mary "Polly" Clinton Neill.
By at least 1807, some members of the James Neill family had moved to south-central Tennessee, in and around Bedford and Marshall counties. In this vicinity, James Clinton married Margaret Harriett Ferguson in 1807. It is likely that James Clinton Neill was acquainted with a near-neighbor around those parts at the same time, David Crockett, another Tennessean who would become a Texas Revolution hero.
The public source identifies “James C. Neill” as alamo defender. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around James, Neill and Alamo.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “James C. Neill”, the useful work is to connect “alamo defender” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q4321308. VIAF identifies the subject as 63353180. The Library of Congress control number is n2001043403. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1788, 1848, 1825 and 1827.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “James C. Neill”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow James C. Neill primary sources, James C. Neill archive and James research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “James C. Neill”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “James C. Neill” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.