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E. Virgil Neal

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Ewing Virgil Neal (September 25, 1868 – June 30, 1949) was an American stage hypnotist (as Xenophon LaMotte Sage), author, fraudster, and a wealthy manufacturer of patent medicines and cosmetics. He spent much time in Paris and the French Riviera, and built the Château d'Azur in the hills above Nice. The street address is now Avenue Virgile-Neal.

E. Virgil Neal
Born
Ewing Virgil Neal

September 25, 1868
Georgetown, Missouri, US
DiedJune 30, 1949(1949-06-30) (aged 80)
Geneva, Switzerland
Other namesXenophon LaMotte Sage
Occupation(s)Hypnotist, fraudster, manufacturer of patent medicines and cosmetics
Spouses
  • Mollie Hurd Neal (m.1893)
  • Harriett Meta Meister (m.1911)
  • Renée Bodier (m.1924)
Children1 son
A 1932 Maybach Zeppelin, similar to that owned by Neal
927 Fifth Avenue, Neal's residence in New York City
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, after which his Château d'Azur was modelled

Early life edit

Ewing Virgil Neal (always known as “E. Virgil”) was born on September 25, 1868, at Georgetown, Missouri.

His father, Armistead Arthur Neal (1925–1898), was born in Kentucky, served in the Union Army during the Civil War,[1] was a mason and, as a highly respected educator, served as the County School Superintendent of Pettis County from 1870 to 1872.[2][3] His mother, Cornelia Ellen Reese (1846–1924), was a well-educated woman, and a descendant of General Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[4] He had two sisters,[5] Ardelle Lenore Neal (1871–1950), later Mrs. John Clarence Sterling, and Margaret Pearl Neal (1872–1930), later Mrs. Frederick Francis Fitzpatrick.[6]

Neal married three times: to Mollie Hurd (1873–1944) in 1893;[7] Harriett Meta Meister (1884–) in 1911;[8] and Renée Pauline Bodier (1873–1982) in 1924,[9] with whom he had one child, Xen LaMotte Neal (1924–1996).[10]

Career edit

Neal worked as an instructor at Robbins’ Central Business College in Sedalia, Missouri.[11] Together with a few colleagues, he went to a hypnotism show by Sylvain A. Lee, and saw "a blindfold drive, a window sleeper, and a cataleptic burial."[12] As a result, they all then trained as hypnotists and left their college jobs.[12]

Neal and his wife Mollie toured the US as a stage hypnotist, performing as Xenophon LaMotte Sage and Helen Olga Sage.[13][12]

In 1904, he travelled to Europe and used tea sweepings to make caffeine.[13] He then went into business with physician Herbert Arthur Parkyn and fellow hypnotist Elmer Sidney Prather, "running a complex network of fraudulent mail-order schemes".[12] He also sold wrinkle eradicators, weight reducers, bust developers, hair restorers, and "Nuxated Iron".[13]

Neal eventually moved into mainstream beauty products, and manufactured "Tokalon" powders and creams at factories in Paris and London, and sold them in 100 countries.[13]

Neal also produced fragrances, including Petalia and Captivant de Tokalon that were sold in Lalique bottles.[14][15] In February 2022, a 1923 René Lalique Petalia bottle sold for £25,000.[14][15]

In the 1920s and 1930s, Neal spent much time on the French Riviera, and had the Château d'Azur built in the hills above Nice.[16] The Château d'Azur, designed by the architect Adrien Rey [fr], as a replica of the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, was completed in 1932.[17] Neal was known locally as Le Duc, and entertained lavishly in his "genially overdecorated" Château.[16] It sits in landscaped grounds of five hectares (12 acres), and is now nine separate residences.[17] The street address is Avenue Virgile-Neal.[17]

Personal life edit

In 1900, he was a publisher, living in Rochester, New York, with his wife Molly H. Neal, born May 1876, (both born in Missouri, all parents born in Kentucky) and one servant.[18]

In 1914 and 1919, he was married to Harriett Meta Meister, born April 8, 1884, in Brooklyn, New York, and they were living at 927 Fifth Avenue, New York City.[19][20][21]

In 1933, he arrived in New York City from Southampton, England, on the SS Europa with his wife Renée Bodier (age 36, born in Paris), his son Xen LaMotte Neal (born October 13, 1924, in Paris), a secretary, maid, valet and chauffeur.[22]

In 1933, Neal sent his "magnificent" Maybach Zeppelin limousine back to France, along with his "buxom young wife, his buxom young French secretary, his 9-year-old son Xen LaMotte Neal (named after the father's stage name), maids, valet, 30 trunks, 40 other pieces of luggage."[13] His prize possession was a green leather booklet signed by Benito Mussolini, which he called his "Fascist Membership Card".[13] Neal said, "Mussolini never gives his signature. Great man, Mussolini. We talk in French because I don't know much Italian."[13]

Death edit

Neal died in Geneva, Switzerland, on 30 June 1949.[23][24]

Honours edit

In January 1930, in celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Umberto of Italy to Marie-José of Belgium, the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, conferred the cravat/necklet of Commander of the Crown of Italy upon Neal.[25][26]

In July 1939, Neal was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour.[27][28][29]

Publications edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ According to the U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 database Armistead A. Neal served as a Private in the 7th Regiment of the Missouri State Militia Cavalry.
  2. ^ Conroy (2014), pp.12-13.
  3. ^ Scotten, F.C. (1974), History of the Schools of Pettis County, Missouri, 1974; Prepared under the Direction of C. F. Scotten, Sedalia: C.F. Scotton: p.171.
  4. ^ Conroy (2014), p.9.
  5. ^ Conroy (2014), p.10.
  6. ^ Conroy (2014), p.44.
  7. ^ Conroy (2014), p.30.
  8. ^ Conroy (2014), p.101.
  9. ^ Conroy (2014), p.210.
  10. ^ Conroy (2014), pp.211-212.
  11. ^ Conroy (2014), pp.17-27.
  12. ^ a b c d Buescher, John B. (2021). Radio psychics : mind reading and fortune telling in American broadcasting, 1920-1940. Jefferson, North Carolina. p. 151. ISBN 9781476642352. Retrieved August 22, 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "Medicine: From Sedalia". Time. December 25, 1933. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  14. ^ a b "The Sweet Smell of Success". Lyon & Turnbull. February 17, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Arkell, Roland (March 21, 2022). "Lalique: International collectors follow the scent of a strong market". Antiques Trade Gazette. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Blume, Mary (1992). Côte d'Azur : inventing the French Riviera. London: Thames & Hudson. pp. 78–79. ISBN 9780500015339.
  17. ^ a b c "A Castle in the Azur Château d'Azur, Nice – Gairaut". Cimiez Boulevard. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  18. ^ "United States Census, 1900". familysearch.org. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  19. ^ "New York Passenger Arrivals (Ellis Island), 1892-1924". familysearch.org. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  20. ^ "New York Passenger Arrivals (Ellis Island), 1892-1924". familysearch.org. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  21. ^ "The Cosmetics Baron You've Never Heard of: E.Virgil Neal and Tokalon by Mary Schaeffer Conway". perfumebottles.org. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  22. ^ "New York, New York Passenger Lists". familysearch.org. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  23. ^ "E. Virgil Neal Passes Away at Geneva on June 30: Former Sedalian amassed Fortune on Perfumes", The Sedalia Democrat, (3 July 1949), p.7.
  24. ^ "Student Body at Central Business College When E. Virgil Neal Was Instructor", The Sedalia Democrat, (3 July 1949), p.15.
  25. ^ "Nos Échos", Le Petit Parisien, (28 January 1930), p.2.
  26. ^ Conroy (2014), pp.233, 456.
  27. ^ Conroy (2014), pp.254.
  28. ^ "Paris Honors Americans: Eight Get Decorations or Promotions in the Legion", The New York Times, (3 August 1939), p.16.
  29. ^ "Dans la Légion d'honneur", L'Automobile sur la Côte d'Azur: Organe Officiel des Automobiles-Clubs de la Côte d'Azur, (1 August 1939), p.22.

References edit

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