His eldest brother John would become a career soldier, first serving on the Appalachian frontier in the French and Indian War.
Although a relatively recent settler, he served alongside non-resident lawyer and real estate investor John Mercer.
Both men won re-election in 1774, during Lord Dunmore's War (during which his brother John Neville was a Virginia militia officer).
[6] Hampshire County voters elected Neville to his final term in the House of Delegates in 1780, and he served alongside Robert Parker.
In May 1776, Joseph Neville was reimbursed 381 pounds for "necessities for Captain Abel Westfall's Company" (the 8th Virginia recruited from Hampshire county), which defended Charleston, South Carolina until February 1777.
A farmer, he raised and fattened cattle for the Baltimore market (as did many others in the area), as well as held an interest in the town's general store kept by Isaac Hider.
[16] Complicating matters, Hardy's father of the same name either died in Pittsylvania County (substantially to the southeast) in 1783 or lived until the 1790s.
[18] In the 1790s, after the future chief justice John Marshall began selling lands in what had been the South Branch Manor of Lord Fairfax, Joseph Neville was one of the dozens of local residents purchasing parts of the property once-disputed in Martin v. Hunter's Lessee.
[22] His brother John Neville continued to live in what was now Pennsylvania, and also held a general's rank, and a job as federal tax collector.
In the War of 1812, Joseph Neville continued to lead the Virginia Militia from Hardy County, with a rank of Brigadier General.
[21] His service was mainly in a reserve role, sending 55 men under Col. Jacob VanMeter and his own son (and future delegate) Col. Jethro Neville to defend Norfolk.