Marin County CA Archives Biographies.....Neil, John 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. Publishers (1880)

  John Neil. In 1849 was residing in Liverpool, England. Made an engagement with
Messrs. Starkey Bros., merchants of Liverpool, to build iron houses in
California. Left Liverpool November, 16, 1849, by way of London and Southampton,
from which place he sailed on the 17th, by the West India Royal Mail Steam
Packets, calling at islands of Madeira, Barbados, St. Thomas, Porto Rico, San
Domingo, Jamaica, Central America, Santa Martha, Cartagena and Chagres. Passed
up the Chagres river in a canoe; was three days and two nights on the river;
reached Cruces on Christmas eve; rested the next day, and the day following
started for Panama on mule back. Had to wait a week for a steamer, all the
tickets being bought up. Had to repurchase one. First of January, 1850, sailed
from Panama in the steamer "Panama," Captain Bailey. Mr. Neil writes: "Arrived
in the Bay of San Francisco on the 20th; there were no wharves, or means of
landing; hired a boat; landed on the beach, where the Bank of California now
stands. Looking around, every place looked so wild. The streets were wide
passage ways, with mud holes full of water; the houses were great wooden barns
and tents intermixed. In dry weather a fire with such material would be serious.
Starkey Bros, had the only fire-engine in the Territory. In the May fire of 1850
the engine done good service. I had command of it. In 1840 there was great
progress in mechanics, particularly in iron, as applicable for fire-proof houses
and bridges. In 1842 the first mechanical journal was published in Glasgow, the
first of its kind, anywhere. My cooking and condensing apparatus appeared in
number four of that journal. The boiler was supplied with water by atmospheric
pressure; the furnace burned its own smoke. When not cooking, it will condense
sea water or ditch water into fresh, good water. My next invention, the circular
iron roof, appeared in number nine. This roof will cover two hundred feet of one
span; cast-iron plates to cover these roofs, with water-tight joints also. The
corrugated plate is my invention. I invented a chimney sweeping apparatus in
Glasgow. Where houses are seven and eight stories high, some of those chimneys
will have forty flues. Many boys have been smothered in sweeping them. I had a
bar of iron across the top of the flues, with a sheave over each flue. An
endless chain ran over the sheave. The chain ran down to the fire-place,
attached to a wire-brush, and the work was readily done. In 1852 I got home
sick; however, I thought I would see a little of the country. The little steamer
"Red Jacket" was running to Petaluma creek. I got on board; got off at the
Haystack; came down to the island on which I now live; was pleased with it; came
home and bought it. Moved my family to it in March, 1853. I was born in Ireland
in 1805, of Scotch and English descent. Married Catherine Moopy, in 1827, who
died in 1845, leaving six children, four sons and two daughters. Married Harriet
Snape in 1847, who died in 1866, leaving three children—one son and two daughters.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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