J.H. McNeely 1890 Grant & Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Submitted By: Kay Thompson - Brown Source: Biographical and historical memoirs of Northwest Louisiana Nashville and Chicago: The Southern Publishing Company 1890 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** J.H. McNeely, merchant, Colfax, La. The general mercantile trade of Colfax is represented by honorable business men who are full of enterprise. Among those who hold a leading position in this line is Mr. J.H. McNeely who is a native of Natchitoches Parish, La, born in April 1851 and is a son of Nicholas G and Evaline (Nash) McNeely, natives, respectively of Louisiana and South Carolina. The parents were married in the former State and afterward located in Natchitoches Parish near the count seat. The father was a planter and followed this occupation the principal part of his life. He died in the winter of 1864 while in the Confederate service. The mother died in 1875. They had a large family of children only two of whom are now living one being our subject, Ludlow. J.H. McNeely was reared in Natchitoches and educated in the common schools. Reared to the duties of the farm he continued the same until twenty three years of age when he began clerking in a dry goods store in Grant Parish. This he continue for some time and in 1880 he opened a store in Colfax with H. McKnight under the firm title of McKnight & McNeely. This business was continued for six years when Mr. McNeely bought out McKnight and took in D.A. Smith as a partner. They remained in partnership for about a year and then Mr. McNeely bought his partner's interest in the store at Colfax and started a branch store at Boyce with Mr. Smith in charge. Subsequently Mr. McNeely bought out the entire stock and is now running both stores, one at Boyce and the other at Colfax. He carries one of the largest and most complete stock of goods kept in Colfax and is a prominent business man. The same may be said of his store in Boyce. Aside from his mercantile interests he is the owner of about 1,000 acres of land in Grant Parish and he also deals in live stock, horses, cattle and mules. He has also in connection with his business a livery stable at Colfax where there may be found always good conveyances. Mr. McNeely was married in 1880 to Miss Olive McKnight, daughter of H. McKnight and to them have been born four children: Hunter, Howard, Claude and Ivey. Mr. and Mrs. McNeely are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.