Genesee-Wayne County MI Archives Biographies.....McNeil, John L. 1813 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 24, 2007, 1:39 am Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) HON. JOHN L. McNEIL. Among the prominent and representative farmers and leading citizens of Genesee County, who have attained their position by superior mental qualities and owe nothing whatever, to the accidents of birth or ancestral position, is he whose name appears above. He was born in Chittenden County, Vt., October 10, 1813, and is a son of Charles and Jerusha (Lyman) McNeil, natives of Vermont. The name McNeil indicates that the family is of Scotch ancestry and indeed it is one of those clans that took so important a part in the border warfares. Of the representatives of the family in this country, our subject's grand uncle, McNeil, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and his maternal grandsire, Maj. Jesse Lyman, held an official position in the Vermont militia and gave up his life for his country in the battle of Plattsburg in the War of 1812. Mr. John L. McNeil was one of a family of fourteen children. He was reared to manhood in his native State, his life being that of a farmer boy until he reached his majority. He received a good common-school education, laying a foundation for that broader knowledge that has since come to him. In 1836 he left his native State and May 1, of that year started for Ohio, driving from Vermont to Buffalo and at the last-named place took a boat, also shipping his horse and light covered wagon and intended to stop at Toledo, but owing to the bad condition of the port he went on to Detroit and later came to Genesee County, Mich., and purchased three hundred find twenty acres of land on section 11, Atlas Township, paying $1.25 per acre to the Government. Our subject put up a shanty, upon his new purchase, which was seven feet square and not more than four or five feet high. It was covered outside with bark and that served as his place of residence for about one year and then he built a good log house, which proved to be his home for another year. Later on in life he built a good frame house, in which he resided until he moved to the village of Goodrich in the spring of 1890, where he now lives. During the first winter spent in this State our subject served as a laborer in a gravel pit belonging to the Hon. Enos Goodrich and also assisted in the building of a dam, where there were mills to be erected, receiving fifty cents per day for his work. Had there not been the most urgent necessity for hard labor, Mr. Neil would probably have been very lonely and perhaps his heart would have failed him at times, for at night the stillness of the woods in which he lived was broken only by the screech of the wild animals, and the gun stood always ready, for bears and deer were plentiful. There were also many Indians, and he learned to make some queer shifts in living. He chopped most of the timber from his own land and employed three yoke of oxen in breaking up the land. Pontiac was their nearest point at which to get the staple provisions and the journey thither, with the slow but safe ox-team was painfully tedious. The original of our sketch was married October 26, 1837. His bride was Miss Sylvia Davison, a daughter of Judge Norman Davison, formerly a prominent citizen of Atlas Township. The lady was born in Monroe County, N. Y. Mr. McNeil had a tedious journey to Lapeer in order to get the license. By this union there were three children, two of whom are living—Mary J. and Lyman, the deceased child being Charles. His wife, who was his devoted helpmate and counselor throughout the early and trying years of pioneer experience, departed this life May 26, 1884. She was in the truest sense a model wife and mother and her loss was deeply felt, not only in the family, but in the community at large. Her advent into Atlas Township was made in 1831, her family being among the first pioneers to settle here. The Hon. John McNeil served at an early day as Justice of the Peace and held numerous other local offices. In the session of 1849 he served in the Michigan State Legislature and his constituents felt that they were represented with the greatest credit. He has always been extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising, paying particular attention to raising fine Merino sheep and generally having upon his place between two hundred and three hundred head of such stock. He also raises a superior grade of cattle and horses. Both by precept and example he has been one of the helpful and enterprising citizens of Atlas Township, and indeed one of the cornerstones of the social life of the community. Politically he is a stanch Democrat. While not a church member, he has deep respect for all consistent religious creeds and has been a generous contributor to the support of the various churches in the locality. The fine property which he possesses attests the success which his industry and intelligent management have brought him and it is with pleasure that we recall the comfortable condition which he maintains in life. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/mcneil962gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb