Baker McNeil Biography, Lapeer County, Michigan

This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of 
Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman 
Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 1000-1001


This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.

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BAKER McNEIL, a prominent farmer of Lapeer County, resides on his 
finely improved homestead on section 13, Attica Township. He was born 
in the town of Wales, St. Clair County, this State, February 12. 1848. 
John McNeil, father of our subject, was born in Batavia, Genesee 
County, N. Y., in 1812 and came to Michigan in an early day. Emeline 
(Dutton) McNeil, mother of our subject, was a native of the place in 
which her husband first saw the light, Baker staid at home until he was 
fourteen years old, in the meantime attending the district school and 
assisting his father. Afterward he worked out at different places and 
attended school as opportunity offered.

   At the opening of the Civil War John McNeil enlisted in 1861 in 
Company F, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, and endured all the horrors of war. 
For almost one year he was a prisoner in Andersonville, and when 
liberated was in a starving condition. The day after he was paroled 
Perry McNeil, brother of our subject, enlisted in the Fifteenth 
Michigan Infantry, in Company C, and was killed at the battle of 
Pittsburg Landing. In 1864 Baker enlisted in Company C, Twenty-second 
Michigan Infantry, and was discharged for disability July 7, 1865. He 
draws a pension of $30 per month.

   After the close of the war Mr. McNeil entered a store in Dryden as a 
clerk and there and in Imlay City he remained thus engaged until 1884, 
when failing health induced him to buy his present farm of twenty-three 
acres. Since living on his farm he has clerked in Imlay City about 
three years for J. C. & H. Lamb. He was married in 1867 to Miss 
Frances, daughter of, Joseph Huggins, of Wisconsin. One child, Ada, 
born of this union, died in infancy. In politics, Mr. McNeil is a 
Republican, and served as Township Clerk of Dryden for four years. Mrs. 
McNeil is identified with the Seventh Day Adventists of Imlay City, and 
both she and Mr. McNeil are very popular in this section of country, 
having a host of warm friends.




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