NEILL BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
====================================================================

NEILL, Stephen Thompson - b: 1865 Lexington, MO
source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - 
page: 317
residence: Clinton, Clinton Twp

Dr. Stephen Thompson Neill, successfully engaged in the practice of dentistry in 
Clinton and is mayor of the city; was born in Lexington, Missouri, April 9, 1865. 
He is a son of Henry and Sallie Ann (Elliott) Neill, the former a native of Lee 
County, Virginia, and the latter a daughter of Col. Newton Glasgow Elliott of 
Howard County, Missouri. In early life Major Neill followed merchandising in 
Lexington, Missouri. He served throughout the Civil War, was major and colonel of 
his regiment and participated in the battles of Lone Jack, Pea Ridge, Wilson's 
Creek and others; he was commander of the post at Clinton, Henry County, where 
his many acts of kindness and protection were appreciated by those holding 
opposite views to his. After his military service was concluded he studied law, 
was admitted to the bar and moved to Warrensburg, Missouri, where he began to 
practice, and there he remained until his death, which occurred in 1895. His wife 
passed away in 1871. They were the parents of six children. Doctor Neill, the 
youngest, upon the death of his mother was taken by his father's sister, Mrs. Jane 
H. Wilson, to Lexington, Missouri, where he attended the public schools until the 
marriage of his father to Mrs. Lizzie Pennock. He then returned to Warrensburg 
and attended the public schools of that city. In 1876, when eleven years of age, 
he moved to the home of his sister near Dover and began farm work for his 
brother-in-law at a salary of five dollars per month, and during the winter 
months he attended the district school. At the age of sixteen his aunt, Mrs. 
Wilson, sent him for a term to Wentworth Military Academy at Lexington and in 
1882 he began the study of dentistry, attending the Philadelphia Dental College 
and the St. Louis Dental College. At the age of twenty years, in 1885, he 
graduated and began the practice of his profession in Corder, Missouri; a year 
later he moved to Harrisonville, this State; and in 1887 he came to Clinton, 
where he has continued in the general practice of dentistry, being widely 
recognized as one of the most able and efficient representatives of the 
profession and one of Clinton's most progressive citizens. In February, 1892, 
Doctor Neill was married to Miss Cannarissa Adair, of Shawnee Mound, Henry 
County, Missouri, a daughter of William and Dorcas Ann (Fuqua) Adair, both 
natives of Kentucky. Her father was a farmer and stock raiser, conducting an 
extensive business. His parents were residents of Westport, now a part of Kansas 
City, near Swope Park. He was born in Kentucky, to which his mother had gone on 
a visit. In 1849, when eighteen years of age, he crossed the plains to California 
in command of a party from Westport, and made the journey across the Isthmus 
of Panama upon his return home two years later. In 1856 he settled in Henry 
County, where he engaged extensively in farming and stock raising, owning about 
six hundred acres. The family resided on the old homestead until the death of the 
father which occurred when he was seventy-eight years of age, while his wife 
passed away at the age of eighty-three. Mrs. Neill is the youngest of six children. 
There has been born a son to Doctor and Mrs. Neill, Stephen T. III, whose natal day 
was October 1, 1904. Doctor Neill has ever been interested in the welfare and 
progress of his community. He assisted in the organization of the Missouri Union 
Telephone Company in 1898 and for twenty years has served as a director. He has 
been identified with the independent telephone throughout the state and nation, 
acting as president of the State association and several times as a delegate to 
the national conventions. He is likewise associated with several other local 
enterprises. In politics Doctor Neill is a Democrat and for seven years was 
councilman of Clinton, acting at one time for six months as mayor. In April of 
1918 he was elected to the office of mayor of Clinton and is now serving the 
people of his home city in this executive capacity faithfully and well. He belongs 
to the Blue Lodge, of which he is a past master, and the chapter of the Masonic 
fraternity, and also to the Knights of Pythias. He is a man of many sterling traits 
of character, of pronounced professional ability and business enterprise, and 
wherever he is known he is held in the highest regard.


====================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
free information on the Internet, data may be used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message 
remains on all copied material. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
for purposes other than stated above must obtain the 
written consent of the file contributor. 

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html
Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections.
====================================================================