TX BIOS:  Mrs. Mary McNeill, Fays
   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
   Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.
   
   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
   For more information about this text and this American Memory
   collection, refer to accompanying matter.
   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   History
   
   Edward Townsend, P. W.
   
   Erath County, Texas.
   
   District No. 8. [??]
   
   No. of words 400
   
   File no. 200
   
   Page 1 [?] Reference
   
   A. Mrs. Mary McNeill, Fays.
   
   In the spring of 1854, Dr. W. W, McNeill, a young M. D. in company
   with [Major?] B. Erath and John M. Stephen, with true Pioneer Spirit,
   these men set out in search of good location in the West and finding
   suitable land with plenty of grass, water and game they located on the
   spot now known as Stephenville.
   
   Major [Erath?] and john M. [Stephen?] proceeded to lay off and survey
   the land, make maps, lay off city lots, farms and posture land. They
   laid off the city lot on which [Stephenville?] now stands and with
   maps and [plats?] sent to the Legislature of the State of Texas at
   Austin, submitting a proposition [that?] if they would create a county
   in this territory and locate the county [seat?] here, he [DEL: as
   :DEL] is owner of the John Blair Survey would deed to the public the
   streets and alleys. Also a block of ground for the court house, one
   for a jail and also a block for each of the churches, one for the
   Methodist, one for the Baptist and one for each the Presbyterian and
   Christian. These papers were sent to Austin July 4, 1855, and on
   January 25, 1856, the Legislature accepted the proposal and the county
   was created and named in honor of Major B. Erath.
   
   The county seat also was named Stephenville in honor of John M.
   Stephen for his loyalty and his prominence in opening the way to
   civilization in this locality. (A)
   
   Mr. Stephen built a double log house as did the other pioneers in the
   fall of 1854 and moved their families here. Mr. Stephen's family
   consisted of his wife and a daughter, Mary A., and two sons, James and
   Sam. Sam, the oldest sons was later killed by the Indians in one of
   their 00012wild raids. Lumber for a store, postoffice and for a union
   church was freighted by ox wagon from Waco.
   
   These brave pioneers had to always carry their guns as they worked or
   worshipped to protest their families and stock from the savage
   Indians, who often ran in, murdering men, women and children and
   carrying off the horses and burning homes, and they all passed through
   many narrow escape.
   
     NOTE: C12- 2/11/41- Texas
     
   The young doctor married the only daughter of John M. Stephen, built a
   home and set out in his practice. By this union were five children to
   wit: John A. McNeill, now deceased, was the first white child born in
   Stephenville; James and Sidney, younger sons are still residents here.
   
   The life of a pioneer physician is a peculiar, difficult one. No
   greater bravery is displayed by the soldier on the battlefield then
   the physician, who in the stormiest weather, was often called fifty
   miles or more from home, making the journey alone horse back, through
   forests and creeks with no sign of a road, with saddle bags across the
   horn of his saddle, and where every tree is a hiding place for the
   treacherous Indians ready to spring on them. On one occasion when the
   young doctor was returning from a long tripe where he had been called
   to see a very sick lady, he was attacked by the Indians, the arrows
   were flying thick and fast and one pierced the fine mare he was riding
   and laying her ears back against her head she ran with all her
   strengths carrying the doctor to safety but falling dead when she
   reached home. Dr. McNeill was born May 17, 1818, moved to
   Stephenville, Erath County, in 1854, was the first physician here, was
   a charter member and helped to organize the first Masonic Lodge in
   Stephenville; also was honored as Stephenville's first
   00023postmasters. In the fall of 1854, with ten charter members, he
   helped to organize the first Methodist church, and was a faithful and
   honored member until his death at the ripe old age of 83 years. (A)

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