Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Macneil, Roderick Ambrose February 15, 1914
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Virginian Pilot and The Norfolk Landmark February 16, 1914

                  PROFESSOR MACNEIL DIES AT ST. VINCENT'S

           Death Ends Career Of Notable Artist And Scottish Clansman

Professor Ambrose Macneil, a well known resident of Norfolk, died yesterday 
morning at St. Vincent's Hospital, after an illness of about three weeks.  His 
death ends an unusually interesting and notable career.
Born at St. Stephen, Canada, June 11, 1851, he started at a remarkably early age 
with art, which became his life work. After studying at Paris, his talent 
developed so wonderfully that his work soon became widely known.
Upon the death of his father, he became chief of the Clan Macneil of Scotland 
and Laird (lord) of Barra, which gave him the title of "Macneil of Barra," his 
full name being Roderick Ambrose Macneil of Barra.
The greatest number of his clansmen live on the Isle of Barra, in the outer 
Hebrides of Scotland, and many a Highland dirge will sound its lament across the 
heather-clad hills and in the thatched stone cottages of the clansmen of that 
lonely, distant little island when news of the death of their chief reaches 
them. A great many clansmen live on Cape Breton Island, Canada, who will also 
mourn his death.
Having been raised in an atmosphere of Scottish romance, and finding everyone 
deeply interested in the stirring history of the clans, he soon began to give 
Scottish lectures, which, added to his ability as a painter, gave him an 
international reputation.
Being of marked intellectual power, combined with quick wit, he sometimes took 
the advantage these resources gave him and challenged to public debate some of 
the leading politicians of Canada and this country who happened to hold adverse 
opinions. He was a very deep thinker and often wrote articles for the press and 
periodicals upon political science, as well as art, and also the Highlands of 
Scotland which he loved so well, and which formed the motif for many of his 
paintings.
His forte was Scottish marines, and his ability to portray a misty, glowing 
sunset, looking over the water to the dark purple mountains beyond, has seldom, 
if ever, been equaled. He also painted many portraits, the wonderfully rich 
coloring of which seems to have been inspired by his other work.  Among his 
works of this kind are portraits of many prominent residents of Norfolk and 
vicinity.
Professor Macneil was an enthusiastic Mason, having risen to the thirty-second 
degree.  The beauties of the Masonic rituals and its religious teachings were 
especially pleasing to him. He devoted much time to its study and was not only 
well informed on that subject but wrote and lectured on its different phases.
He first married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Binns of Niles, Mich. and 
Yorkshire, Eng., and had two sons and one daughter, Paul Humphrey and Robert 
Lister Macneil of Washington, D.C. and Florence, wife of Joseph Ledlie of South 
Bend, Ind.
He married secondly Lottie, daughter of J.J. Ennis of Virginia and had one son, 
Ambrose.  All his children and his second wife survive him. Mrs. Macneil, Robert 
and Ambrose were at his bedside.
Arrangements for the funeral were not completed yesterday.
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MACNEIL - At Saint Vincent's Hospital, Sunday, February 15, at 11:20 o'clock 
a.m., RODERICK AMBROSE MACNEIL, in the 63d year of his age.
Funeral service will take place from the Second Presbyterian Church THIS 
(Tuesday) AFTERNOON at 2 o'clock.  Friends of the family invited. Interment in 
Elmwood Cemetery.

Virginian Pilot and The Norfolk Landmark February 17, 1914
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The funeral of Roderick Ambrose Macneil took place at 2 o'clock yesterday 
afternoon at the Second Presbyterian Church.  Services were conducted by Rev. 
D.N. McLauchlin, pastor of the church, assisted by Rev. R.A. Robinson of Colley 
Memorial Presbyterian Church.  Many handsome floral designs were received. 
Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Pay Director W.W. Galt, U.S.N.; E.J. Rudgard Wigg, Charles A. 
Rond, Reginald Poindexter, R.E. Mitchell, Charles A. Morrisette and George 
Coxon.

Virginian Pilot and The Norfolk Landmark February 18, 1914


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