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 OSEPH McNEEL, who is occupying a good
farm on the northeast quarter of section 28,
is comparatively a young man, and accounted
one of the most worthy citizens of Seven
Hickory Township. He was born on the homestead of his parents, Dec. 18, 1848, and remained
under the parental roof until the death of his father.
March 23, 1862. Afterward he continued with his
mother, and remained her support and counselor,
taking upon himself the management of her affairs,
and performing with great credit the filial duties assigned him. The mother is still living, making her
home with her son Joseph. Our subject received a common-school education, and after reaching his majority was united in marriage, March 30, 1881, with Miss Rosa L. Cook, a native of Monroe County, Ind. The wedding took place at the residence of the minister, Rev. Louis Lauman, east of Charleston. Mrs. McNeel came to Illinois with her parents when a young girl, and they settled at Mattoon, whence they afterward removed to Hutton Township. Her father, John Cook, was a native of Germany, and his wife, Harriet (Wiseman) Cook, of Monroe Co., Ind. The children of the parental household were Rosa, George M., Emma, Elizabeth, Kittie B., Hattie, Hannah, and one child, Jacob, who died in infancy. The children of Mr. and Mrs. McNeel are: John Benjamin, born March 25, 1883, and a babe, which did not live to receive a name. The farm of our subject embraces 200 acres of good land, and is largely devoted to stock-farming, including Clydesdale horses and fine grades of Short-horn cattle. The parents of our subject, Benjamin and Eleanor (Fowler) McNeel, were natives respectively of Ohio and Tennessee. After marriage they settled in Coles County, Ill. Joseph, of our sketch, was their eldest son; Albert was born Aug. 9, 1850; Daniel Webster, Jan. 15, 1852; Irwin was born in 1854. and died in 1855; William S. is a resident of this township; Elizabeth May became the wife of A. R. Bridges, and is also a resident of this township, being the mother of two children—Ethel and William; Benjamin H., born April 4. 1862, was married to Miss Anna Baulch, and is now engaged in teaching in this county. |
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