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148. Robert Clarence Neil was born on 2 Mar 1877 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. 1900 census shows birth in May 1878. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Parishville, St Lawrence, NY. #15/15, household of Geroge Williams. Robert Neil, boarder, born Mar 1877, NY, age 23, married 2 yrs., parents born NY/Ireland, farm laborer. [LaVerne Freeman transcription]. See also Macomb listing. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Parishville, St. Lawrence, NY. #15/15, household of Geroge Williams. Robert Neil, boarder, born Mar 1877, NY, age 23, married 2 yrs., parents born NY/Ireland, farm laborer. [LaVerne Freeman transcription]. See also Macomb listing. He died on 16 Mar 1965 in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence, NY. He was buried in S. Colton cemetery, S. Colton, St. Lawrence, NY. His obituary appeared in an unknown newspaper; transcription by Nickie Neil, from St. Lawrence RootsWeb mailing list, as follows: “ROBERT C. NEIL RITES FRIDAY. POTSDAM- March 18, 1965. The funeral of Robert C. Neil, 88, So.Colton, who died Tuesday at an Ogdensburg hospital, will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the So. Colton Methodist church with Rev. Harold Beaudry, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the So. Colton cemetery.
“Friends may call at the Buck funeral home this afternoon& evening.
“He is survived by 2 sons, Clarence J. Neil, Depeyster, Wilbur Neil, Chester, NJ, 4 daughters, Mrs. Howard (Verna)Adler,New Brunswick, NJ, Mrs. Clayton (Wilda) Hutchinson, Potsdam; Mrs. E. J (Mary) Lipchus, Hamden, Conn., Mrs. Charles (Anna) Birchead, Potsdam; 2 sisters, Mrs. Alice Mason, Ogdensburg, and Mrs. Anna Dodds, Washington, D.C., 16 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
“Mr. Neil was born in the town of Macomb, March 2, 1877, a son of S.S. & Elizabeth Love Neil. He had been a farmer most of his life until he was a caretaker of Scheller Park, So. Colton. His wife died years ago.
“He was a member of the So. Colton grange & the Racquette Valley Fish & Game Club.”
Also: "Robert C. Neil Long Ill, Dies. Potsdam, March 17.--Robert C. Neil, South Colton, died yesterday in an Ogdensburg hospital following a long illness.
"The body will be at the Buck funeral home, 59 Elm street, where friends may call this afternoon and evening.
"Services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 at the South Colton Methodist church with the pastor, Rev. Harold Beaudry, officiating. Burial will be in South Colton cemetery.
"Mr. Neil is survived by two sons, four daughters and two sisters. He had been a farmer most of his life. He is a former caretaker of Scheller park." His obituary appeared in an unknown newspaper; transcription by Nickie Neil, from St. Lawrence RootsWeb mailing list, as follows: “Robert C. Neil Rites Friday. Potsdam - March 18, 1965. The funeral of Robert C. Neil, 88, So.Colton, who died Tuesday at an Ogdensburg hospital, will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the So. Colton Methodist church with Rev. Harold Beaudry, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the So. Colton cemetery.
“Friends may call at the Buck funeral home this afternoon& evening.
“He is survived by 2 sons, Clarence J. Neil, Depeyster, Wilbur Neil, Chester, NJ, 4 daughters, Mrs. Howard (Verna)Adler,New Brunswick, NJ, Mrs. Clayton (Wilda) Hutchinson, Potsdam; Mrs. E. J (Mary) Lipchus, Hamden, Conn., Mrs. Charles (Anna) Birchead, Potsdam; 2 sisters, Mrs. Alice Mason, Ogdensburg, and Mrs. Anna Dodds, Washington, D.C., 16 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
“Mr. Neil was born in the town of Macomb, March 2, 1877, a son of S.S. & Elizabeth Love Neil. He had been a farmer most of his life until he was a caretaker of Scheller Park, So. Colton. His wife died years ago.
“He was a member of the So. Colton grange & the Racquette Valley Fish & Game Club.”
Also: "Robert C. Neil Long Ill, Dies. Potsdam, March 17.--Robert C. Neil, South Colton, died yesterday in an Ogdensburg hospital following a long illness.
"The body will be at the Buck funeral home, 59 Elm street, where friends may call this afternoon and evening.
"Services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 at the South Colton Methodist church with the pastor, Rev. Harold Beaudry, officiating. Burial will be in South Colton cemetery.
"Mr. Neil is survived by two sons, four daughters and two sisters. He had been a farmer most of his life. He is a former caretaker of Scheller park."

Robert Clarence Neil and Mable Viola Prestage were married in Oct 1897 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. He is listed as "Clarence Robert" in the Sandy Wyman transcription of town records. Reportedly one son from this marriage. They appeared in the census in 1900 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. #159/160, household of Alonzo Wainwright: [believe this is the proper household, unclear from transcription -- brother John also in the household]. Neil, Robert, born May 1878, age 22, married 2 yrs., farm laborer; Mable, wife, born Oct 1877, age 22, married 2 yrs., 1 child, 1 living; Franklin, son, born Sep 1899; all births shown as NY. They were divorced in 1905 in Canton, St. Lawrence, NY. #8355, page 23, Divorces, per card at SLCHA. But see Robert's 2nd marriage, to Minnie Shields, in 1904. They were divorced in 1905 in Canton, St. Lawrence, NY. #8355, page 23, Divorces, per card at SLCHA. But see Robert's 2nd marriage, to Minnie Shields, in 1904. Mable Viola Prestage (daughter of Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Prestage and Melissa Rosetta "Rosetta" Craig) was born in Oct 1877 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. Shown as 1 year old in 1880 census, born Oct 1877 in 1900 census. Mable's surname also seen as Preston. Robert Clarence Neil and Mable Viola Prestage had the following children:

286

i.

Franklin Harold Neil Gibson was born. He was adopted.

Robert Clarence Neil and Mary Jane "Minnie" Shields were married on 4 Aug 1904 in Hickory, Ontario, Canada. Information from original marriage license, per Nicki Neil. Minnie was the daughter of Mary Ann Walker Shields, who married Robert's brother, John, as her second husband. But see Robert's divorce from his first wife, in 1905. Did Robert & Minnie ever remarry? Note -- their marriage date is not mentioned in either Robert's or Minnie's obit. They appeared in the census in 1905 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. 2nd District, Page 4, lines 48-9, apparently on the California road: Niel, Robbert C., head, white, male, age 27, born U.S., citizen, laborer in sawmill; Mary J., wife, white, female, age 18, born U.S., citizen, housework. Note that Sirvillian and Chester are just a few houses away, also sawmill laborers. Mary Jane "Minnie" Shields (daughter of James Shields and Mary Ann Walker) was born on 17 Jan 1887 in Kemptville, Grenville, Ontario. She died on 15 Oct 1937 in Long Bow, St. Lawrence, NY. Her obituary appeared on 19 Oct 1937 in the Watertown Daily Times of Watertown, Jefferson, NY, as follows: "Rites Held For Mrs. Mary Neil. Colton, Oct. 19.--Mrs. Mary Shields Neil, 50, died at her farm home at Long Bow, eight miles southeast of this village last Friday evening.
"She was born at Kemptville, Ont., in 1887, a daughter of the late John and Mary Shields, and came to Long Bow with her parents nearly 50 years ago. Here she attended school and later was married to Robert Neil.
"Surviving besides her husband, are four daughters, Mrs. Howard Adler, New York city; Mrs. Clayton Hutchinson, Potsdam; Miss Mary Neil, and Miss Anna Neil, at home; two sons, Clarence Neil of Palmyra and William Neil, South Colton.
"Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episcopal church of South Colton. Rev. Floyd Phelps officiated. Burial was in South Colton cemetery. The bearers were: Leo Connely, Michael Gorman, John Hayes, Harry Ford, Paul Sanford, and Herbert Mathie." She was buried in S. Colton cemetery, S. Colton, St. Lawrence, NY. Robert Clarence Neil and Mary Jane "Minnie" Shields had the following children:

287

i.

Florence Neil was born on 15 Apr 1904 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. She died on 16 Apr 1904 in Macomb, St. Lawrence, NY. Macomb deaths, as transcribed by Sandy Wyman show Florence Neil, b. Macomb, age 1 day, died 16 Apr 1904, dau. of Robert and Minnie Shields Neil.

+288

ii.

Anna Alice Neil.

+289

iii.

Verna Irene Neil.

290

iv.

James Neil TWIN was born on 23 Feb 1908. He died on 23 Feb 1908.

+291

v.

Wilda Grace Neil TWIN.

+292

vi.

Clarence James Neil.

+293

vii.

Mary Elizabeth Neil.

+294

viii.

Wilbur Clifford "Bud" Neil.

Robert Clarence Neil and Minnie Irish were married on 28 May 1940 in S. Colton, St. Lawrence, NY. Marriage date not known, but probably by 1940. Minnie Irish (daughter of Herbert Irish and Lorena E. Robinson) was born on 18 Jan 1884 in S. Colton, St. Lawrence, NY. She died on 12 Aug 1959 in Potsdam, St. Lawrence, NY. Her obituary appeared on 14 Aug 1959 in the Watertown Daily Times of Watertown, Jefferson, NY, as follows: "Wife of Robert Neil, 74, Dead. Potsdam, Aug. 14.-- Mrs. Minnie Neil, 74, wife of Robert Neil of Colton, Route 1, died Wednesday in the Charlebois nursing home. She had been in poor health for months.
"The body was removed to the Garner funeral home. Services will be held this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at the South Colton Methodist church, with burial in the South Colton cemetery.
"Mrs. Neil was born at South Colton, Jan. 18, 1884, a daughter of Herbert Irish and Lorena Robinson Irish. She was twice married. Her first husband was Wilbur Fiske. A few years following his death, she married Robert Neil and the couple made their home at South Colton. Mrs. Neil was a member of Adirondack grange of that village.
"Surviving are her husband, who is a retired farmer, a son, Henry; four sisters, Mrs. Ruth Phillips, Eustis, Fla., Mrs. Rose Gleason, and Mrs. Celia Phllips, both of Colton, Route 1, and Laura Page of Potsdam, a brother, Elmer Irish of Memphis, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren." She was buried in S. Colton, St. Lawrence, NY. Amelia or Minnie Amelia??