James McNeely 1770 - 1846 - Early Lanark Settler
Prepared by D. Carnegie, March 4, 2004
JAMES MCNEELY was born abt. 1770 in Carneal County,
Antrim, Ireland, and died abt. Oct. 8, 1846 in Beckwith Twp. Lanark Co., Ont.,
CAN. He is buried at St. Fillans' Cemetery, Carleton Place, Beckwith
Twp, Lanark Co.
James & (possibly) his wife, Agness emigrated
from Carneal in County Antrim (Northeastern Ireland) in 1822. with a family
consisting of two sons, four daughters and the wife of his eldest son.
"The ship occupied two months in making the passage.
By the slowest methods they pushed eagerly on up the country, reaching those
falls that came to be famous as the Chaudiere Falls and that hill now celebrated
as Parliament Hill. At that time there was but one log building there.
From Richmond to the 11th line of Beckwith they made their way with all their
possessions on their backs. They found the lot they had selected was nearly all
swamp. Heroically they went at the arduous task. Year after they drew
their farm up into better shape, and as drainage ensued it proved to one of the
finest farms in the township. You can dig down for 27 feet and not find a
pebble. " Editor, W. W. Cliff of the Carleton Place Canadian. [for further
information on this src. please contact me]
James McNeely was granted the southwest half of lot sixteen
in the eleventh concession of Beckwith, which was known at that time as Morphy's
Falls, that was near what would be the present town of Carleton Place on July
12, 1822. His son's, Brice and John were also granted land, Brice northeast half
of lot 16 in the 11th concession on July 12 1822 and John southwest half of lot
nineteen in the 11th concession on Nov. 26, 1822.
The known identity of his wife has produced uncertainties.
The only documented record of her existence found at this time is in James' Last
Will & Testament where she is recorded as Agness. The discrepancy is in the
only available census available to us prior to James' death in 1846 listing only
James as been in the household in 1842.
In his Will he records the following: [for a copy of his
will, please contact me]
"First I give and bequeath to Agness my dearly beloved
wife, one Heffer, one sheep all my (illegible) clothes, one churn and two tubs,
likewise the Interest of money hereinafter mentioned..."
"Also I give and bequeath unto my six children all the
remainder of my money goods and effects to be equally divided among them after
my wife's death"
The six children are, Susan, Brice, Miriam, John, Mary
Elizabeth and Janet. I have included a very basic summary of the children and is
as follows:
1. SUSAN MCNEELY, b. Carneal County, Antrim,
Ireland; m. JOHN MOORE, October 10, 1822, By Herbert Whitmarsh, J.P. of
Richmond.
They resided on Con 5, Lot 26 & 27, Goulbourne Twp.,
Carleton Co. Their family consisted of 5 children, known surnames connected to
this family are: BROWNLEE, COMRIE, THOMPSON, DUBERVILLE.
2. BRICE MCNEELY b. Abt. 1793, County Antrim,
Ireland; d. November 1, 1878, Beckwith Twp., Lanark Co., Ont., CAN.; m. JANE
MOORE, 1822, Antrim Co., Ireland; b. 1798, Raloo, County Antrim, Ireland; d.
November 30, 1890, Carleton Place, Beckwith & Ramsay Twp., Lanark Co. They
are both buried in St. Fillans' Cemetery, Plot S4, Carleton Place,
Beckwith Twp.
Brice & Jane came from Ireland to Canada in 1822 and
settled with others of his parent's family in Beckwith township. Brice was
granted the northeast half of lot 16 in the 11th concession on July 12 1822.
Brice and Jane's family consisted of 8 sons and 1 daughter.
Known surnames connected to this family are: MOORE, GOTH, DUNCAN, EDWARDS,
WOODWARD, MACDOWELL, LASHARITY, CRAM, SHEPPARD.
3. MIRIAM MCNEELY b. Abt. 1794, Carneal County,
Antrim, Ireland; d. January 6, 1859, Chelsea, Hull Twp., Gatineau Co., QC; m. FRANCIS
LASHARITY, Abt. 1824, b. Abt. 1790; d. January 18, 1874, in Chelsea, Hull
Twp., Gatineau Co., QC. Both are buried at St. Stephen's R.C. Cemetery, Chelsea,
Hull Twp., Gatineau Co., QC.
They resided until their deaths in Chelsea. Their family
consisted of 5 known children at this time. Known surnames connected to this
family are: DOUCET, FARRELL, DALEY, CONDIE, SCOTT, REYNOLDS.
4. JOHN MCNEELY b. 1797, Co. Antrim, Ireland;
d. January 5, 1879; m. NANCY/AGNES RANEY; b. 1810, Ireland; d. March 8,
1895. Both are buried at St. Fillans' Cemetery, Plot U4, Carleton Place,
Beckwith Twp.
Their family consisted of 4 known children. Surnames
connected to this family are: RANEY, ROBERTSON, DRUMMOND, STEWART, MCLINTON,
MORTON, SWITZER, LANGTRY, MORRIS, SAMPLE.
5. MARY ELIZABETH MCNEELY, b. Abt. 1804, Co.
Antrim, Ireland; d. September 6, 1884, Horton Twp, Renfrew Co, Ont., Canada; m. JOHN
GOTH, Abt. 1823, Beckwith, Lanark Co., Ont., Canada; b. Abt. 1787, Dent,
Yorkshire, England; d. August 23, 1874, Horton Twp, Renfrew Co. Both are
bur. at St. Fillan's Cemetery, United Cemeteries of Beckwith Twp., nr. Carleton
Place, Lanark Co.
Together they had 7 children. John and Mary Elizabeth
resided on the Goth homestead in Ashton, Beckwith twp., Lanark Co., until just
before 1871 where they went to reside in Horton, Renfrew Co., with their son,
Brice & Margaret (Forde) Goth. Their son, William stayed on the Goth
homestead of Con 11 Lot 21.
For additional information on this family please see: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~onlanark/families/john_goth.htm
6. JANET MCNEELY, b. Abt. 1808, County Antrim,
Ireland; d. June 24, 1888, Beckwith Twp., Lanark Co., Ont., CAN.; m. JOHN
LOWE, Abt. 1834; b. 1802, Ireland; d. March 13, 1888, Beckwith Twp., Lanark
Co. Both are buried at St. Fillans' Cemetery, Plot S6, Carleton Place,
Beckwith Twp, Lanark Co.
Their family consisted of 7 children. Surnames connected to
this family are: LOWE, SNYDER, WILSON, DRUMMOND, WHYTE, GRAHAM, BROWN, MCFADDEN.
All information contained herein is supported by sources
involving hard copy documents. For questions, comments, or further information
on additional generations, please contact:
Darlene Carnegie - [email protected]
Posted: 01 May, 2005