NCSCOTS-L Archives

From: "J.D.McEachin" <>
Subject: Re: [NCSCOTS] "History of Two McNeill Families in NC" by Mrs. G. V. Baker
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 12:35:11 -0800
In-Reply-To: <008401c09e90$6a0ba080$93ec0cd1@ghtck>

At 12:34 PM 2/24/01 -0600, Doug Purcell <> wrote:
>Seeking a copy of "History of Two McNeill Families in North Carolina" by
>Mrs. G. V. Baker. I understand that one copy is found in a vertical file at
>the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh. If copies are no longer
>available for purchase I would appreciate receiving the information on
>Malcolm McNeill and his wife Katherine (Katie) Torry or Torrey. Will be
>happy to pay postage and copy charges for this information. Thanks in
>advance for any assistance offered with this query.

The "History of Two McNeill Families" is actually by Cyrus McNeill, as dictated to his daughter, Mrs. Laura Virginia Lee McNeill Baker. I have seen 4 different versions of it:

1) A photocopy of the original handwritten manuscript, found in the Henry Hodgins vertical file at the Lumberton, NC library.

2) A typewritten transcription, by Mrs. F.K. Biggs, and found in the Biggs vertical file at the same library.

3) Another typewritten version, by unknown, I think in the "Families" vertical file in a McNeill folder.

4) In Harllee's "Kinfolks", chapter 10a. This is probably the easiest version to find, since "Kinfolks" is available in many libraries. AFAIR it is also available via LDS microfilm.


I am eternally grateful to cousin Cyrus. He seems to have had an encyclopedic knowledge of his genealogy for the 3 generations previous, with important details such as who siblings married and where they moved to. I transcribed part of it, and put it on the WWWeb at:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mceachin/mcneill2.htm

Unfortunately I did not transcribe the part you're interested in, as I am more interested in his father Daniel Caulder McNeill's side of the family, since his mother was a McEachin (mistakenly spelled McEachern in the McNeill manuscript). However, I did type up part of what you're looking for, just the other day for a McNeill descendent:

"Godfrey McNeill was married to Miss Kittie McDougald in Scotland and came over to America about 1760. They landed at Wilmington, NC, then came to Fayetteville and went to the home of a friend, Jimmie McNeill on Rockfish Creek, Cumberland Co., where there is an old grave yard which antedates the Revolution. Phillippi (Presb.) Church is located there now. Thence they moved to and settled on Raft Swamp near where Neill Smith now lives in Robeson Co. Afterwards they moved to Godfrey's Crossing on Big Raft Swamp, now known as Weaver Neill McLean's Crossing, recently called McLeod's Crossing where the road from Fayetteville to Marion, SC crosses the Lumberton-Carthage road. There they lived and died. Mrs. McNeill was considered one of the most pious women in the country, so much so she would not eat anything cooked on the Sabbath. She and her husband were buried in Patterson Graveyard with several children and grandchildren.

Godfrey W. and Kittie McNeill had 8 sons (only 7 of which are mentioned) and 4 daughters:

1) Malcolm "The Saddler" married Kate Torrey, dau. of David Torrey; he lived and died at the old plantation. (Their descendents are stated later herein).

2) Daniel, "The Hatter" married Celia Humphrey, lived and died near Lumberton.

3) Alexander, the carpenter, married Polly McEachern, lived where Neill Smith now lives. (Their descendents are stated later herein).

4) James, married Sarah McNeill, "Long" Duncan's daughter. They moved to Decatur, DeKalb Co. GA. He was an influential member of the Presbyterian Church there. They had several children.

5) Hector Carpenter married Lucy Crane at Port Gibson, MS about 1816.

6) John "The Hatter" married Miss Taylor of Bladen Co. and lived and died near Lumberton.

7) Neill never married, was killed by a runaway horse.

8) Nancy married Peter Johnson, moved South and located near McDonough, GA. He was the father of Gov. James Johnson of GA.

9) Betsy married Archie McNeill, son of "Long" Duncan; they were parents of Mrs. Harriet McKay of Red Springs, NC.

10) Katie married Daniel Johnson, brother of Peter Johnson, above mentioned.

11) Sallie married Stewart and moved to SC; little is known of them."


JDM

This thread:

• [NCSCOTS] "History of Two McNeill Families in NC" by Mrs. G. V. Baker by "Doug Purcell" <>

  • Re: [NCSCOTS] "History of Two McNeill Families in NC" by Mrs. G. V. Baker by "J.D.McEachin" <>