Donna and Shirley, Ruth Nevels sent me a copy of the James S. Neville biography found in History of McLean County [IL]. It is a Goodspeed's history, I think. It has mistakes such as listing Gen. John Neville as a great-grandfather and Gen. John as first cousin to Gen. Presley Neville. It also shows George Neville, son of John [General], being born in PA. It appears the family had the tradition of being related to Gen. John Neville but had the relationships on the earlier generations mixed up. Some of you may see other errors. I thought this might be worth posting for those researching IL Nevilles. Below are excerpts from earlier posts related to the subjects of the biography. John H. Neville, who is in the biography, lived in Lexington, KY and was the father of Miss Linda Neville, a champion for the blind in KY. She (and I think her sister, also) also did much good work for some of the very poor people in the mountains of KY. Miss Linda's achievements can be found in many KY publications related to work for the blind in the early part of this century. A section is also devoted to her at one of the libraries at the University of KY. When my mother was a little girl, she lived in a house Miss Linda's family owned on Main Street in Lexington, KY. Jan ---------------------------------- At 09:51 AM 1/8/99 -0500, you wrote: > >On Thu, 7 Jan 1999 17:48:24 -0600 (CST) Donna Carol Browning ><[email protected]> writes: >> >>Hi, again all, I may have missed it but has anyone ever posted a list >>of >>George Washington Neville and Rachel Killebrew's children? I know >> >>Donna > > >Donna, > >I don't have a definitive list, but will be glad to share with you what I >have. Most still needs documentation, even if there are no question >marks. George was on the 1820 census in Montgomery Co., TN & on the 1830 >& 1840 Hickman Co., KY censuses. It would appear that his wife died >before the 1840 census, perhaps in childbirth or soon after as the last >female (assuming this child on the census was his) was born 1835-40. From >those records it appears he had 11 children, 6 boys & 5 girls. The order >of his children is unknown. I have arranged them as best I could. > >Note that I had a different death date for Robert Buckner Nevill. If >others can correct or add to what I have, I would appreciate it. > >Unproven children of George Washington Nevill & Rachel Killebrew: > 1. Christopher Owen, b 8 Oct 1800, Clarksville, TN > m (1) Mary Ross, 30 Nov 1826, Christian Co, KY > m (2) Elizabeth L Lindsey, 6 Nov 1846, Eureka, IL > d 26 Nov 1869, Eureka, IL From Corrine Hettrick: The only James and Margaret I have is, James W. Neville the son of George Washington Neville and Rachel Killabrew. This James was born in 1815 in TN married Margaret Gaines April 2,1844 in Tazewell CO.,IL on the 1850 census of Tazewell CO.,IL they had the following children; George b.1846 IL Mary b.1848 IL Died 1849 Jay R. b.1849 IL Martha b. 1853 IL 1880 census of the Soundex for IL James and Margaret listed with them ;William age 16 b.IL,Martha Mahoney-dau. age 27 b.IL,Maggie age 5 b. IL granddaughter. ---------------------------------------- History of McLean County [IL], p. 1218 NEVILLE, JAMES S.--the story of mankind, as written in Bloomington, is profoundly indebted for definiteness of purpose, breadth of capacity and great public spiritedness, to James S. Neville, the lamented death of whom, in september, 1905, while chief executive of the city terminated the undiminished and well directed ambition of one who had won enviable reputation as lawyer, business man and politician. The prominence attained by Mr. Neville had its excuse in the efforts of his forefathers in the pioneer days of new England, the South, and the State of Illinois. Of English-French descent, his paternal great-grandfather, General JOHN NEVILLE, of Virginia, was first cousin to General PRESLEY NEVILLE, member of the staff of LaFayette. GEORGE NEVILLE, son of John, was born in Pittsburg, Pa., but as a boy moved with his parents to Virginia, later taking up his residence in Tennessee, where he served as Sheriff of his county. CHRISTOPHER O. NEVILLE, father of James S., and son of George Neville, was born in Clarksville, Tenn., October 8, 1800, and in his native State, gained the rudiments of education in the subscription schools. While still in his "teens" the family moved to Kentucky, and he there enlarged his farming information, and also served an apprenticeship to a neighborhood blacksmith. While still the prairies offered practically uninterrupted vistas, he entered an appeal for their bounty by taking up government land in Tazewell County, Ill., and before the completion of his rude little cabin, there began to fall the deep snows which made memorable the year 1830. Surrounded by all the hardships which tested the fiber of the invaders of the wilderness, he tilled his land and operated a blacksmith shop in Tazewell County for twenty years, and in 1850 sold his shop and farm, and engaged in merchandising in the village of Mackinaw. In 1860 he moved to the village of Eureka, Ill., operating with his former success a general store until shortly before his death, October 26, 1869. Mr. Neville was an ardent supporter of the best interests of the communities in which he lived, and his ability and general worth drew his way many political and other honors. He was the first postmaster of the infant village of Mackinaw, and also served as School and County Commissioner of Tazewell County. He was a stanch supporter of education, and was one of the founders of the Church and College at Eureka, a further evidence of his devotion to the tenets of the Christian Church. From its foundation he respected and labored for the Republican party. In very early manhood Mr. Neville married a native daughter of Illinois, and of the union there were three children: Mrs. C. N. Pierre, of Indianapolis, Ind.; Mrs. Virginia Neville, of Danville, KY; and John H., a professor of languages in the State University, at Lexington, in that State. The marriage of Mr. Neville and Elizabeth L. Lindsey occurred in Eureka, Ill., November 6, 1846, Miss Lindsey being a native of Christian County, KY., and born December 5, 1813. She was a daughter of James A. Lindsey, a prominent minister in the Christian Church for twenty years, and founder of many churches of that denomination throughout this part of Illinois. Mr. Lindsey moved from Kentucky to Mackinaw, Ill., in 1834, and his retirement at an advanced age was lightened by a liberal pension from the Government in return for his services rendered in the War of 1812. This pension subsequently reverted to his widow, who survived him until December 5, 1877. Of this marriage there were twelve children, all of whom are deceased. The youngest in the family of five children, James S. Neville, attended school in Eureka, Ill., to which town his father removed from Mackinaw, where the lad was born March 11, 1856. After the death of the father, when his son was twelve years old, the mother and her children moved to a farm in Tazewell County, where James S. continued his schooling and worked at agriculture and stock-raising until twenty years of age. Ambitious of testing his powers in the far west, he remained in the newer county for three years, and then settled in Bloomington and read law with the firm of Rowell & Hamilton. After his admission to the bar of Illinois in 1880, he remained in the office of his preceptors until a division of ways was effected by the election of Hamilton as Lieutenant Governor and Rowell as Congressman. He then became a member of the firm of Neville & Blade, and after the departure of Mr. Blade for California, there was formed the firm of Rowell, Neville, & Lindley, with which Mr. Neville was connected for the balance of his life. As a lawyer Mr. Neville avoided the criminal department of his calling, but otherwise conducted a general practice, his skill, scholarship and profound understanding of the principles and practice of legal science elevating him to many important responsibilities. For many years he was attorney for the telegraph, telephone and street car companies, and there were few cases of importance in the city with which he was not in some way connected. Mr. Neville exemplified the fact that a thorough knowledge of law prepares a man for many and varied occupations. He possessed more than average business sagacity, and was foremost in establishing many enterprises, including the Fair Association and several manufacturing plants. Since casting his first presidential vote he was active in the councils of the Republican party, and during the administration of President Harrison served as Postmaster of Bloomington. Under his administration the affairs of the postoffice were managed in an able and conscientious manner, and he helped locate several new offices in the county. For three terms he represented the first ward in the City Council, and it was largely through his exertions that a new and more comprehensive charter was secured for the city. He drew up the petitions, had them circulated, and secured the required number of names for their acceptance. While a member and chairman of the committee of general improvements, he secured the laying of more than half the pavement in the city, and in many other ways secured lasting and practical civic improvements. Mr. Neville was elected Mayor of Bloomington in 1904, and his decease left to his successor an exceptionally orderly and well directed city government. For many years he was an active member of th Christian Church, to which church belong also his surviving wife and daughter, Mrs. Nellie (Bent) Neville, and Edith Neville. Before her marriage Mrs. Neville was a much sought young society woman. The commanding characteristics of Mr. Neville were force, perseverance, good judgment and initiative. He had the faculty of interesting people in his projects, and bringing them around to his point of view. The habit of rectitude and integrity was strong within him, and the opposite was never taken into account in estimating the man, even by his political or other opponents. Genial and at all times approachable, he made and kept friends, and left a legacy of character and attainment but rarely approached by the men whose names are written large upon the history of our inland metropolis.