Initial Query or Post: John J. O'Neil 1853-1923 W. Rutland, VT m. Clara Major (unk) lived in Roxbury, NY & is buried there somewhere. He was my gguncle & custodian of my grandfather Michael John O'Neill 1882-1946 who was educated in the Roxbury Schools. His father Thomas C. O'Neil 1857-1888 was killed in a train crash & his mother Mary Shea (Rees) O'Neill 1858-1883 died shortly after his birth. Any records of John J. O'Neil 1853-1923 that took care of an orphaned boy of 6 years old should be sought. For the Roxbury, NY school system had to be a plus for my grandfather. He graduated from Roxbury HS around 1900 & NYU class of 1904 with a degree of bachelor of science in civil engineering. For a number of years engineer for the board of water supply at the Ashokan reservoir. My father Donald Thomas O'Neill 1908-1948, the first of 7 children, was born nearby in Kingston, NY. A story is always never-ending when family history is involved. Your welcome page of the Delaware County NY Genealogy and History site stands out. Hope this posting has the same results. Would like to know where John J. O'Neill 1853-1923 is buried in Roxbury, NY & incidently found out on your capable site that he was a Grand Juror there in 1885. Thanks-Mike O'Neill at [email protected] P.S. Knew a Jack Shaughnessy from the Albany, NY area a few years back. He was a grand 'ol man who lived well into his 90's. The stories he would tell!! Reply: To: Michael J. O'Neill Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 7:23 AM Subject: Re: John J. O'Neil 1853-1923 Roxbury Mike, >From the More Family History, 1893: Sarah Elizabeth Noble was born 25 Mar 1840 in Durham, Greene County, New York to William Walker Noble and Caroline Denton. Sarah married Otis Preston More on 3 Nov 1858. He was born 6 Dec 1837, son of Edward A. More and Harriet Preston. === >From History of Roxbury: Wm. W. Noble was postmaster of Roxbury from Oct. 29, 1855 until May 10, 1861 and was town clerk in 1867. === You may have this one from the USGenWeb site for Delaware: JOHN J. O'NEILL, a well-known dealer in marble and granite in Roxbury, N.Y., was born in Boston, June 24, 1855. His parents, Michael O'Neill and Ellen Shistell O'Neill, came from Ireland. Mr. O'Neill's boyhood, youth, and young manhood were spent in Boston, where he received a good education and acquired the outlines of his knowledge of business. When he reached the age of twenty-one years, and was ready to begin life for himself, Mr. O'Neill decided to try his fortune in another part of the country. He came to Roxbury, therefore, in 1876, and has made his home here ever since. During six years he was in the employ of C.A.Noble. Then he worked for T. Richman for four years. Finally, in 1884, Mr. O'Neill established a marble and granite business for himself, with his headquaters on Main Street. The business has grown rapidly, and is now one of the largest enterprises of the sort in the country. Mr. O'Neill makes a specialty of the North British granite, a very handsome stone, which is quarried in Scotland. In 1892 he made a trip to Scotland on business connected with this granite industry. On this voyage the steamboat on which he was a passenger was wrecked off the Scotch coast, and those on board placed in great and imminent danger. Mr. O'Neill, however was rescued and reached the shore in safety. Mr. O'Neill married Clara Noble, daughter of William Noble and Caroline Denton Noble. Mr. William Noble is a resident of Catskill, in Greene County, where he is largely interested in the marble and granite business. Mrs. Clara O'Neill is a member of the Presbyterian church. She has a sister Sarah, who married Otis P. Morse. [Mike, the correct name is Otis Preston More] Mr. John J. O'Neill is now thirty-nine years of age. He is in good circumstances, and owns three houses in the village. In politics he supports the Democratic party. === The most likely burial would be in the More Cemetery, aslo known as the Roxbury Cemetery. It's the largest in the area. The Delaware site has names from A-L, submitted by Vesti Snyder. My cousin from Margaretville, Delaware County is visiting today (Cleveland, Ohio). Vesti is a former student of his and he will ask her about the rest of the names. Regards, Chuck My Reply: Chuck, I am totally amazed & flabbergasted at this wealth of information. Never did realize what could be found in family genealogy. Sitting here next to this PC accessing the world's records, remains a facinating task to piece together an unknown. Where did I go wrong. All this time landing on so many brick walls in family history comes the most unbelievable junction faced with. Where to go from here? Just got off the phone with my brother Brian & talked concerning the situation now faced with. Brian O'Neill uncovered the Civil War records at the National Archives of our gggrandfather Michael O'Neil 1820-1894 & Ellen Shortell 1822-1899 m. 10/14/1844 Rathlin, Ireland. Looked up Rathlin in all of Ireland's maps and found a tiny island off the northeast coast of Antrim, Ireland. Countless years and months putting together a family tree began by Kenneth James O'Neill 1936-2000 of Danbury, CT. His efforts inspired my interest in the O'Neill Family History beginnings on the internet in 1998. Purchased Family Tree Maker and started posting what information Ken O'Neill had acquired since 1961. Not knowing what lies ahead in genealogy; posted rather poorly looking back. Should have consulted other family members more often. Should maybe not have posted living individuals for fear their circumstances warranted privacy. Guess judgements were intended to build a record of individuals to be proud of. Quantity of people in a family tree meant the world to me. Quality is really intended as the story goes along. Why did I not check Delaware Co., NY genealogy records in the past? Where was I? Spent time on the VT genealogy sources & more brick walls. The reasoning my grandfather Michael John O'Neill 1882-1946 went to Roxbury NY in 1894 was the untimely death of his grandfather Michael O'Neil 1820-May 20,1894 in West Rutland, VT. He had no living parents and by my calculations he was around 12 years old when he moved to Roxbury, NY. Checked the St. Bridget's cemetery in West Rutland, VT & found the gravesite with all of Michael's family there except John J. O'Neill (which I have listed 1853-1923 Ken O'Neill gave me). Ken told me John J. m. a Clara Major & is buried in Roxbury, NY. Is this the genealogy uncle of my grandfather? Have a photograph of John J. O'Neil standing next to a marble cemetery stone acquired from 10 Mill St., Easthampton, MA quite a few years ago. My grandfather Michael John O'Neill 08/16/1882-10/07/1946( of Kingston, NY) m. Ethel Lewine Friel 1882-1958 June 25, 1907 in Easthampton, MA. They lived in Kingston, NY for a while & then on to MA. The O'Neil -Ellen Shortell & O'Neill-Ellen Shistell requires some deep understanding of family ties. What relationship between my grandfather & John J. O'Neill exist in genealogy records? Wish Ken O'Neill was still around? He'd figure it all out. Chuck-if you ever see the movie "Other People's Money" starring Gregory Peck & Danny Devito; Ken O'Neill is the guy holding a briefcase walking in back of an automobile during a scene in the movie. No speaking part but a walk-on for a split second. He was a school teacher in Danbury, CT & world traveler specializing in Irish History. He spoke many languages & educated himself with degrees at St. Michael's College, Winookskie, VT, Fairfield U. CT with a Masters & numerous affiliations in Irish causes. We always wondered where the last name in our O'Neill name came from. The Civil War records have it as Michael O'Neil but my grandfather added the other "L" we now use. Beats the "L" outta me what is the proper way. You must have a tough time with Shaughnessy? Mistakes are made at times. My enlistment papers in the U. S. Marine Corps in 1956 states my religion as "P" instead of "C". There's no way to change-even now-my service records from the Marine Corps. Tried a few times in the past; but once your signature is on a document - it stands forever. Thanks for your time Chuck reading this as it took me all day to type it. P.S. Don't have spell checker & still a novice on the PC!! Thanks-Mike at [email protected] This is all so far up to-date as of 3:25pm Sat 7/21/2007. Now you wonder why I like genealogy? Exciting to find out where you came from!! Mike