BIOGRAPHY: John Howard NEELY, Mifflintown, Juniata Co., PA
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mike Williamson
Transcribed by Patty Frank
Copyright 2006. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley,
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry,
Pennsylvania. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume II,
pages 784-786.
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JOHN HOWARD NEELY, Mifflintown, Juniata county, Pa., was born in
Tuscarora township, Juniata county, Pa., September 7, 1858, son of
John and Margaret Jane (Ewing) Neely, the former a native of Juniata
and the latter of Perry county, Pa. The Neely family are of
Scotch-Irish stock, so prominent and so potent among the imakersi of
Pennsylvania. The pioneer came to America from County Derry, Ireland,
in early colonial days.
William Neely, the great-grandfather of John Howard Neely, Lived in
his boyhood, near the present town of Roxbury, Franklin county, Pa.,
Robert Neely, a brother, two years younger, was captured by Indians,
about 1750, being at the time only seven years old. He was brought up
the by the tribe and married an Indian girl. The following letter
written by Col. James Perry, of Pittsburg, Pa., a cousin of William
Neely, and of the captured boy (the original of which is now in the
possession of Margaret J. Neely, of Galveston, Ind.), furnished the
information which led to the identification of Robert Neely as the
captive:
"Pittsburg, Oct. 22, 1805.
Dear Cousin:
Thoi you and I are so nearly related, I do not know that ever a
line passed from you to me or from me to you. I have often thoit that
it could not be for want of friendship or natural affection, as I
conceived we are both possessed of it. I would rather impute it to
thoughtless negligence. I came to live in this place last spring, to
keep store. I, perhaps, may continue some time. My family, a number
of girls, are grown up, three of them married. My two sons are now
beginning to be able to do business for me. This day William Cinney
called on me, on his return home. He told me you were anxious to hear
from your brother Robert, which I do not in the least doubt. I have, a
few weeks since, received information on him. I had often heard of
such a person, somewhere near the lakes. After I came to this place
last spring, I heard of him on Buffalo Creek, about five miles from
the Lake and eighteen above Niagara. I wrote a few lines to him, to
know whether he was the same Robert Neely, which I suspected he was,
and received an answer from Mr. Granger, Indian Agent, informing me
he was the same. I had not given him any account of his friends until
I was certain he was the person. A copy of Mr. Granger's letter you
have, as follows:
"Buffalo Creek, Aug. 13, 1805.
Sir: Your letter to Robert Neely, dated April 21, was lately put
into my hands. There is no doubt but the person, by the name of
Robert Neely, living with the Seneca Indians, about five miles from
this place, is the person whom you inquire for. He has often
mentioned to me the place where he was taken and some circumstances
respecting his family, which correspond with your description.
Previous to reading your letter to him, he was questioned on the
subject. He said he lived near Connocogeague Creek, that his uncle
was killed by the Indians and he was taken; that his father and
mother were dead that he had a sister and he thinks he had a brother,
Robert does not appear to have a perfect recollection of his family
relations, but says he believes your are his cousin. He has mentioned
to a person here that his father used to make whiskey. He is a man of
about sixty years and his looks indicated living a long time with the
Indians. He has imbibed their habits. He is very honest and
industrious and gets a good living in their way. He still retains his
native language, but speaks the Indian tongue better. He was very glad
to hear from you, and requests me to write to you for a more
particular account of his family; says he thought his relations were
all dead. He does not recollect anything about Braddock's defeat.
"I am Sir, your obedient humble servt",
ERASTUS GRANGER,
"Agent of Indian Affairs."
Col. James Perry.
"I have written to him as particular account of his friends as I
could collect. I have never heard anything of your sister, Mary,
since she went to Virginia, so that I could give very little account
of her. I wrote to him that I thought you or some of your sons would
go and see him as soon as you heard where he was.
I am, dear cousin, with respect,
Your humble servit,
Mr. William Neely. JAMES PERRY."
James Neely, son of William Neely, upon the knowledge contained in
this letter, visited his uncle and tried, by every inducement to
bring him back to his family, but in vain. Devoted to his squaw, and
inured to the life of the red men, neither the ties of blood nor the
attractions of civilized life had any power over him.
Early in life, William Neely settled in Lack township, Juniata
county, bought a tract of land from the Indians which he improved,
and on which he resided until his death. This tract of land was in
the possession of the Neely family until 1873, and is now owned by
Robert Robinson. Mr. Neely was prominent member of the Presbyterian
church at Waterloo, Juniata county. He married Miss Sallie Harvey of
Path valley, Franklin, county, Pa., and had children: John married
Margaret McFeaters,; William married on the same day with his
brother, John, a sister of Margaret McFeaters, and died two weeks
after his marriage; James, married Martha McConnell, had daughters,
Mary, who died in July, 1866, and Eliza (Mrs. Robert Alexander),
resides near Wooster, O.; Nancy, died in infancy.
John Neely, eldest son of William Neely, was born in Lack township,
June 20, 1774. He became a farmer, and in 1817, purchased a farm in
Tuscarora township, which he cultivated during the remainder of his
life. His marriage with Margaret McFeaters took place in 1802; they
had the following children: William; James; Mary; John; Robert
Harvey; and Sarah. John Neely, Sr., died August 5, 1846; his wife,
Margaret, died July 24, 1845. Their eldest son, William Neely,
married Mary McConnell, January 30, 1834; their children are:
Margaret Jane, of Galveston, Ind.; Thomas McConnell, of Greenfield,
Adair county, Ia.; John Harvey, of Norwich, Page county, Ia.; Mary
Adeline (Mrs. Joseph Gray), of Galveston, Ind.; Rachel Lucinda (Mrs.
Peter Sassaman), of Kokomo, Ind.; and Nancy Anna (Mrs. Samuel
McCulloch), of Shenandoah, Ia. William Neely died November 10, 1872,
in Juniata county. James Neely, second son of John, married Margaret
Alexander, and died at his home in Ohio, leaving no issue; his wife
still survives him. Mary, eldest daughter of John Neely, was married
to William L. Patterson, and had children: Robert H. Patterson, of
Tuscarora township, Juniata county; Oliver J., of Shenandoah, Ia.;
James A.; Nancy (Mrs. William I. McCulloch), of Shenandoah, Ia.
William L. Patterson died August 24, 1846; Mrs. Patterson survived
until January 5, 1881. Robert Harvey, youngest son of John Neely,
married Rachel Beale; their children are: James H.; Charles,
deceased; Ella F.; and Mary P., died August 29, 1889. Robert H. Neely
died March 30, 1887; his surviving children still reside with their
mother, Sarah, younger daughter of John Neely, was married to John
McCoy, and died November 7, 1883, leaving three sons and three
daughters, residing in Ohio.
John Neely, Jr., fourth child of John and Margaret (McFeaters)
Neely, was born June 6, 1814. From the age of three until his death
at nearly four score years, he lived on the iold homestead,i one on
the most productive and beautiful farms in the region. He was
educated in subscription schools, his intelligent and painstaking
study enabling him to derive much benefit from them, in spite of the
very limited advantages they afforded. The same diligence
characterized him throughout life, and as applied to his business
concerns, enabled him to secure and bequeath to his family
scientious, and while he required obedience and faithfulness from his
children and employees, was no less exacting towards himself. He was
frugal and economical, but not parsimonious; his children must not be
denied the benefits of a liberal education, nor must any who sought
help from him in time of need be sent away empty-handed. He was
devoted to his family, true and constant in friendship, and faithful
to his church. Like his ancestors, John Neely was a Presbyterian, a
life-long member of the Middle Tuscarora church. He married, January
13, 1853, Margaret Jane Ewing, born in Perry county, November 20,
1831. Their children are: W. A. K., farmer, of Wayne, Neb.; Virginia
M.; James M., died September 6, 1862; J. Howard, twin brother of
James M.; Anson Gilroy, died August 15, 1862; S. Arminia; Peorus A.,
living on the homestead; Rev. David T., of Milroy, Mifflin county, a
minister of the Presbyterian church; and Edgar C., at present a
student in the medial department of the University of Pennsylvania.
John Neely, the father, departed this life at his home in Tuscarora
township, May 30, 1892, aged seventy-seven years, eleven months and
twenty-five days. The faithful companion of nearly forty years of
wedded life still survives him.
Their son, John Howard Neely, after pursuing his elementary studies
in the common schools of the township, and graduating in 1879 from the
Millersville Normal school, in Lancaster county, was prepared for
college at the Airy View Academy, and graduated from Princeton
College with the class of 1884. During an interval of a few years
between his graduation from the normal school and his academic
course, Mr. Neely engaged in teaching, and in 1879 was chosen
principal of the Hummelstown, Dauphin county, schools, filling that
position for two years. After his graduation from Princeton, he
taught at the Airy View and Mifflintown Academies. During this time,
he read law with Alfred J. Patterson, Esq., of Mifflintown, and was
admitted to practice at the Juniata county bar, August 26, 1886. From
that time until 1892, he was the partner of his former preceptor, the
firm being styled Patterson & Neely. From 1891 to 1894, he served as
district attorney; he is still actively engaged in practice. His
acute intelligence and sound judgment cause his counsel to be much in
demand. Mr. Neely is a Democrat, as was his father also, and is active
in politics. He has for many years been secretary of the borough
council. For two years he was one-half owner of the Democrat and
Register. He is a member of Union Lodge, No. 324, F. and A. M.; of
Newport Chapter, No. 238; and of Lewistown Commandery, No. 26; and
Harrisburg Consistory.
John Howard Neely married, December 31, 1891, Ella K., daughter of
William Banks, of Mifflintown. Their children are: Lucian Banks, born
March 3, 1893; J. Howard, Jr., born November 22, 1894; and William H.,
born February 22, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Neely are member of the
Presbyterian church.