John McNeil (1736 - 1831)

John McNeil

My relationship: Me > Norma Haynes > Thomas Haynes > Annie McNeil > Matthew McNeil > John McNeil

John McNeil (McNeal) was born on 10 October 1766.  He was of Scottish ancestry.
In the Revolutionary War, he was in the 1st Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 84th Regiment of Great Britain and listed as a Drummer under the command of Col. John Small. They mainly saw action in the Atlantic Canadian provinces, the Carolinas and Georgia.

(Image courtesy of British Drums and Colours)

The company was disbanded in October, 1783 at Windsor, Nova Scotia. Many of the Battalion members became the original settlers of the Douglas and Rawdon townships in Hants County. John and Hector McNeil (possibly a brother) were granted 500 acres in Douglas.

The Commissioner's Report of 1800 listed 500 acres at Nine Mile River belonging to John McNeil.. This land had a house and barn. Twenty acres had been cleared and the stock consisted of 1 horse, 4 cattle, and 10 sheep.

John married Elizabeth McLearn (born 2 November 1769) on 1 January 1789. They had eleven children - eight boys and three girls.  Matthew McNeil (my great great grandfather) was born the third child and second son on 7 November 1795.

John died on June 25, 1831 in Douglas. His will was dated 2 days earlier on June 23, 1831 and the inventory of the estate was taken on August 29, 1831.

Abstract of will:
I, John McNeill, of Douglas, county of Hants do will and bequeath:
1) to my son James, the homestead farm with all my stock to be his forever with certain restrictions.
2) to my son John, if he should return home, the land west of the land now sold to Peter McDonald; and if my son should not return, then that property to the posterity of my son James.
3) to my loving wife Elizabeth, one end of my dwelling house with fireplace, and that my son James is to give her two cows and four sheep and to winter and pasture them for her and she is to have their increase, their use and benefit; to always have sufficient wood for her fireplace and to have water brought to her; to have the privileges of keeping a goose and fowls and also a pig; to have ten bushels of potatoes and five bushels of oats annually to feed them with; and my son James is at all times to provide mother with the provisions for the necessities of her maintenance during her natural life; and that my son James not sell, mortgage or convey his said estate during his mother's natural life; and if my son James should die without a lawful heir of his body, his part of the estate is to be sold and equally divided among his brothers and sisters after his mother's death.
4) to my daughter Eleanor, twenty shillings to buy her a gown to be paid by my son James.
5) to my daughter Ann, five pounds to be paid by my son James.
6) to my daughter Catharine, five pounds or one cow to be paid by James my son.
7) to my son Mathew, five pounds to be actually paid by my son James towards the Grant of his land.
8) to my sons William, Alexander, Daniel and Hugh, five shillings each to be their full share and portion of my property forever.
I do ordain and constitute my beloved wife Elizabeth to be my executrix and my beloved son James and my friend Alexander McPhee to be my true and lawful executors.
Will dated 23 June 1831.


Inventory of estate -  Total value: 392 pounds, 16 shillings, 6 pence.
Included:
Farm and crops - 300 pounds.
1 pair oxen
Steer, cows and calves
1 old mare
14 sheep, 11 lambs
7 hogs and 9 small pigs
Cartwheels, harrow, dung fork, pitch fork, 2 old axes
Crockery, pots, shovel and tongs
3 tables, 5 chairs, beds
Books

Comments: Many of my Nova Scotia ancestors were British Loyalists and fought for the Crown in the Revolutionary War. After the British defeat they were rewarded with land grants in Hants County, Nova Scotia.
John McNeil had a large family and appeared to have been a successful farmer in this primitive area. I especially like item # 3 above in his will outlining his bequests to his wife, Elizabeth.