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Obituary : Joseph Samuel McNeel, son of Capt. William L. McNeel and
Margaret Jane Beard McNeel, was born at the ancestral home in the Little
Levels, November 26th, 1862, and died in the home where born February 16th,
1933, age 70 years, 2 months, and 20 days. On the 15th day of January
1890, he was married to Miss Mary Curry, daughter of William and Lucy Curry
of Huntersville, this county. To this union were born four children,
one of whom Lloyd McNeel died in Canada during the influenza epidemic in
1918. He leaves surviving him his widow and the following children,
Thomas P. McNeel, now of Greenbrier county, Henry W. McNeel and Lucille
McNeel, at home. He also has surviving him one brother Lloyd McNeel
and two sisters, Pauline McNeel and Margaret McNeel, all of whom reside in
the Pacific coast states. Of his father's family two brothers and four
sisters preceded him to the Great Beyond. Mr. McNeel was
prominently identified with the live stock industry of the Greenbrier
Valley, having taken a leading part in the introduction of pure bred
Hereford cattle into Pocahontas an Greenbrier counties, and always urged
that success in the industry lay in the handling of high class stock.
Mr. McNeel was an active Democrat and early in life connected himself with
the party organization in the county. In 1904 he was elected Sheriff
of Pocahontas county, serving four years. At the expiration of his
term of office he retried to his farming activities bu again in 1914 the
people demanded his serves and he was elected to a six year term on the
county court, ending his office holding period December 31st, 1920.
Few men had a wider acquaintance in his county, and he numbered his friends
by his acquaintances. In his early manhood Mr. McNeel united with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South. he was a great-grandson of
John McNeel, the pioneer, who established the White Pole Church, the first
Methodist organization in the county. Thus he came of a long line of
the followers of John Wesley. Mr. McNeel had enjoyed good health until
the day before his death. While performing some chores around the home
he was suddenly stricken with paralysis. he never regained
consciousness and peacefully passed away the following afternoon. On
Saturday, February 18th, his remains were laid to rest in the McNeel Cemetery
in the Little Levels. In the death of J. S. McNeel the county loses
one of its most prominent citizens and his wife and children a most kindly
and indulgent husband and father. |
