Old Documents from the McNiel/McNeil Homestead, Locust Grove, Floyd County, Virginia

These documents were in an old rusty metal box found among the possessions of my late uncle John T. McNiel, who lived on his family’s ancestral home in Floyd County Va. There are included letters from relatives, most interesting being those from Samuel D. Light and family, who had moved to Missouri about 1857 from Floyd County. Samuel’s wife Margaret was sister to James I. McNiel’s wife Lydia. And, Lydia and Margaret’s mother, Nancy Smith, lived with James I. and family.

There are also many receipts and proceedings of my gr-grandfather James Ireson McNiel, who, as judged from some of these documents, was a blacksmith and also a Justice of the Peace.

The homestead of James I. McNiel still stands behind the more recent house, built about 1930. When new, the old log house was said by my great-uncle Charles Lewis McNeil to have been “the finest house between here and Christiansburg”. The actual date of construction is unknown.

Assembled by Maynard McNeil, September 2009

Above letter transcribed by Maynard McNeil – punctuation and capitalization added as seemed appropriate

Hughart P.O.

June the 2, 1882

Dear Grandmother

I have been thinking a long time I would write to you but time passes so fast in this country that it seems but a few days since I left Floyd. I have had no trouble in getting a home, my health is splendid since I came here. We all have had but Mother, and she has been as well as could be expected for a woman of her age. You would not know Archie & Sarah. They have grown so much. I like this country so much better than I do Floyd. I would not live there again for anything. I am living with Mrs. Skagg. I get a dollar and a quarter a week and do not have much hard work to do. She has no children of her own. Her niece lives with her. She is grown young lady but she and Mrs. Skagg help me with the work. Mrs. Skagg is in delicate health and is not able to do much, but they are very kind and good to me. You know how low wages are in Floyd. A woman has no chance there to make anything. I just have everything I want. The young lady that lives here made me a beautiful suit of underclothes and skirt. Has 18 tucks(?) in it and they are trimmed beautifully.

I would come to see you all and perhaps will visit you this fall. Eli and Liddie are talking of going to see you and their other relations, and I had thought I would go with them but do not know whether I will go with them or not yet. I have never heard a word from Jim since I have been here. I reckon he has got a divorce and has married again. If he has it is all right with me. He had better keep it a secret. He don’t know how many young men are in this country. I do not want Jim to know I have writen this. I like him just as well as I ever did, but I think he has treated me shamefully, but if he would come here I would live with him and let the past bury the past. He knows I missed him for no other reason than love, and how he can think of his children and stay from them I can’t tell. When you write tell me if he is there yet and what he is doing. I know if he would come here we could make a good living. Is Gorge living with his wife now, or what has become of him? The reason I think so hard of him is because he sent me here when he know how bitter my people were against me for marrying him. I hope you and grandpap are well and have plenty to live on. We have had a very backward spring here, the weather is real cold for this time of year. You can get Mr. Hall to answer this for you and tell all about the people and how they are doing there. Now give my love to any inquiring friends. I know that Mother would love to go to see you but do not know whether she will ever get to go or not. Well I have nothing more so will at present. Will close hoping to hear from you soon.

I remain your devoted ? ? Fannie McNiel ? ?

Direct your letter to Hughart P Office

Greenbrier County West Virginia

Light Letters from St Clair Co., MO

July 11, 1858 Pg1

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Light Letters from St Clair Co., MO

Mar 16, 1866 Pg1

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Light Letters from Cedar Co., MO

Aug 15, 1867 Pg1

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Cedar Co. Mo.

Aug. 15^th 1867

Dear Brother and Sister

I once more seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well at present hoping when these lines reaches you they may find you all enjoying the same blessing. Yours of the 4^th July last came to hand yesterday. It gave us great satisfaction to hear from you all and to hear that things was well with you generally as you wrote. We had a remarkable wet spring and summer until about the first of July. Since that time we haven’t had any rain to do any good. I never saw crops look so promising as they did until the last two weeks. Corn is now fireing very fast. I have in fifty acres and if it does not rain within ten days it will not make more than 150 bs of corn. But we expect rain as they is some signs of it. Crops was generally good, wheat was all destroyed last fall by the grasshopper that is in this section of country fine Crops of wheat where the grasshopper didn’t go. Last winter and spring we had remarkable bad weather for work and as we had the world of it to do we was late planting. Ferdinand came home last winter made rails and fenced 40 acres of land rented it partly to me and others and is teaching School again. I had two lots fenced 3 acres each one of them set in fruit trees and one field fenced of sixty acres. Have 52 acres broke out again which I have planted and sowed in different kinds of truck. Last year I had to rent as the place I bought here was all burnt during the war. In the spring ’66 we made 4000 rails for this place, last fall I built me a good hued log smoke house 12 by 16 feet. House 16 by 18 feet good stone chimny hued me timbers for a frame 16 by 36 feet and made 4000 shingles toward covering it last winter and spring me and my lot of boys made 5000 rails and I hired 2000 made and paid $25.00 for the making of them. I am about to commence my house again. McElwaine & Green is a diging at the celar today. Henry cuting prarie grass. Jemma is selling water mellons to the Wagners. Henry was out in Hickory to se Ferdinand a few days ago, found him well. You wrote me to come and se you all. Such a thing mabe and if I do you need not kill the fated calf for I assure you that to se you all once more would be banquet enough for me. The boys talks of paying you all visit and I think will some time next year. I have labored hard since I have been in this country to get what I came here for. I have a part of it.

Tell Mother in Law we still look for her yet to tell her my 4 Missouri pukes is fine looking lads. James is the smallest of his age. He went with me to Stockton yesterday. He was wonderfully pleased with his trip, it about 17 miles from here. Now concerning my matters in Va., as for the tract of land on the head of the river, I care not for the sale or perchas of. I had the best coucil in that Country in regard to the titles and as for Huff having possession maters not for he is not an innocent perchaser for he is well apprised my having a title to the land and I therefore will hold him responsible for all tresspasses. He tried to buy of me for a song before I left so I guess he whistled John Shilling a tune for his title claim and you can tell him that I am not so hard run to put myself to the trouble of making and send(ing) him a deed for the pitiful sum of $20.00. But he may have the land for $45.00 if he will not give that I can spare twice that amount from here in defence of my rights, and as for Mr. Calhoun I do not consider him a competent agent to sell my land and all the right he has there is just 3 sixths which is one half. I can get another 6^th interest which will give me one half but if Calhoun wants his part in a shape that he can work it I will join a suit with him for a partition in the land and if he brings my other kind of a suit than for partition let me know immediately and I will sue for the partition or if he will pay cost and interest which is just about $350.00 I will make him a deed. Send it to him through your hand to be delivered to him on reciept of a draft for that amount in St. Louis Bank national currency. If you se him talk with him about it and I will also write a few lines and mail when I do this. Se Huff, let me know what he says and what he is doing on the land if none of these proposals do not take attend to the taxes until some of us can come and attend to it ourselves. David Hall has money of mine agreeable to what he wrote me last and John Light I guess collected all the rent money for the Pease place. He also owes me other wise I think you wrote me that he said he would take the property I left with him and pay for. So if you need money to pay taxes apply to them for it and if you do not get money to keep the taxes paid till I or one of the boys can come, let me know and I will send it to you.