under construction
McNeish Family

aka: McNish, Nish, MacNeish and misspellings in IL records: MCurish, McNisch


names related thru marriage
-A- Alban, -B- Bell, Bowe, Bruck, Buchanan, Burnett, , -C- Casstevens, Cowan, Crawford, Croft -D- Duncan, Dymond -E- Emerson -H- Hatch -I- Irving -J- Johnson -K- Keck, Kennedy -L- Laubach, Leach -M- Maxon -N- Neuendorf -O- Osborne, Overlease -R- Rand -S- Sands, Savery, Shaw, Shearer, Stockton -T- Tapp -W- Walker, Walter, Watson, Watt, Welsh
It's important to note that one decendant changed his surname from McNeish to MacNeish approx. 1900 (Harry McNeish, son of Thomas and Isabella (Burnett) because he discovered that "Mc" could mean Irish while "Mac" could mean Scottish.

I don't believe the below paragraph is totally correct. It comes from a family member, but dates don't agree. I list this because it is something that can be used for further research.

Thomas Nish was a miner at Cleland, Lararkshire, Scotland and lived in Bothwell in 1811 according to the Bothwell Presbyterian Church records. In that church, records list their children below. So far we know that Thomad (2) and brother, Robert came to the US. Some information seems incorrect in many places due to name changes, but this is what family info. is at this point.

1. Thomas Nish / Marian COWAN, m.? in Scotland
___b. approx. 1790, d.? / b.?, d.? would be 6 yo when dauther is born
___2. Margaret McNeish
______b. 10-11-1796, must be later, ?, d.?
___2. John Nish
______b. 3-08-1811, d.?
___2. Thomas Nish changed to McNeish / Jean DUNCAN came to US
______b. 1815, d. 9-19-1887 (MI)/ b.3-12-1810, D. 1-?-1876
___2. Robert Nish/Neish/MacNeish / Jean SHEARER, m. 5-19-1837 in Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire
______came to US
______b. 1816, d.? (us) / b. 1818, d.?,
______3. Margaret McNeish / John WATSON (f. John, mo. Agnes (CRAWFORD) Watson), m. 10-28-1859
_________b. 1837, d.?
______3. Thomas McNeish, b. 1840, lived Topeka, KS
______3. William, b. 11-28-1843
______3. Joseph, b. 1846, lived Scranton, KS, GGrandfather to George R. MacNeish of Winfield, KS
______3. John Sabron McNeish, b. 9-07-1848
______3. Robert, b. 4-07-1851
______3. Marion, b. 1854, thought to have died young.

Thomas Nish sometime changed his surname to McNeish. He married 1-22-1841 in Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire, Scottland to a Jean Duncan born there in 2-19-1810, (f. John Duncan , mo. Margaret SHAW, b. 5-20-1788; ((f. James Shaw, mo. Margaret BUCHANAN))). Note: we also have listed Elizabeth Buchanan as Jean's grandmother. The Cumbernauld 1841-61 census lists this family living here and in 1851 list Thomas as a master shoemaker with 2 employees in Bothwell and Jean's as Tambourer, which is an embroiderer. There is no one by this surname at 1871 census. IMMIGRATION. There is dispute as to what year this family immigrated to US. One says 1868, another says 1866, but a copy of decendent, Agnes McNeish's letter states that she is sure that it was 1864 since Thomas McNeish, (son of Thomas/Jean) Jr's age was 16. A Biography of Thomas McNeish (3), states that his parents spent 3 years in PA before coming to Ford Co., IL when he was 21 yo - this would mean they immigrated in 1866 to US and 1869 to IL. Thomas was buried in Benton Harbor, MI because he was living with his son, Thomas after his wife died.

2. Thomas Nish changed to McNeish / Jean DUNCAN
___b. 1815, d. 9-19-1887 (MI)/ b.3-12-1810, D. 1-?-1876 (IL)
___3. Margaret McNeish / John WATT, stayed in Scotland
______b. 1844
___3. Marian McNeish / John MASON, lived in PA or Dunkirk, NY
______b. 1846
___3. Thomas McNeish / Isabella BURNETT, m. 9-01-1873
______b. 3-02-1848, d. 7-04-1891
___3. John McNeish / (1) Grace OSBORNE,
______b. 1850, d.1884 / b.?, d.? /
______remarried (2) Susan WALKER
______b. ?, d. 1889, Roberts, IL
______4. Jeanie L. McNeish / William E. KENNEDY, m. 6-01-1899 in Ford Co.
______ raised vs adopted from 1890's by J. B. LEACH family
_________5. H.E. Kennedy
______4. Grace McNeish / Richard OSBORNE, raised and may have been adopted after 1890's to Samuel J. TAPP family
___3. Isabella, b. 1852, d.?

Thomas McNeish Isabella BURNETT, m. 9-01-1873
______b. 3-02-1848, d. 7-04-1891

Thomas McNEISH, b. 3-2-1848 in Dumbartonshire, Scotland married 9-1-1873 to Isabella BURNETT, b. in Dumfrieshire, Scotland 5-13-1853, (f. Adam, mo. Jean IRVING Burnett - see Burnett page). In the Il. marriage index for this marriage date, Thomas' surname is spelled MCNISCH. Isabella's family immigrated with her grandparents to La Prairie, Il in 1854 and eventually her father, Adam, settled in Ford Co, Il. Thomas and �Bell� lived in Chicago, IL, 1882-3 > Benton Harbor, MI 1883-1889 > Roberts, IL. He farmed in Ford Co. several years until Roberts twp. developed and he started to manufacture boots/shoes, later getting into the harness business, which his daughter Jeanne later took over with Frank L. Hanson. Thomas died 7-4-1891 from a sky rocket accident when he tried to drive a spike into it to replace a fuse and both buried at Lyman Cemetery in Roberts, IL as are some of their children unless otherwise noted. Isabella died 10-25-1925.

3. Thomas McNeish / Isabella Burnett
___4. Thomas McNeish, 1874- 3-13-1877, scarlett fever
___4. Jeanie McNeish / Richard Wilbur MAXSON 3-19-1902 of Roberts and Rolfe, Ia
______b. 4-25-1876, d. 6-18-1938, b.?, d.10-31-1921
______5. Phoebe "Isabel" Maxon, 1906-?, m. Edmund SAVERY 1934,Rolfe,IA
_________b. 12-09-1906, d. 1999
_________6. Jeanne Savery / Thomas CASSTEVENS 1958, Rochester, MI
|___________7__Willa Casstevens
|___________7__Margot CAsstevens
|________6._Donald Savery / Sharon BOWE 1967, Rolfe, IA
|___________7. Daniel Savery
|___________7__Mary Savery
|______5__Richard Maxson, b. 11-10-1916, d. 12-?-1916
|__4__Mary belle McNeish, (My GGrandmother � see below)
|__4__Harris "Harry" MacNeish / (1) Elizabeth STOCKTON 1917, educator; buried Chicago;
______b. 9-01-1879, d. 9-02-1953
|_____5. Richard MacNeish,1918-?, m. Diana WALTER 1962, Andover, MA
|________6__Richard MacNeish,
|________6__Alexander MacNeish
|_____5__Jean MacNeish / David BRUCK 1941, killed WW2
|________6__Jean Bruck m. Arthur RAND 1949
|___________7__Martha Rand
|___________7__Richard Rand
______Harry remarried (2) Jeannette (BELL) KECK
|__4__Agnes McNeish, 5-30-1988-1958, educator, Mt. Hope Cemetery, Chicago
|__4__John McNeish /Lucille HATCH m. 9-23-1922, buried Mt. Hope;
______b. 1-04-1889 (MI), d. 12-27-1955 /
|____5__John McNeish / Margaret WIMMER 1951, Tallahassee, FL
|______6__John Jr. MacNeish
|______6__Sandra MacNeish
|______67__Robert MacNeish
|____5__Jeanie McNeish / Eugene NEUENDORF 1951, Long Island, NY
|______6__Barbara, Neuendorf
|______6__James Neuendorf
|______6__Nancy Neuendorf
|____5__Bruce McNeish / Judith JOHNSON 1957, Bettendorf, IA
|______6__Scott MacNeish
|______6__Christine MacNeish
|______6__Janie MacNeish
|______6__Robert MacNeish
|__4__Twins McNeish; Marion, 1885-1885 buried in Lyman Cemetery
in Roberts, IL and Margaret, 1885-1890 � buried in MI
|__4__Ellen McNeish / James DYMOND 4-04-1914, buried Fairfield Cem., Lake Zurich, Il.
______b. 11-05-1890, d.?
|____5__James Dymond / Jane EMERSON 1943, Rockford,IL
________b. 4-13-1919, d.?
|_______6__Karen Dymond / James SANDS Jr. m.1967, Rockford, IL
|_______6__Cynthia Dymond / Nickolas ALBAN m. 1970, Hinsdale, IL
|____5__Margaret Dymond , m. Dr. George LAUBACH 1953, Rochelle, IL
|______6__Susan Laubach
|______6__James Laubach
|______6__George Laubach
|____5__Edith Dymond / Dr. Wm OVERLEASE m. 1955, West Chester, PA

Maurice James WELSH was born in Bloomington, IL. At age 25 he followed his parents to Roberts, IL where he farmed most of his life. He married in Gibson City, IL (by Fr. Kelly), Mary Belle McNeish (IL marriage records list her surname as McCurish).

Mary belle was member of Congregational Church and President of the Christian Endeaver Society and an organist. She worked as secretary and teacher at the Methodist Church in Roberts, bookkeeper at her father's harness store. Mary belle attended State Teachers College at Normal and taught at Guthry, IL until she converted to Catholocism and married Maurice Welsh. Maurice farmed in Normal, Covell, Williams, IA in 1915 and Morris, MN in 1920. He served on school board at Williams, prominent in Knights of Columbus and member of Modern Woodman. They then moved to Fargo, ND in 1922, where he worked on Northern Pacific Railroad and as night watchman at Kresge's Dime Store. Migration: McClean Co., IL>IA>MN>ND

3. Mary Belle McNeish / Maurice James WELSH,(My GG)
___b. Nov. 15, 1867, d. Apr. 27, 1938/b. Dec. 31, 1877, d. Dec. 1, 1963/m. Dec. 31, 1896
SEE WELSH WEBPAGE

IL marriage index listings: GROOM - BRIDE - COUNTRY - DATE - REC. NO.-LIC. NO.

FISK, HENRY E - MCNEISH, HANNAH S - COOK - 12/31/1885 000/ 00098949
SURBY, JAMES A - MCNEISH, ISABELLA D - FORD - 01/09/1871 00A/0019 00000540
KENNEY, WILLIAM E - MCNEISH, JEANIE L - FORD- 6/01/1899/0008 00005971
ROGERS, C S - MCNEISH, MARION - COOK -12/08/1867 001/FINK
MCNEISH, JOHN - DORA, SUSAN - FORD - 02/20/1883 001/0062 00000891
MCNEISH, WILLIAM - HOWARTH, JANE - ROCK ISLAND 10/04/1883 00D/0190 00012563
No data for MacNeish for grooms or brides.
Letter dtd 1958 from Charles Kniland of Roberts, Il gave info on Thomas McNeish (3) family.
Letter from Agnes NcNeish to Mary gave other family info.
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

HOME
1