The O'Neal Genealogy Association Newsletter

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TOGA NEWS Volume III, Issue 6, June, 2003

In may I got a letter from Mary Lynn O'Neal Morin, a direct descendant of Harley R. O'Neal. Mary has sent some photos and information on Harley's descendants. Thanks, Mary! From this information, Mary and I have penned a short biography of Harley, as follows:

Harley R. O'Neal, the third child and first son born to Eleazer O'Neal Jr. and Rebecca Rees O'Neal was delivered into his parents' loving arms on September 6^th, 1885 in the small town of Ellsworth, McLean County, Illinois. We don't know much about Harley's childhood years and upbringing, but we can deduce his character from events in his adult life.

On a sunny day in April 1905, 19 year old Harley took Miss Bertha Amanda France as his bride in Paxton, Ford County, Illinois. Their marriage was to be short lived, however. On June 3^rd, 1907 "Bertie" gave Harley his first son, Vernon O'Neal. As a result of complications during childbirth, Bertha passed away later that same day.

Bertha Amanda France O'Neal was the youngest daughter of Henry S. France and Martha J Dugan France. Henry France was born in Newton Township, Muskingum, Ohio in 1838 to Jacob France and Phoebe Elizabeth Slack. Bertha's sisters were Marietta France, born in 1867, Phoebe Elizabeth France, born in 1871, and Cora Belle France, born in 1873. Bertha also had a brother, Jacob Urena France, born in 1875, who died at ten months of age. According to cemetery inscriptions in the Rankin-Union Cemetery, R. Vernon O'Neal is buried next to his mother. He died 9-23-1971. Jacob, Henry, Martha, and Bertha' s Uncle John are also buried in Rankin-Union Cemetery, Vermilion County, Illinois (Note, the history of Bertha's family was obtained from John France, a great great grandson of John France, who was an uncle of Bertha, and sent to me by Bill Boyle.)

How Harley coped with the loss of his young bride will always be a mystery to us. To assure a maternal hand in the raising of his infant son Harley enlisted the aid of his mother in law, who acted as a surrogate mother to Vernon until Harley remarried.

Harley coped with the tragedy dealt him and moved on with his life. Nearly six years later he took a new bride, Miss Myra Norris. She raised Vernon as her own, and together, they bore and raised seven additional children. Harley and Myra were married February 26, 1913 in her mother's home in Rankin, Illinois. The Rev. H.C. Johnson officiated, and the attendants were Elmer Jones and Miss Edna Marshall of Rankin. They started housekeeping on a farm near Cheneyville (where Glenn, was born) and later moved to Rankin where they lived for 18 years before moving to Milford in 1934.

Harley was the Fire chief of Rankin, Illinois and on the Rankin town board and the Rankin High School Board. Harley bought the Harmon home, a large Victorian that had belonged to a prominent Milford family. 200 North Chicago Street was just the right size for his large family. His son, Glenn, was 20 when they moved to Milford, and was a freshman at the University of Illinois.

On moving to Milford,Harley opened the O'Neal Plumbing and Heating, which he later sold to Glenn when he retired in 1950. He was a member of the Milford High School board for many years and a prominent businessman in Milford. He and Myra celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Sunday, February 24, 1963 with an open house at their home from 2 to 5.