Association Newsletter
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7 |
Volume III,
Issue 8, August, 2003
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Association Newsletter |
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Volume III, Issue 8, August, 2003 |
Bev Crowe recently visited Mason County, Illinois in search of information
on Harvey O'Neal, son of Bennet O'Neal. Here's what she found:
My trip to Havana was not as beneficial as I had hoped. Unfortunately,
it seems as though Harvey et al moved prior to his death as he is not buried
in Mason County nor was there a probate. It was suggested that he
might have returned to Virginia, Cass County, Illinois or even went to
Kansas where his father and mother-in-law lived. Well, this is what
I found:
From History of Mason and Menard Counties, 1879. pg 575
Harvey ONEAL, retired physician, Kilbourn;
is one of Mason County's staunch and reliable men; and has been closely
connected with its interests and has
been so much service to the country in the line of his profession as
any man in the county; he was born in Barren Co., Ky, May 19, 1818; seventh
child of
a family of eight children of Bennet Oneal and Sallie Emery, who were
natives of the Old Dominion.
Harvey's father was engaged in mechanical
pursuits, which, being distasteful to his son, led him to follow another
line of action for a life business; he early had a desire to study
medicine; this did not meet with his parents' approval, but he cherished
his desire, and, after he attained majority, turned his steps to Illinois
and, the same year, began reading medicine with Dr. Schooler; he pursued
his studies until graduation, receiving his honors in St. Louis Medical
College in 1843; he began the practice of his profession in Virginia, Cass
Co.; he located in Bath.
In November, 1844, he married Ann Beesly,
daughter of Benjamin Beesly; three children were born, none of whom are
now living; she died in 1850. In September, 1851, he was married
to Charlotte West, daughter of Amos S. West, a native of Kentucky; they
had five children, four now living--James C., Helen J., Richard M. and
Harry W.
The Doctor continued the practice of medicine
in Bath for twenty years, when, it becoming too severe upon him, he was
compelled to abandon it on account of
his health, and, in the year 1865, moved to this township and bought
a farm and has since turned his attention to agricultural persuits; he
has been long a member of the Masonic Fraternity. He was raised a
Whig and is a man of sound information and well read on the topics of the
day; he is a zealous advocate of the Greenback doctrine and is firm in
the belief of the final triumph of that party.
pg 582--Harvey Oneal was a charter member of the Odd Fellows, Bath Lodge
#125 7/29/1853. He was its first officer, being Noble Grand
pg 585-596--Villiage of Bath Feb. 1857, Harvey was one of the first
Councilmen
pg 432--1866 and 1868 Harvey O'Neal was a supervisor of Crane Creek
Township, Mason County, Illinois
18 June 1852 Harvey O'Neal was involved in the 17th General Assembly to incorporate Virginia Seminary with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Col. Amos Suttle West (b 9 Oct. 1801 d 7 July 1881) and Elizabeth Washburn
(b abt 1800 d 1872) both buried in Paola, Miami County, Kansas were the
parents of Charlotte Ellen West.