From the Frankfort Weekly News - January 21, 1905
Saturday morning at 2:30 John C. Meneely, Sr., died at his home on East Paris Street. His demise was not due to any particular ailment but due to a general breaking down of the fountain of life, due to old age, he being more than ninety years old. For several days he had been quite ill, but was taken much worse Friday, and in the afternoon began sinking, a condition that progressed until the summons came to the world beyond. His last moments were peaceful, his life simply slipping away until he had inherited eternity. By the death of John C. Meneely, Clinton county loses one of its oldest residents, a man whose active years were closely associated with the county's best interests. He was born in Cumberland County, or Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania, November 28, 1814, and was the fourth child of John C. and Isabella Meneely. Shortly after his birth his parents moved to Albany, New York, where his father piloted a steamboat on the Hudson plying to the coast. A brother was the founder of a bell foundry in Troy, New York, which is yet in operation. When four years old he came with his parents from Albany to Cincinnati by way of Pittsburg, the journey from Pittsburg to Cincinnati being made by keel-boat. The family then went to Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio where the father engaged in farming and school teaching, the subject of this sketch assisting in the farm work. In 1830 the family moved to Butler County, Ohio, a journey of considerable discouragements by reason of having to be made overland. In Hamilton, Ohio, he was engaged in hauling pork for a packing house. In February, 1836, he was married to Nancy Stewart, and to them were born five children: Joseph, James A., Hannah, John C., and Nancy. In 1836 and 1840 he voted for Martin VanBuren. Starting on election day by ox team for Clinton County, Indiana, he settled three miles north-east of Frankfort on what is now known as the James Messler farm. His father came in 1844 and settled on the Jacob Sheets farm near Beard. A brother-in-law, Joseph Holliday, came in 1840 and surveyed a road from Mt. Pleasant church to the Michigan road and settled on the William Silverthorn place on that road. Mrs. Meneely died in 1846 and he was married to Nancy M. Franklin. To this union seven children were born: Ellen M., Sarah Belle, Franklin P., Alice, Margaret, Eliza, and Alva Retta. He managed the affairs of the county farm on the Wesley Parvis farm for a time. He sold the farm on which he first settled and went to Texas in a "prairie schooner' (a covered wagon) in the spring of 1856 but returned the fall of that same year. In 1860 he bought 160 where Joseph Meneely now resides at Avery. Here his wife died in 1864. In 1865 he was married to Susan Davis. To this union was born one child, Charles A. In 1872 his wife died. That same year he began to grade and gravel the public square at Frankfort, for which he received $9,000. In 1873 he was married to Mary Lee, and to them were born two children, Ora L., and William C. In 1880 he moved to the farm just east of the brick factory and continued contracting and building gravel roads in various parts of the county. His wife died while he resided there, and in 1889 he was married to Susan J. Baker, of Golfax, who survives him. He is survived by the following children: Joseph Meneely, of Avery; Hannah N., wife of Abraham Cashner, of Darlington; Sarah, wife of Cyrus Booher, of Darlington; Frank P. Meneely, of Moscow , Idaho; Alice, wife of Alex Buchanan, of Darlington; Miss Lydia Meneely, of Darlington; Charles, and William Meneely, of Frankfort; and Ora, wife of Arch Gladman, of Yeddo, Ind. He was one of the few that were so old that they were exempted from service in the army during the civil war. In point of years of membership he was the oldest member of the Masonic lodge in Indiana, having joined the Frankfort lodge of Masons January 6, 1848. But few men were better known throughout Clinton County than the deceased, and with all his acquaintances he was popular. He was possessed of a magnificent physique, and was untiring in assisting others in time of need. He lived a useful life and left good works as a never-crumbling monument. The funeral was held Monday morning from the Christian church. The service was well attended, there being a noticeable number of elderly friends of the deceased present. The sermon was by Rev. Connor, of Irvington, the supply pastor of the Christian church of this city. It consisted largely of lessons drawn from the long and sturdy life of the deceased. The internment was at Bunnell, the exercises at the grave being under the auspices of the Masonic lodge at Michigantown, of which he was an honorary member.
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