JOHN NEELY was but an infant when his parents came to Washington county, Penn. His father, John Neely, was born in 1798 in County Tyrone, Ireland, being a weaver by trade. In early life the latter was married to Elizabeth Finton, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, daughter of Robert Finton. In 1841 this couple sailed from Londonderry, Ireland, on the vessel "North America," commanded by Capt. William Baker. They landed at Philadelphia, Penn., thence pushing westward, and crossing the Alleghany mountains on the old inclined planes, located in Hanover township, this county, where they began farming. They were the parents of three children, all of whom were born in Ireland, viz.: Samuel M. and Catherine, living in Hanover township at very advanced ages, and John. The father died in 1684, having been preceded to the grave by his wife. John Neely, son of John and Elizabeth Neely, was born February, 20, 1840, in Cooley Parish, County Tyrone, Ireland, and was reared on the farm in Pennsylvania, also attending the subseription schools of his adopted State. On January 21, 1868, he wooed and won Clarissa A. Hart, of Tuscarawas county, Ohio. She was born in Oetober, 1844, and was a daughter of Leonard Hart, a native of eastern Pennsylvania, who was an early settler of Ohio. The children of John and Clarissa Neely were as follows: George P., Margaret E., John L., Clarissa J., Stewart E., Catherine A., Emma I., Samuel M., Clarence H., Robert S., and Ray, of whom Stewart E., Catherine A., and Ray are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Neely resided in Tusearawas county, Ohio, for sixteen years after their marriage, and in 1884 came to Washington county, Penn., locating in Hanover township on the "old Fullerton farm," where they have since lived. Mr. Neely is a farmer and stock raiser, and was among the first to conceive the idea of a creamery in his neighborhood. He took an active part in organizing a stock company for the operation of the proposed industry which unfortunately failed to materialize, resulting in financial loss to Mr. Neely. Politically he is a Democrat, and in religious faith both he and his estimable wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Samuel Neely was married in 1875 to a Miss Maria Dixon, of Clinton, Washington county. They have three children: John D., James S. and Catherine B.

Text taken from page 673 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by John R. Mort of Salt Pointe, NY as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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