McNIEL, George Bartlett

MCNIEL, VANNOY, ELLER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 2/15/2006 at 14:09:56

"George Michael ELLER and his Descendants in America", by James W. Hook, 1957

"Genealogy of the McNIEL Clan 1720-1967" by Dorothy McNIEL Moore, Buhl, Minnesota, 1967

Concerning George Bartlett McNIEL 4, son of William 3, son of Joseph 2, son of Rev. George McNIEL 1, we quote from Dorothy McNIEL Moore's book:

"George Bartlett McNIEL 4, b. Aug. 31, 1844, Wilkes Co., N.C., d. Feb. 10, 1905, Jefferson Co., Iowa, married April 12, 1866, to Mary Ann VANNOY (dau. of Abraham Wesley VANNOY and Aley ELLER VANNOY), b. Feb. 7, 1845, in Wilkes Co., N.C. and d. Mar. 13, 1909, in Jefferson Co., Iowa."

"George Bartlett McNIEL was a Confederate soldier, serving under General Lee. He was in the Battle of Gettysburg and in his words 'the man in front of me was killed, then the one to the left, and then the one to the right.!' He lost a toe in the battle - as well as his freedom, as he was captured by Union soldiers and sent to Elmira, New York, as a Prisoner of War. He was released at the close of the Civil War, and returned to his home in North Carolina. What remained of his company were with General Lee at Appomattox."

"THE MIGRATION. Following the long and bitter Civil War, which left devastation and ruin in its wake, was the black era of reconstruction which blighted the hopes of the brave people for a speedy recovery from the effects of the war. North Carolina was an impoverished state. It was during this period that many people left the state for 'greener pastures.' This, then, was the motivation for George Bartlett and his wife to leave North Carolina. That Iowa was their destination could be borne out from the following accounting."

"Mary Ann VANNOY's great-uncle, David ELLER (b. Apr. 11, 1796, d. Mar. 18, 1870) left North Carolina in 1828 for Wayne Co., Ind., and from there, about 1838 or 1839 to Jefferson Co., Iowa. David ELLER had a good farm in Iowa of about 200 acres close to Cedar Creek. His homestead was later known as the old Marion Tracy farm, 2 1/2 miles southeast of Brookville in Jefferson County. He erected a fine pioneer home which was unusually spacious for the times, and established a large bearing orchard. Apparently his letters 'back home' inspired many of his North Carolina relatives to hasten westward. The large family of his nephew, Harvey ELLER (b. Mar. 24, 1819, d. Nov. 3, 1906), arrived by wagon at his home in Late November, 1852. Many more arrived both before and after the Civil War, each family using the home of either David ELLER or Harvey ELLER as a resting place until they either located a home of their own or moved on to other states...."

Note: George Bartlett McNIEL was gr-grson of Rev. George McNIEL (ca 1720-1805) who "marched with the forces of Col. Benjamin Cleveland which, on Oct. 7, 1780, fought at the famous battle of King's Mountain, and served as their chaplain."

Mary Ann (VANNOY) McNIEL was gr-grdaughter of Nathaniel VANNOY, b. 16 Feb 1749 Rowan Co., N.C., d. 26 July 1835, Revolutionary soldier.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s).