Benjamin Franklin McNeill

Narrative:

     Benjamin Franklin McNeill was born on 9 Dec 1854 in Coahoma Co., Mississippi.^8,9,10
     His mother died on 22 Nov 1859, when Benjamin was 4 years old.^15,16,17 His father died on 29 Nov 1866, when Benjamin was 11 years old.^18,19,20,21
     After the death of their father, Benjamin and some of his younger siblings went to live with their grandfather, Malcom McNeill, in Christian Co., Kentucky. They went to school there during the winter months and worked on his farm in the summer.⁵ He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Hopkinsville, Christian Co., Kentucky, in the household of Malcom McNeill and Catherine Boddie, his grandfather and his fifth wife.²²

His Grandfather's Will --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Benjamin was named an heir in the will of Malcom McNeill, his grandfather, dated 8 Nov 1873 in Christian Co., Kentucky, to receive, shared with his eight siblings, the northern part of his plantation in Christian Co., an 11½ acre lot in Memphis two miles outside that city, to be sold rented or divided as the executors thought proper, and the rents on five lots in Chicago. One of them had a four story house, one was vacant, and three which had houses before the great 1871 fire which were to be rebuilt by him or his executor, and the other half of the lot left to his aunt Martha. Title to these lots was to be given to the then living siblings when the youngest of them reached the age of 21, but not to any who had sold their interest before then.^23,24 In addition, he was to receive with his eight siblings, 6½ square miles (about 4,160 acres) of land in Coahoma Co., Mississippi. The executors were to sell, rent, or do what they thought best with it in the interests of the children, with any proceeds to be divided equally between them. He was also to receive his grandfather's gold watch.²⁴
     His grandfather had sold his 3,000-acre Lake Charles Plantation, in Coahoma Co., Mississippi, some years prior, but the buyer defaulted on the mortgage, and he re-purchased it at auction a few days before his death 21 Feb 1875. Since he had not owned it when he wrote his will the will contained no provision for it, so it passed to his 17 grandchildren under the clause dealing with estate not "willed away." Benjamin thus received a 1/17th undivided interest in the plantation.²⁵
     Benjamin appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Lafayette, Christian Co., Kentucky, in the household of Martha Rivers McNeill, his father's sister.²⁶

Settling Inheritances from Grandfather --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Under the terms of their grandfather's will, Benjamin and his eight siblings as a group received title to several of his properties after his death in 1875. Before long some of them started selling their interests to others. For the north part of his Christian Co., Kentucky, plantation, at first Malcom was the purchaser, accumulating six of the nine shares by Mar 1883, but then he began to sell his shares to Benjamin and Alexander.
     Benjamin bought from his brother Malcom two and one half of his six shares on 21 Mar 1883, for $1,500.²⁷ Benjamin bought from his brother Alexander his share, on 13 Dec 1883, for $500.²⁸ Alexander and Benjamin bought from their brother Malcom his remaining four and one half shares on 3 Aug 1886, for $3,500.²⁹ Alexander and Benjamin, who now together owned the northern half of their grandfather's plantation, sold it to their cousin George Boddie on 29 Nov 1886, for $6,800. His mother by then held a life estate in the south half of the plantation, and he and his siblings would inherit it at her death.³⁰
     Benjamin and his brother Rivers sold each of their one-ninth interests in their grandfather's 4,100-acre property west of Clarksdale, Coahoma Co., Mississippi, to their brother Malcom on 2 Jan 1883, for $1,600.³¹
     Benjamin and Rivers bought her one-seventeenth interest in their grandfather's 3,000-acre Lake Charles Plantation on the Mississippi River, in Bolivar and Coahoma Co., Mississippi, from their sister Ellen and her husband 8 Jun 1882, for $1,000.³² Benjamin and Rivers sold each of their one-seventeenth interests, and that of their sister, to their brother Malcom on 2 Jan 1883, for $3,000.³³
     Benjamin joined with a number of her siblings, their spouses, and the children of her deceased sister, in filing a contest to the will of Sarah Elizabeth Tuck, his mother's sister, on 20 Oct 1883. When the case was tried before a jury in Shelby County Circuit Court in early 1885 they lost. They appealed the decision to Tennessee Supreme Court where they lost again when the case was heard in the Apr 1886.³⁴

Joining the McNeill Real Estate Business in Chicago --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Benjamin reported he was a real estate agent in the 1880 census, when he was in Christian Co. Whether he was in that business there, or working at it long distance in Chicago is not clear.^35,36 In any case he had joined his older brother Malcom in the real estate business in the city by 1885, when they had offices at 113 Adams St.^37,38
     The Chicago properties left to Benjamin and his siblings by their grandfather were held in trust for them under the terms of the will until the youngest of them, Alexander, reached age 21 in Aug 1885. The eight surviving siblings (Henry having died in the meantime) then took title as a group. They shortly agreed on a plan to divide the properties into two groups. Rivers, Thomas and Ellen were given title to some properties, including 201- 203 South Clark St., by deed on 16 Nov 1885. In exchange, all the other Chicago properties, and $96,115.36 in cash, were received by Flora, Malcom, Benjamin, William and Alexander. What the five of them did with those properties after that has not been found.^39,40
     Benjamin married Marguerite C. West, daughter of Byron D. West and Margaret Christie, on 16 Dec 1885 in Cook Co., Illinois.^11,12
     On 26 Jul 1886 Benjamin filed suit to foreclose on a deed of trust he held on the leasehold and personal property of the World's Pastime Exposition, which was a project of his brother Malcom. At Benjamin's request, the judge appointed Frank E. Gilmore, his brother-in-law, as receiver, which he said was required to protect his interests because of the great many suits likely to result from the company's many debts. The move was supposedly to secure notes of more than $50,000 due him, but there were accusations that it was a move to protect Malcom's investment from creditors.⁴¹
     By 1887 Malcom, Benjamin, and Alexander were operating under the firm name of Malcom McNeill and Brothers, with offices located at 92 Washington St.⁴² Malcom, Benjamin, and Alexander continued to operate the firm of Malcom McNeill and Brothers until about 1890. About 1889 its offices were relocated to 59 Dearborn St.⁴³
     Benjamin joined his brothers Thomas and Rivers in their firm of NcNeill Brothers about 1891, but for how long is unclear as the city directories after that are not available until 1900, when he was listed as operating independently.⁴⁴
     Benjamin and Marguerite appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, at 715 Monroe St., enumerated 7 Jun 1900, reporting they owned their home, which was mortgaged. Their children Benjamin, Byron, Ruth, Wallace, Donald and Helen were listed as living with them, as were Helen Beall, an aunt, Sarah Bailey, listed as a boarder, and her brother Byron.⁴⁵

Moving to Michigan --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Benjamin and Marguerite moved to Michigan by 1907. They appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan, at 332 Lafayette St., enumerated 25 Apr 1910, reporting they were renting their home. Their children Benjamin, Byron, Ruth, Wallace, Donald, Helen and Micha were listed as living with them, as was Arthur Cornell, a physician, who was listed as a boarder.⁴⁶
     He was a fire insurance agent in Grand Rapids.⁴⁷
     Benjamin and Marguerite moved to Lansing about 1917.^48,49 They appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan, at 219 South Grand Ave., enumerated 15 Jan 1920, reporting that they were renting their home. Their children Benjamin, Donald, Helen and Micha were listed as living with them.⁵⁰
     He was a janitor after they moved to in Lansing.⁵¹ In the 1930 census he reported his occupation as a clerk at the state supreme court, but his obituary described his role there as a messenger.^52,53
     Benjamin and Marguerite appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan, at 909 South Washington Ave., enumerated 2 Apr 1930, reporting they were renting their apartment, in the Francis Apartments, for $55 per month. Their children Benjamin and Ruth were listed as living with them, as was Ruth's husband, Keith Kitzsteiner. Benjamin was the census enumerator for the district that included their home.⁵⁴
     Benjamin died on 22 Dec 1939 in 902½ W. Saginaw, Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan, at age 85, at his residence.^13,14 He was buried on 26 Dec 1939 in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Lansing, Michigan.⁴