Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

(I) Archibald McNeil, founder of the
Connecticut line, was of Branford, where
in 1735 he purchased lands. Subsequently
he was a prominent citizen of New Haven,
was assessor in 1740 and surveyor of
highways in 1746, and was conspicuous in
real estate transactions. A circumstance
of particular interest is his participation
as one of the "brothers" in founding the
first lodge of Free and Accepted Masons
in Connecticut (now known as Hiram
Lodge No. i) at a meeting "held at Jehiel
Tuttle's in New Haven on the festival of
St. John the Evangelist, 1750." This was
only seventeen years after the institution
of Free Masonry in the American Colo-
nies (which occurred at Boston, July 3,
1733)- Archibald McNeil was successfully
engaged in the trade with the West
Indies, in partnership with Samuel Cook
(who was named as executor of his will),
and was owner and supercargo of the ship
"Peggy and Molly." He died in the Is-
land of Jamaica in the latter part of 1752,
and his will was probated in July, 1753,
by his widow, who was placed under bond
of three thousand pounds sterling, in-
dicative of a very considerable estate for
those times. He married Mary, daughter
of Rev. Samuel and Abigail (Whiting)
Russell, and widow of Benjamin Fenn
and it was at the house of her father that
the founders of Yale College held their
first meeting, he having been a member
of that distinguished company. She was
born in 1708. Children: Archibald (2),
born September 20, 1736; Charles, bap-
tized January 18, 1739; Charles, baptized
November i, 1741 ; John, born August 2,
1745. baptized August 4, 1745, removed
to Armenia precinct, Dutchess County,
New York ;
Samuel, baptized October 9,
1749, of Litchfield, Connecticut.
(II) Archibald McNeil, eldest child of
Archibald (i) and Mary (Russell) Mc-
;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Neil, was born in Branford, Connecticut,
September 20, 1736, and baptized October
10 following. He lived in New Haven
and Milford, and was a large property
owner ; died before July 3, 1782, when the
executor of his estate was appointed. On
July 3, 1776, he enlisted in the Continental
forces. He married. May 2, 1758, at New
Haven, Sarah Clark. Child : William.
(III) William McNeil, son of Archi-
bald and Sarah (Clark) McNeil, born in
New Haven, May 13, 1759. He was a
graduate of Yale College, class of 1777, and
in the old Yale catalog is described as a
sea captain. During the Revolution
(January 30, 1782, to August 13, 1783) he
served as a gunner on the American pri-
vateer "Marquis de Lafayette," under
Captain Elisha Hinman. In the brief war
of the United States with France he was
again on the same vessel, which was cap-
tured by the enemy, and with others he
was for some time confined in a French
prison. On account of this event he was
one of those who figured in the celebrated
French spoliation claims. He was engaged
in business in Derby, Connecticut.
His death occurred in or before 1808. He
married, in New Haven, Huldah Augur.
Children (the order of their birth not being
exactly known) : Abraham Archibald,
born July 21, 1802; William ; Maria, mar-
ried, September 12, 1824, Russell Bradley,
of New Haven; John, had a daughter,
Elizabeth, who married John E. Wylie, of
New Haven ; Henry ; Nancy, married R.
Dickinson.
(IV) Abraham A. McNeil, son of William
and Huldah (Augur) McNeil, was
born in Derby, July 21, 1802. In early
life he was supercargo of vessels in the
West Indies trade, sailing out of New
Haven. Removing after 1825 to Bridge-
port, he became a prominent citizen of
that community. For some time he was