John McKnelly

John McKnelly is Beatrice Nelson's maternal great great grandfather. Here is the latest info I found about him:

JOHN McKNELLY, born 1761, in Ireland, immigrated to America (New York) in 1775. He came with his brother, who was two years older, and they became separated in New York and never found each other. John McKnelly searched for his brother for years. Before he died he requested a promise from his sons that they continue the search for his lost brother. The sons advertised in the larger news papers in the United States, as well employed detective agencies, in an effort to find their father's brother. Result was that the name McKnelly, as this family was taught to spell the name, was never found.

As a young man JOHN McKNELLY came from New York to the state of Ohio. Within the next few years he visited in North Carolina and while there he met a girl named Rebecca Pridemore who was of English parents. He returned to Ohio, and again in the following year he went back to North Carolina and married Rebecca Pridemore. They settled in Ohio and reared their family there.

There were five sons and three daughters, the order of their ages now known. Four of these sons, when grown, walked from Ohio across the state of Indiana, with axes on their shoulders, and settled in Clay County, Illinois. After a home was made it appears that the three sisters also came to Illinois as the respective families are in Illinois.

Later their father, JOHN McKNELLY, came to join the children in Illinois. The oldest son remained in Ohio, Married, and had one son who was a bachelor. Their names are not known. Rebecca (Pridemore) McKnelly remained in Ohio, also.

JOHN McKNELLY is buried at Old Union Cemetery, near Bible Grove, Clay County, Illinois. The grave has a marker. The McKnelly's owned something like twelve hundred acres of land.

More About John McKnelly:
Burial: Aug 1843, Old Union Cemetary, Bible Grove, ILL