James H. McNeely papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: S0901
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises receipts, invoices, and correspondence from James H. McNeely in Lawrenceburg, Indianapolis, Evansville, and Terre Haute, Indiana, as well as Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio, ranging from 1847 to 1872 and undated, regarding personal news, marriage and bigamy, and business matters.
Dates
- 1847-1872, undated
Creator
- McNeely, James H., 1828-1902 (Compiler, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
James Henderson McNeely was born on July 2, 1828, to Catherine D. (Thornburg) (1806-1888) and Elisha McNeely (1806-1888) in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. McNeely worked as a printer and newspaper publisher, first at the Western Republican in Lawwrenceburg in 1846. He then worked at several papers in Cincinnati, Ohio until 1849, when McNeely returned to Lawrenceburg after an outbreak of cholera. That year, he founded the Lawrenceburg Journal with two friends. Next, he moved to Indianapolis, where he worked a year as a telegrapher before joining the Indianapolis Jounal, acting as editor and proof reader.
Neely married Margaret P. Park on December 24, 1853, in Lorain County, Ohio, and they had two surviving daughters, Elizabeth Park "Lizzie" (1861-1894) and Ella (1865-). During the 1850s, he worked as a publisher, editor, and printer of multiple Indianapolis newspapers and a print office. In 1859, the McNeelys moved to Evansville, Indiana, and purchased part of the Evansville Journal. McNeely was involved in the election of 1860 and a staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln. He was appointed postmaster of Evansville in 1861 and 1865, holding the office until 1867. At that time, he sold his portion of the Journal to John W. Foster. He moved to Terre Haute and purchased the Terre Haute Express, while also acting as a real estate agent. Then, he was appointed as an Internal Revenue Service assessor for Indiana's First District (1869-1873). Next, McNeely was appointed superintendant of constuction of the United States building in Evansville, which included the post office. He returned to Evansville by the mid-1880s and again bought an interest in the Journal. In 1898, he was appointed an Indian agent, and he consequently traveled to the Indian Territory and several states in west (now the Midwest). He held the position at the time of his illness in spring of 1902. James H. McNeely died of pneumonia on April 6, 1902 in Evansville and was buried in Oak Hill Cemebery there.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1870 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." Web: Indiana, U.S., Marriage Index, 1806-1861. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "James Henderson McNeely." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed December 8, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129941485/james-henderson-mcneely.
"James H. McNeely Is Laid to Final Rest." Evansville Courier and Press (IN), April 9, 1902. Accessed December 8, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Nestor of Indiana Journalism Is Dead." Evansville Courier and Press (IN), April 7, 1902. Accessed December 8, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Neely married Margaret P. Park on December 24, 1853, in Lorain County, Ohio, and they had two surviving daughters, Elizabeth Park "Lizzie" (1861-1894) and Ella (1865-). During the 1850s, he worked as a publisher, editor, and printer of multiple Indianapolis newspapers and a print office. In 1859, the McNeelys moved to Evansville, Indiana, and purchased part of the Evansville Journal. McNeely was involved in the election of 1860 and a staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln. He was appointed postmaster of Evansville in 1861 and 1865, holding the office until 1867. At that time, he sold his portion of the Journal to John W. Foster. He moved to Terre Haute and purchased the Terre Haute Express, while also acting as a real estate agent. Then, he was appointed as an Internal Revenue Service assessor for Indiana's First District (1869-1873). Next, McNeely was appointed superintendant of constuction of the United States building in Evansville, which included the post office. He returned to Evansville by the mid-1880s and again bought an interest in the Journal. In 1898, he was appointed an Indian agent, and he consequently traveled to the Indian Territory and several states in west (now the Midwest). He held the position at the time of his illness in spring of 1902. James H. McNeely died of pneumonia on April 6, 1902 in Evansville and was buried in Oak Hill Cemebery there.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1870 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." 1900 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "James H. McNeely." Web: Indiana, U.S., Marriage Index, 1806-1861. Accessed December 8, 2025. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "James Henderson McNeely." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed December 8, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129941485/james-henderson-mcneely.
"James H. McNeely Is Laid to Final Rest." Evansville Courier and Press (IN), April 9, 1902. Accessed December 8, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Nestor of Indiana Journalism Is Dead." Evansville Courier and Press (IN), April 7, 1902. Accessed December 8, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Extent
0.02 Cubic Feet (2 folders)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Arthur Romerhaus on 1979/08/06.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
EAD finding aid created 2014/08/13 by Brent Abercrombie. EAD finding aid revised 2025/12/08 by Brittany Kropf.
- Bigamy
- Cincinnati (Ohio)
- Correspondence
- Dayton (Ohio)
- Dearborn County (Ind.)
- Evansville (Ind.)
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Invoices
- Lawrenceburg (Ind.)
- Marriage
- Newspaper editors -- Indiana
- Newspaper publishing
- Newspaper publishing -- United States
- Receipts (Acknowledgements)
- Republican Party (Ind.)
- Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
- Terre Haute (Ind.)
Creator
- McNeely, James H., 1828-1902 (Compiler, Person)
- Title
- James H. McNeely papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
