Los Angeles County
Biographies
JOHN VINCENT McNEIL
McNEIL, JOHN VINCENT, Contractor, Los Angeles, California, was born at Benacadie, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, May 4, 1858, the son of Donald Edward McNeil and Catherine McNeil. He married Christina E. McDonald, of Colchester, Nova Scotia, at Los Angeles, Feb. 20, 1887, and to them there have been born eleven children, Donald (now a student at St. Vincent’s College, Missouri), Margaret Ann (who died at the age of twenty years after becoming a nun in the Dominican order, where she was known as Sister Mercedes), Lawrence G., Lily M., Catherine R., Andrew M., Edward J., Joseph, Bruce D. (deceased) and Mary McNeil. He is of Scotch descent, his forbears going from the Isle of Barra, Scotland, to Nova Scotia where they were among the early settlers.
Mr. McNeil received the primary part of his education in the public schools of Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, and later attended an academy there, graduating in the class of 1878. Following the completion of his own education, he became a school teacher and followed this vocation for about three years.
In 1881, having saved a considerable amount of his earnings, Mr. McNeil gave up his school work and embarked in the general merchandise business, establishing a small store in his native district. He applied himself to this for three years, but at the end of that time found he was not making any considerable progress, so determined to seek better opportunities in the United States. With that object in view, he sold out his store at Benacadie and went to Boston, Massachusetts.
Upon arriving there he was determined to learn the carpenter trade and obtained employment in this branch of work. He was ambitious to advance, so devoted his evenings to study and eventually sought special instruction in architecture and building construction. Within a comparatively short time he was qualified to handle larger operations and served as superintendent of construction on various important structural enterprises in Massachusetts.
In 1886 he moved to Los Angeles, which at that time was entering upon a period of great development. Upon his arrival in Southern California, however, Mr. McNeil was unable to make connections such as he desired and was forced to take employment for a time as a mechanic. However, at the end of a few months he was entrusted with the superintendency of building construction for his employer.
Mr. McNeil worked on a salary for nearly two years, but in 1888 found himself in a position to engage in business for himself as a contractor. He operated successfully until 1891, but at that time his business slumped to such an extent that he suspended temporarily and was compelled to seek employment with larger concerns. He again worked as superintendent for some time, but as soon as conditions righted themselves he reopened his own offices and has since been engaged as a building contractor.
During this period of approximately twenty years as a contractor, Mr. McNeil greatly enlarged his activities, putting up magnificent structures in most of the important centers of the Southwestern States. He is one of the successful builders of Southern California. He has made a specialty of concrete and heavy construction and has erected numerous large public and private buildings, including schools, office buildings, manufacturing plants, hotels and residences. Some of his more notable buildings, are the Polytechnic High School Fine Arts Building, Los Angeles; Santa Rita Hotel, Tucson, Ariz.; California Building, Raphael Building, M. A. Newmark Building, Newmark Brothers Building, Glass Building, Cohn & Goldwater Building and numerous others in Los Angeles and over the Southwest.
In addition to contracting, Mr. McNeil has been active in real estate development in and around Los Angeles and has made numerous investments, most of which turned out profitably. Despite the setbacks which he experienced during the early part of his residence in Los Angeles, he always maintained unfaltering faith in the future growth and greatness of the city and has been one of the sincere workers for its development. He is a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and is recognized as one of the substantial business men of the city. He has lent his assistance and encouragement to numerous civic movements which have helped in the city’s general advancement.
He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Municipal League of Los Angeles.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 460,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2010 Joyce
Rugeroni.
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