McNEIL, JOHN (1836-1905) was a son of James McNeil (1799-1875), and was born in Dumbartonshire, Scotland. His father was for 25 years a gamekeeper at Arden estate, Loch Lomond. He brought his family to Otago in the Mooltan (1849), and in the seventies settled at Clutha, where he worked the ferry. As a young man John took charge of his father's cattle, and helped with the ferry for four years. He was the first mayor of Balclutha and the first chairman of the county council. He represented Clutha in the Provincial Council (1873-75), and once contested a parliamentary election. He died at Port Molyneux on 30 Jan 1905.

John Wilson; Otago Daily Times, 31 Jan 1905.

Reference: Volume 2, page 24

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