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1862-ca. 2000
9.44 linear feet
Collection Number 31
Prepared by Patricia A. Threatt
February 2006
CITATION: The John McNeese Collection, Collection No. 31, Archives and
Special Collections Department,
Frazar Memorial Library, McNeese State University.
Archives and Special Collections Department
Frazar Memorial Library
McNeese State University
Biographical Sketch
John McNeese was
born on July 4, 1843 to Scottish immigrant parents near Baltimore,
Maryland. McNeese was a pioneer in Southwest Louisiana Education, serving
as the first superintendent of schools in Imperial Calcasieu Parish
(1888-1913). After serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, he
moved to Menard, Texas seeking a drier climate due to a case of
tuberculosis from which he was suffering. Here he was a successful cattle
grazer and mercantile businessman. In 1873, he ended up in Imperial
Calcasieu when he decided to end his cattle drive to New Orleans via the
Old Spanish Trail at the Sabine and sell his cattle that were starving due
to the drought. At first he supported himself as a professor of
penmanship and music and later established a public school system in the
Calcasieu area. While teaching near present-day Oberlin, Louisiana, he
lived with the William Bilbo family. On July 4, 1876, McNeese married
William Bilbo' s daughter, Susan. The couple moved to Lake Charles where
McNeese studied law under Judge G. A. Fournet and later attended Tulane
Law School. McNeese chose to work in the field of education instead of
law, serving on the school board and bringing many innovations to the
Imperial Calcasieu School System. He died in 1913 at the age of 70 and was
buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Lake Charles.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of materials
donated from different sources. The materials range from McNeese's Civil
War service to modern-day photographs of the McNeese family, including
biographical articles and papers, copies of military records, photographs,
and books. The collection also includes furniture from McNeese's home and
office.
Container List
| Box |
Folder |
Description |
| 1 |
1 |
The
McNeese Review, v.1,no.1, Spring 1948, "McNeese of Calcasieu" by T.R.
Ratcliffe (2 copies) |
| |
2 |
Louisiana
School Work, v.1,no.3, June 1913, p. 4, "Tributes to Supt. John
McNeese of Calcasieu Parish" |
| |
3 |
Teaching
certificate for Miss Myrtle Sutphin signed by Jno. McNeese 1900,
Welsh, LA (also envelope) |
| |
4 |
Short
biography of McNeese by L.L. Squires
Biographical newspaper articles
Excerpt from a Louisiana history textbook concerning McNeese
Letter to Miss Lola Walker concerning payment of salary signed by
McNeese, 1896
Genealogical history of the McNeese Family |
| |
5 |
Port of
Lake Charles Magazine, v.8,no.3, May 1957, p. 4, "He Freed a Great
Freedom ‑ Public Education" (2 copies) |
| |
6 |
-
Expense vouchers ‑ salary checks ‑ Nov. 1, 1911, signed by John
McNeese (12 pieces)
- Reports from Vinton High School, Foster School, Granger School, Wade
Nelson School on attendance and teaching during one month in 1911
- Two receipts signed by McNeese, 1909, for the Parish Board of School
Directors
- Certificate of attendance at Peabody Summer Normal School, 1895,
signed by McNeese as one of faculty
- Teaching Certificate for W. Carroll Whitman signed by John McNeese
- Authorization for School District Local Director to Mr. Eugene
Lasier signed by S. Petticrew? 1895 (donated by Mrs. Geraldine C.
Shannon, et al.) |
| |
7 |
Account
book belonging to John McNeese |
| |
8 |
-
Ledger ‑ notes on various subjects, c1887
- Program from memorial exercises honoring McNeese, May 25,
(1940‑1950?), John McNeese Junior College (2 copies)
- Note from Oswald McNeese (son of McNeese) concerning records sent to
a Mrs. Richard in 1962 |
| |
9 |
Civil
War Records of John McNeese‑ photocopies:
Dept.
of the Interior‑Bureau of Pensions ‑ record of McNeese being dropped
from pension because of death, June 16, 1914
Declaration for Invalid Pension, Feb. 24, 1892
War Dept. Record and Pension Division, record of service
Certificate of death, June 2, 1914
Declaration for Widow's Pension, June 24, 1914; pension certificate
Dept. of Interior‑Bureau of Pensions ‑questionnaire, lists of
children, birth statistics, marriage dates, military service, vital
statistics,
company muster rolls, 1861‑1865 |
| |
10 |
Miscellaneous genealogical material on McNeese family compiled by John
C. McNeese of California, et.al. |
| |
11 |
Photographs of John and Susan McNeese and the family of Emma Squires,
their eldest daughter. Contents are:
Contact sheet of 1862 portrait of John McNeese (with 2 negatives)
Contact sheet of John McNeese during early days in Calcasieu Parish
(with negative)
Contact sheet of earlier portrait of John McNeese (with 2 negatives)
Contact sheet of later portrait of John McNeese (with 3 negatives)
Photograph of 1862 portrait of John McNeese - Civil War uniform
Photograph of John McNeese during early days in Calcasieu Parish
Photograph of later portrait of John McNeese (and negative)
Photographs of John McNeese and Susan Bilbo McNeese
Susan Bilbo McNeese (2 photographs and negatives)
John McNeese and secretary (daughter Emma) in Calcasieu
Superintendent's office (with negatives)
Mr. & Mrs. L. L. Squires, Dean W. B. Hatcher, G. W. Ford Jr., Mrs.
Freda Scoggins
Thomas, Dr. and Mrs. M. V. Hargrove with a portrait of John McNeese
Lloyd, Mina, Sue, Keitha, and Emma Squires
Emma McNeese Squires
Emma Helen McNeese, Glenn E. Matter, and Keitha Squires Matter
Susan McNeese Doan
Mina and Keitha Squires and Jeanne Gauthier
Mina Squires Rhorer
Glenn and Keitha Matter
Keitha Matter
Negatives of John and Susan McNeese and views of the McNeese home |
| |
12 |
Photographs of the families of Oswald, Stella, John T., Hawley, and
William McNeese (younger children of John McNeese). Contents are:
Oswald
McNeese (with negatives)
Gravesite of Oswald McNeese
Oswald McNeese and his daughter, Marie
Genevieve Cleveland Dupre McNeese
Mr. and Mrs. Oswald McNeese
Laura, Susan, and Marie McNeese (children of Oswald)
Mrs. Laura Bishop and Mrs. Marie Youngblood (children of Oswald)
Gravesite of Stella McNeese Gauthier
Gravesite of Overton Gauthier
Overton Gauthier Jr.
John T. McNeese
Mildred McNeese (with negatives)
Home of Mrs. Mildred McNeese
Gravesite of John T. and Mildred McNeese
Hawley McNeese with Marie, Laura, and Susan (Oswald's
daughters) (with negatives)
Willie McNeese with Marie (Oswald's
daughter) (with negatives)
Views of McNeese home, 1901 S. Hodges
Photograph of an unidentified Civil War soldier taken in Lake Charles |
| |
13 |
Letter
from McNeese to C. D. Moss, congratulating Moss on his being named
valedictorian of his Tulane law school class, March 10, 1896 (donated
by C. Murphy Moss). |
| 2 |
|
Bound
volumes:
- Edgemont: The Story of a Township by Jane Lewis Carter
- Some of the Descendants of Daniel Martin (1745‑1829) of Laurens
County, South Carolina and the Allied Families of Hudgens, McNeese,
Rodgers and Saxon by Christine South Gee
- The Wrights of Bloomery by F. Edward Wright (p.33‑35 tells of
17‑year old John McNeese living as an orphan in the home of Richard
and Mary Ellen Wright of Bloomery, Maryland. Three letters
(photocopies) which McNeese wrote in later years, 1897, to some of
the Wright children are also attached. |
| 3 |
|
Two
books containing some handwritten notes by McNeese:
"Part of Civil Code of Louisiana written by John McNeese in New
Orleans 1885"
"Revised Civil Code, 1870" |
| 4 |
|
Two
scrapbooks labeled "for Stella," one to Oswald contains mostly
clippings, some photos, Lake Charles and Louisiana in general, and
some handwritten notes about the family; the other scrapbook contains
mostly clippings about McNeese State University, clippings concerning
the death of Mrs. G.L. Doan (Sue Squires), daughter of Emma and L.L.
Squires; VHS tape of presentations made about John McNeese at the
Bloomery Church in Maryland by Jerry Wilson, Mrs. Laura McNeese
Bishop, and others, October 2005 |
| 5 |
1 |
Letter
from O.B. Jenkins to Miss Hattie Graham (Mouton) concerning employment
in Jennings school, 1893
Letter from John McNeese to Mr. Porter concerning employment in
Sugartown, 1901 |
| |
2 |
- Copy
of certificate of grammar to Mrs. Hattie (Graham) Mouton, 1896, signed
by John McNeese (original in President's office at McNeese State
University)
- Lake Charles American Press article concerning donation of Mrs.
Mouton items, March 1982
- Photocopies donation of Mrs. Mouton items, March 1982 |
| |
3 |
Photocopies of tax receipts (originals in Box 6) of Mrs. Hattie
(Graham) Mouton, 1890‑1894 |
| |
4 |
Oswald
McNeese documents:
- Baptismal certificate
- Glee Club clipping
- Letter to Adj. Gen. of the U.S. Army volunteering for 1917
- Documents showing appointments in Army and Officers Reserve
- LSU football certificate
- Louisiana Civilian Volunteer Defense Plan
- Proceedings of an Army Retiring Board
- Other biographical information |
| |
5 |
Letters
from John McNeese to his daughter Emma (Mrs. L.L. Squires), 1905 |
| |
6 |
Letters
from John McNeese to his daughter Emma (Mrs. L.L. Squires), 1909, Jan.
1910 ‑ April 1910 |
| |
7 |
Letters
from John McNeese to his daughter Emma (Mrs. L.L. Squires), May 1910
through Sept. 1910 |
| |
8 |
Letters
from John McNeese to his daughter Emma (Mrs. L.L. Squires), 1911 ‑
1913 |
| |
9 |
Wedding
invitation and marriage license of L.L. Squires and Emma McNeese |
| |
10 |
Miscellaneous McNeese Correspondence |
| |
11 |
Letters
from John McNeese to Mr. E.F. Gayle, May 1903 - February 1905 |
| |
12 |
Letters
from John McNeese to V.E. Simmons, Dec. 1900 and Jan. 1902 |
| |
13 |
Abstract
of Title for property at Reid and Iris Sts. owned by McNeese family |
| |
14 |
Teaching
certificates for Amy McMullen signed by John McNeese 1894, 1895;
unsigned certificate 1919 |
| |
15 |
Information and photographs of area where John McNeese was raised (Bloomery,
Maryland) - album donated by Jerry and Eleanor Wilson |
| 6 |
|
-
House Resolution No. 16 by Messrs. Locke, Howell, Gordon and Powell,
Resolution of Respect on the death of Mr. John McNeese of Calcasieu
Parish, originated in the House of Representatives
- License for McNeese to practice as Attorney and Counselor at Law,
July 7, 1887
- Oswald McNeese's high school diploma signed by John McNeese
- Tax receipts from 1890‑1894 for Mrs. Hattie (Graham) Mouton
- 1969 copy of 1897 map of Caroline County, Maryland, showing location
of Bloomery where McNeese lived with the Wright family |
| 7 |
|
- Emma
Squires' Bible, two small and one large embroidered cloth doilies that
were in the McNeese home, cuff link with a photo of Susan Bilbo
McNeese (?)
- Book of letters, 1889-1914 to T. J. Carroll, donated by Causey
family
- Letter from Emma McNeese to T. J. Carroll's
daughter, Effie Carroll Sullivan, donated by Causey family
- Two photographs of Emma McNeese, donated by Causey family |
| |
|
Antique
mirror, two chairs from the McNeese home, and the office chair from
John McNeese's office. |
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