Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Neelands, Rev. John |
Born |
1779 |
Birthplace |
County Tyrone, Ireland |
Places of residence |
New York? Toronto? Credit River area? Barrie? Village of Sydenham (later called Owen Sound) |
Nationality |
Irish |
Notes |
Rev. John Neelands came to what would become known as Owen Sound, as early as 1841. He assisted the Newash people and also helped lodge Charley Chance (James Henson) and Chauncey Simons, former slaves, when they came to the village of Sydenham (Owen Sound), in his log house. David Neelands mentioned that Rev. Neelands hosted a sailor at one point as well. David Neelands looked up property that his ancestor, Rev. Neelands, had owned along Poulett St. and lot 3, near Division St. (10th St. E.) in the 1840s. One of the Neelands later went to live at Invermay, in Bruce County for many years. Rev. Neelands also ministered to people in St. Vincent Township. He was the "saddlebag" sort of preacher, who travelled long distances to minister to people. "John Neelands was born in Tyrone County, Ireland, in 1779, and came to the North Grey area in the 1830s before surveying was completed or the Land Acquisition had fully taken place. He rode horseback through the woods and unsurveyed lands from Churchville near present-day Brampton to the Queen's Bush in North Grey. In time, he was sent to Barrie, and returned to Owen Sound in 1841 at the age of 62 years with his wife and family. He established about a dozen Methodist missions, and formed his first Wesleyan Methodist congregation at Irish Mountain in St. Vincent Township. Neelands died in 1864 at the age of 85." [Seabrook]. It is believed that Rev. Neelands ventured to what would later become Grey County as early as 1834? Barry More has written some information about the 1869-built Neelands residence of Derby Township. This brick structure still exists in 2016 and Mr. More says that the Neelands family owned quite a lot of property in Derby in the past. |
Occupation |
Wesleyan Methodist Missionary / Reverend Clergyman |
Publications |
ST. VINCENT: THE BEAUTIFUL LAND Croft, Melba, FOURTH ENTRANCE TO HURONIA Croft, Melba, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, has a letter written by Rev. Neelands. More, Barry, mentions Rev. Neelands and the Neelands 1869 brick house in Derby Twp. in his book THE GREY COUNTY HISTORIAN, Newsletter No. 7, July, 2004, p. 10 [mentioning Norm Seabrook's research re Rev. Neelands] |
Relationships |
2007: David Neelands is a descendant Norman Seabrook married Maxine Neelands (John Neelands was her great-great uncle) |
Role |
Clergy/Religiou |
Spouse |
Married twice |
Children |
Not listed yet |
