The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-29
EDWARD DUFFIELD NELL, d. D.
sketch Ut IN Eventual Aad Stirsiny Carssr
0f seventy veass.

sAstoh Ut IN Evsntiul Aad Stirsiny Career
"f seventy vesss.
;, Born In PhiladslphIa Aug. .. isss, died in IL.
Paul hspt ~ ls0a
/ hs recent sudden death Of the subject Of
thts article deserves more than passinG
notice. He vas ths father Of three OF our
most prominent and respected fellow eiti-
Gems and many Of our people made bis 40
QuaintAnoe on ths occasion Of his visit 10
oar city and many more knew him In b.
Paul. whore most of the years OF Aia Aotivs
life were spent, while = still larger CIRCLE
knew him from his numerous w1isings on
historical subjscts.
Doctor Neill was In many rsspsota dis
tlnRuishsd character and dssosndsd from q
line Of ancestry illussrious In the annals Of
ths states of Delaware Maryland and
Pennsylvsnis.
Th. Ore. settler Of .hs family In shis
college education. who settled In Loves.
Delaware, about l780. The family Seoo, do
ahow many names illusSrious In war and
peace and In all the learned psofsssiona.
The p"triotic devotion of ths family TO shs
tnss.ssts and TO- tunes Of this country 10
amply shown BY the names. Of those Who
have distnRaishsd themselves In every
war from the revolution down TO the pres
snt time. from Henry Nstll. colonel Of the
second continental regiment Of Delaware,
to Gen. Chss. H. Nsill, who served through
the Mexican and OWL wars. several Of the
family ws's prominent and sucoessful ply
sieians In ths city of Philadslphia.
lhs subject OF this sketch devoted him
self TO the ministry. and after studying u
The univsrsity Of Pennsylvania entered aud
graduated from Amherst college, Mass..
studied theology a. And0vsr aud With the
celebrated Dr., Ba,nea Of Philadelphia.
Hie miaisterial work began In l847 IN the
Galena, Ill., pEssbytssy. and In l8l9 he
in shs Indian country, and there H orasniscd n
the First Prssbytsrixn church, and oon-
tinusd its minister tiil 1854. when he de-
Clined a unanimous call TO IeuRin, and Ia
the year following oraanised the House Of
Hope chutch, wnioh he continued 10 serve
until 1850, when he was elected chancellor
.; The state nniv:..'y we're; % and .up's!n'sndens
served a. chaplain Of the First Minnesota
regiment and in the hospital. For some
years after the war he was private sec, etsry
70 the president, till appointed United
States consul a. Dublin. This position he
resigned ia 1872 TO engage In the work of
establishing Msoslsstsf college. u Mime
npolis. of which he was president aud pro-
fsssor Of history during life. Though
descended from staunohest Presbyterian
stock and himself = ministsr OF thst de-
nomination for many years, In later life be
became connected with the Reformed
E.iscopal church in So. Paul and nllsd it,
pulpit.
Al Y writer Dr.. Neill has achieved 9 dura-
BILE fame In his "History OF Minnesota
and numerous oont ibutions to early
colonial history.
His independence Of character. inherited
and acquired, was very prominent and
somewhat ont Of harmony with this age Of
compromise. but TO- integrity of purpose
anu indefatiRabls energy aud unwesried
industry, there have been few mon hil
superior. and his memory will DO cherished
with increasing respect % his works anu
character become better undsrstood. Atsel
a stirring and eventful life extended "a
three score aud ten, his end WAS sudden
aud peaceful.