Daniel Clarence McNeil

McNEIL, DANIEL CLARENCE, Osceola, Mo., born near Springfield, Sangamon co., Ill., Jan. 16th, 1825, of Scotch-Irish ancestry on his father's side; was educated at Monmouth, Ill.; read medicine with Dr. Samuel Webster of that place, and graduated from a college in Philadelphia, Pa., and commenced practice with Dr. Webster in 1845. In 1846 he went to Mexico and returned in 1847. He has [practiced] medicine at Cambridge and Henry, Ill.; at Winterset, Camanche, and DeWitt, Iowa, and is now settled at Osceola, in this State. He has been a member of the Clinton co. med. asso., Iowa; of the St. Clair co. med. asso., Mo.; and of the Iowa and Ill. States med. assos. He entered the Mexican war in 1846 in the 1st reg. Ill. vols., was subsequently appointed acting ass't surg., in charge of a hospital at San Antonio, Texas, and afterwards took part in the battle of Buena Vista in Feb., 1847, and was subsequently appointed ass't surg. 2d Ind. vols.—-wounded men. In 1861 he was commissioned captain of, and recruiting officer for, co. A, 1st reg. U. S. lancers; and in 1862 ass't surg. 16th Iowa vol. inf. He was afterwards in charge of negro brigade; with the 16th Iowa at the battle of Corinth; in charge of hosp. at La Grange, Tenn., and hosp. No. 1; was 1st ass't surg. 2d U. S. vols., district of Iowa; in charge of hosps. at Fort Ellsworth, Texas, and Fort Lamed, Kansas; was next attached to the 2d Colorado cavalry; then of post hosp. at Fort Limed; and then medical director 3d subdistrict, upper Arkansas. In Sept., 1865, he was appointed chief surgeon of Indiana commission to hold council with the Cheyennes and other Indian tribes; and was mustered out of service in Nov., 1865. In 1866 he was appointed examining surg. for pensions at DeWitt, Iowa; holds the same office for Osceola now; and was elected surg.-gen. of the G. A. R. at its organization in Indianapolis. He is examining surg. for the following insurance companies: Accident of Columbus, Ohio; Missouri mutual life, St. Louis; mutual life, New York; life association of America; St. Louis mutual life; AEtna life, Hartford, Conn.; Atlas mutual life, St. Louis; and National life, Philadelphia. He has been lecturer on "Joint Diseases;" has read essays on "Dislocations," "Fractures," "Quinine," surgical operations and cases treated by himself, etc., etc.; has been connected with a large number of beneficial and charitable societies, fraternities, etc., and has held offices in all; has been connected with political organizations, railroad corporations, etc., etc.; has edited two newspapers, and contributed, variously, over 3,000 articles; has been postmaster and coroner in Iowa, and has been three times in the drug business. In March, 1861, he was presented with a diploma "Pro causa Honoris" from the Pennsylvania medical college. In Dec, 1849, he married Elizabeth Ann Graham, a descendant of Sir John Graham, Duke of Montrose.

SOURCE: William Biddle Atkinson, editor, The physicians and surgeons of the United States,  p. 704