McNeel, John D. (John Davidson), 1871-1940.

McNeel was born 1871 Oct. 13, at Bullock's Creek, York Co., S.C.; son of G.L. and Mary Ellen (Davidson) McNeel. He attended Davidson College, N.C., 1888-1889; S.C. University at Columbia, 1889-1891, graduating in the latter years with the degree of A.B.; Johns Hopkins University, Md., 1891-1894; and was graduated from the University of Va., B.L., 1895. He married Adele Goodwyn in 1897. He was an attorney; superintendent of Talladega Co., Ala., schools, for a short time; was clerk of the court of Talladega Co., 1906-1909; served as private secretary to Gov. B.B. Comer, 1909-1911; and filled that position for a few months with Gov. E.A. O'Neal, 1913. In 1914 he was appointed U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue Tax for the district of Ala. and Miss. by President Woodrow Wilson, a post he held for eight years. In 1926 was named chairman of the state tax commission by Gov. Bibb Graves, and in that same year became president of the Guaranty Savings Building and Loan Association of Birmingham, Jefferson Co., Ala. In 1935 he acted as the Comptroller for Ala. for three months, then in 1937 became the first director of the Ala. Alcoholic Control Board for eight months. He accepted the latter two jobs only as personal favors for Gov. Bibb Graves. McNeel served on the Ala. State Building and Loan Board from 1935-1943, as well. He and his wife had two daughters, Letitia Tyler and Hulda. He died in Birmingham on 1940 Mar. 8.