Religion: Presbyterian
Lived in Spring Brook, PEI.
Had seizures, late in life. Smoked a pipe.

First cousin of Lucy Maud Montgomery

According to Chief Macneill, they were a distinguished family at the time of the flood. While Noah, his family and animals occupied the ark, the Macneills had their own boat.

Paternal grandmother Matilda Agnus MacNeill (they called her Tillie):

Our Father's (John E. Mackay) home was quite different from ours. They lived in a spacious L-shaped house and we kids loved to go there because it was so interesting. Grandma was a very proud energetic
lady. I never knew how much education she had, but she prided herself on reading and writing, and did not hesitate to write letters to the moderator of the Presbyterian Church when she felt she must do so.
She liked to entertain and always was prepared for any number of people.

Their home had a large kitchen with a stair and rooms above. Large dining table and chairs, couch, large cast iron range. Beside the range was Grandpa's corner - a large easy chair, a small table, a
lamp, tobacco, knife, Bible - everything he needed when the day's work was done. Over under the stairs was her corner - bookshelves, sewing baskets, knitting, table, etc. Behind the range [was] a long
narrow pantry, a cupboard at each end and a small table where they ate their meals when alone.

Up a step you went to the living room, long and narrow, parlour stove, clock shelf, shelves behind the door, nice vases and ornaments, pictures, long lace curtains. Off the room [was] a large
dining room - long table, always a white linen cloth, a buffet with lovely lavender china dishes, also a black leather couch with handmade cushions. Here she kept fruitcake and fancy cookies in case
company came. [There was] a long hall [that] led to the front door, a back parlour and stairs up. [There was] a table in the hall [with[ all kinds of nice books and photographs. [There was] a velvet parlour
suite. She gave the organ to Nellie.

Outside the front door - poplar and lilac trees, a picket fence around the front garden . We would sit out there on a Sunday afternoon.

Upstairs [there was] another long hall and the guest room overlooking the garden. Always woke up to the birds singing.

Grandpa slept in a room by himself. He took nightmares, kicked the bottom of the bed and always hollered . Grandpa would take us to church and the store and always bought us some candy.

Tillie hated the Anglicans and the Roman Catholics. We always had to learn the Presbyterian caticism and memorise a psalm for her. She loved a good argument on religion and could quote scripture by
memory, could preach a sermon and hold her own in a political debate. She was known for her neighbourly deeds and hospitable home. She created taffeta satin dresses that rustled when she came to church, made her own hats but was a terrible dressmaker. Her daughters were the best dressed at school in ruffled dresses and aprons. Very creative. She spun wool and dyed with vegetables and gave [the colours] names, i.e. "dying rose" or "light of fading day." Always kept a bouquet on the table of ferns and wild flowers, leaves or clover.

At the back of the house [there was] an open porch. Here was the wash stand, hand washer, bench to sit on to wash your feet "every night.” A small room off this was called the "scullery." Here was the
separator for cream was kept.

Our favourite room [was] over the kitchen and was not finished. The roofing sounded good on a rainy day. [There was] an old spool bed with a feather mattress, a chest of drawers full of old postcards and
old school books, and the sewing machine .She also grew hops to make beer. They were usually drying on paper [in this room].

When Jack married Bessie , she went there. Her mother went over one day and she was sick.,also the baby, so she picked her up and took her home and told Jack he could come if he liked. That is when they lived in French River. She never liked mother (Bessie) because she was an Anglican and played in the church (23 years).

When they got old, she took a stroke and could not feed herself. They had to move to our home. I fed her the meals. Mom bathed her. She never came downstairs. Did everything in the bed. We did the
washing by hand. No electricity in those days.

Grandpa had to sleep in another room. He was so deaf he could not hear her so she kept "ya ya ya" just to annoy him.