Henry Neil and Maria Kirk Black

Child 1:   Elizabeth Hunter Neil Born: 7-Sep-1885 Died: 12-Oct-1967 Spouse: William Downie Children: Samuel Downie, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Neil Downie, Mary Miller Downie, Hannah (Nan) Downie, Henry Downie, James Downie, John Downie, Thomas Downie, Charles Downie, William Downie, Jessie Downie, Joseph Downie, Jean Downie, Maria Downie ELIZABETH NEIL.  was the matriarchal figure of the Downie Family. She believed in discipline and had a kind nature at the same time. She was known for her acts of charity and her love of her family. She spent her savings helping others during the hard economic times of the 1920's. Elizabeth from Dunsyston, Airdrie was the daughter of Henry Neil and Maria Black. Elizabeth's mother died when she was a small child and her grandmother Black raised her. Henry Neil married again and had three other daughters. Elizabeth's stepsisters were Jeannie, Agnes and Sarah. The one best known to us was Jeannie, Mrs Joseph Booth, who lived and raised her family in Shotts, Lanarkshire. The other two sisters lived in Airdrie and district. Elizabeth died in September 1967, aged 82 at 9, Sunnyside Street, Larkhall. Elizabeth Neil was a cousin of a notable Provost (Scottish civic leader) of Airdrie - Alec or Sanny Black, who was nicknamed "Yankee" because he had spent some time in the United States A family story claims Elizabeth Neil to be a relative of the famous explorer-missionary, David Livingstone of Blantyre, Lanarkshire, whose mother was a Hunter.