The Families
Four family histories contribute to the story of the O'Neill family. On the paternal side, there are the O'Neil and the Jones families. On the maternal side are the Artman and Lautner families.
The children of Joseph O'Neil and Frances Artman are a quarter Irish, a quarter Welsh and half German.
The O'Neil and Jones families came to Michigan from Ontario in the late 1860's and early 1870's. Thomas O'Neil was born in Canada of Irish parents and Margaret Jones was born in Canada of Welsh parents.
Both the Artman and the Lautner families came to Michigan from Germany; the Artman's in the 1870's from Bavaria and the Lautner's in the 1890's.
The four families were joined in the marriage of Joseph O'Neill and Frances Artman. This story is for their descendants. Family stories and memories are included but at times are contradictory as memories and stories so often are. The history of each family can be partially pieced together from available records but there will always remain many questions. The information presented here is based on amateur research. What is not verified is noted as conjecture.
