Alexander James Whiteford McNeilly (August 7, 1845 – October 9, 1911) was an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

-born lawyer and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Bonavista from 1873 to 1878, Twillingate and Fogo

Twillingate and Fogo

The Isles of Notre Dame, formerly called Twillingate and Fogo, is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...

 from 1878 to 1882 and Bay de Verde from 1885 to 1889 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

.

He was born in Armagh

Armagh

Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...

, the son of Isaac McNeily and Olivia Whiteford, and came to Newfoundland with his brother and widowed mother in 1849. McNeilly studied at Queen's University

Queen's University of Ireland

The Queen's University of Ireland was established formally by Royal Charter on 3 September 1850, as the degree-awarding university of the Queen's Colleges of Belfast, Cork, and Galway that were established in 1845 "to afford a university education to members of all religious denominations" in...

 in Ireland, articled in law with Hugh William Hoyles and was called to the bar in 1870. In 1878, he married Jessie Emma Sutcliff, the daughter of James Johnstone Rogerson

James Johnstone Rogerson

James Johnstone Rogerson was a businessman, political figure and philanthropist in Newfoundland. He represented Burin from 1859 to 1861 and Bay de Verde from 1870 to 1882 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.He was born in Harbour Grace, the son of Peter Rogerson and Amelia Palmer....

. McNeilly was named Queen's Counsel

Queen's Counsel

Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...

 in 1880. He was speaker

Speaker of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Speaker of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador is the presiding officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.The current Speaker of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is Ross Wiseman, who was uncontested for the role following the 2011 General...

 for the Newfoundland assembly from 1879 to 1882 and from 1886 to 1889. He served as registrar for the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador

Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador is the superior court for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador has jurisdiction to hear appeals in both criminal and civil matters from the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador ,...

 from 1889 to 1900. He died in St. John's

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

at the age of 66.