Neola Farm

Neola Farm – A place of beauty,  of tragedy , of silent sadness.

Neola Farm 1968

Burned 4-7-2014

Percy Luzenburg McCay was a well known and progressive businessman from New Orleans. His name was well known in Louisiana and in the cotton industry around the year 1900.  Time takes its toll and now, over 100 years after his death, his name has very little recognition in Amite City.  Percy L. McCay is buried in the Amite Cemetery, but what is his story?

In 1886-1887 Percy Luzenburg McCay and George DeRussey purchased land near Amite to create a model farm which was named “Neola Farm.” The new landowners apparently had more than farming in mind because both of these men married Amite women shortly after establishing Neola.  Mr. McCay won the hand of Eleanor “Nellie” Conner and Mr. DeRussey married Miss Minnie Lotspeich. After a few years  Neola became the property of the McCays as the DeRussey’s moved to South Louisiana to work in the sugar industry.

The McCay family shared time between Neola and their home in New Orleans.  The marriage of Percy L. McCay and Nellie Conner resulted in the births of Edith Luzenberg McCay, Anna Conner McCay, Percy Luzenberg McCay, Jr. and Thompson McCay. Of note to the Amite area is that Anna Conner McCay was the first wife of Robert Stephen Ellis, Jr. She died early in their marriage.

Mr. McCay grew up in New Orleans and attended college in Virginia. McCay graduated with distinction and was valedictorian of his class at Locust Dale College. McCay began his career in the cotton brokerage  firm of W.B. Thompson and Co. He started work as an office boy and clerk but rose though the ranks. He served in just about every position at the firm until finally he became a partner were he remained until his death in 1903. 

After the death of her husband Nellie Conner McCay continued to be active in Amite activities.  One of her sisters, Lallie Conner, married Bolivar E. Kemp. 

Neola remains in the hands of the McCay family but the noted home there burned in 2014. The grounds there are still quite beautiful.

Watermelon at Neola Farm. Image located at www.nuckollswebsite.com. Pictured left to right; Lillie Lotspeich,  Mr. DeRussy, Nellie Conner, Mr. Adams, Lallie Conner, Mr. McCay, Mr. Conner, Mr. Rugely, Minnie Lotspeich.

An ad from May 1, 1887 Times Picayune

Thank you to Robert D. Vernon for the history, the research,  and guide to grave sites.