Centenarian celebrates birthday with 100-year-old cousin

Mancil Neill celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, Sept. 28. Neill grew up in the Hardin County community of Burnt Church. He served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II and retired from the Tennessee Forestry Service.
Neill celebrated his special day with his only living first cousin, Esther Neill Godwin, who is also 100 years old and a community writer for the Courier. They’re the only living grandchildren of Alexander Alfred Neill and his wife, Sara Young Neill.
In 1949, he married Gwenn Baugus, who was also from Burnt Church. They were together until her passing in 2015.