Sculptor. He is probably best remembered for designing the Standing Liberty quarter that was issued for circulation by the US Mint from 1916 until 1930. After completing his early education, he served as an industrial art instructor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York from 1886 to 1889. He then travelled to Paris, France where he studied for a time under French sculptors Henri M. Chapu and Alexandre Falguiere. After completing his studies in Paris, he returned to the US and assisted sculptor Philip Martiny in the preparation of sketch models for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) in Chicago, Illinois. In 1896 he won the Rinehart scholarship and spent the next four years studying in Rome, Italy. His first important work was "The Moqui Runner" (1897), followed by "The Sun Vow" (1899), "A Primitive Chant to the Great Spirit" (1901), and "Coming of the White Man" (1904), all figures of Native Americans. In 1909 he competed and won a commission for a large soldiers' and sailors' monument in Albany, New York that was completed in 1912. In 1915 US Mint Director Robert W. Woolley set in motion with the Commission of Fine Arts, efforts to replace the Barber dime, quarter, and half dollar. The Commission disliked the sketches from the US Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber and selected sculptors Adolph Weinman, Hermon MacNeil and Albin Polasek to submit proposals for the new coins. In February 1916 Woodley notified MacNeil that he would sculpt the quarter's obverse that showed a somewhat militaristic Liberty standing on guard against attacks. Later he was given the go-ahead to sculpt the quarter's reverse as well, that depicted a flying eagle. In January 1917 the Mint released the first Standing Liberty quarters dated both 1916 and 1917, into circulation and only 52,000 coins were struck with the year 1916. In mid-1917 the design of the quarter was changed; most notably, Liberty's right exposed breast was covered with chain mail on the obverse and on the reverse, the number of stars were redistributed more evenly, from seven on the left side and six on the right side, to five stars on either side and 3 stars below the flying eagle. By late 1924, Mint officials realized there was a problem with the quarter in circulation. Quarters were returning to the Mint with the date completely worn off. To correct this, Mint officials made the step on which the date appears recessed into the design, rather than raised from it. This change solved the problem and quarters minted from 1925 and after survived with their dates intact. His later works include "Washington as Commander-in-Chief, Accompanied by Fame and Valor" (1914–1916) at the Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park, New York City, New York, the Civil War Sailors' Monument (1921) along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. the George Rogers Clark statue (1934) at the George Rogers Clark Memorial in Vincennes, Indiana, "Justice, the Guardian of Liberty" (1935) on the East Pediment of the US Supreme Court building in Washington DC, and the Pony Express Monument (1940) at the Civic Center Triangle in St. Joseph, Missouri. He died at the age of 81. His wife, Carol Brooks MacNeil, was also a noted sculptor.