McNallj  
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     JESSE A. McNALL, who resides thirteen miles northwest from Sprague, was born near Roseburg, Oregon, on March 4, 1858.  His father, Edmund F. McNall, was born in Canada, and is now living in Walla Walla retired.  He followed stock raising in the west for a good many years.  The mother, Susan A. (Ishim) McNall, died in Whitman county, in June, 1902.  The family moved from the Willamette valley to the vicinity of Prescott, Washington, in 1860.  There our subject studied during the first sixteen years of his life in the common schools and also assisted his father in handling stock.  At the age of sixteen, he began work for himself and followed that steadily until twenty-one years of age, then rented the father's place for a year.  When twenty-two, he came to Lincoln county, arriving here in the spring.  He homesteaded a portion of the place where he now resides and at once began opening up a farm, and to the work of farming and stock raising he has given his attention since.  He is also one of the most successful threshing machine operators in the country.
     On the 9th of March, 1879, Mr. McNall married Miss Juliatha Brannan, the wedding occurring at Colfax.  Mrs. McNall was born while her parents were crossing the plains.  Her father, Thomas J. Brannan, is a native of Indiana and died August 22, 1894, on the Columbia river at Pearl, Washington.  He was justly a pioneer of the coast country.  His widow, Elmira (Rogers) Brannan, was born in Ohio and now resides at Peach, Washington, aged sixty-five.  She accompanied her husband across the plains with ox teams.  To Mr. and Mrs. McNall the following children have been born: Mrs. Daisy P. Anderson, living in this county; Elmira M., Annie B., William A., and Charles E., all at home.  Mr. McNall belongs to the I. O. O. F. and also the encampment.  He came to Lincoln county without means and has so labored and managed his affairs that he now owns a beautiful two-story residence, handsomely furnished and provided with all modern conveniences; an estate of one section of first class wheat land, which is well improved and all under cultivation; a band of cattle; and much other property.  Mr. McNall is certainly to be commended upon the success he has achieved in the northwest and during this time he has also been blessed with a pleasing family, which he and his wife have raised to be honorable men and women.  He is a respected citizen and is to be classed as one of the real builders of Lincoln county.
     Mrs. Daisy P. Anderson, the eldest daughter of our subject and his wife, was the first white child in Lord's valley, and her sister, Elmira M., was the first white child born there.  Mr. McNall turned the first furrow in that valley and altogether was one of the earliest pioneers.
 
 


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