1 Daniel McNair was probably a native of Northern Ireland or the descendant of a native of Northern Ireland for the spelling McAnare, McEnaire, and McAnaire as it occurs in the old records was known to occur in Northern Ireland but not in Scotland. It is also likely that he or his ancestor landed in Philadelphia and went to Augusta Co., VA, for such was the path of migration of many of the settlers of this region. Daniel McNair came to Augusta Co., VA about 1738 and settled on Middle River, near Staunton. This land came to Daniel through grants from the English kings, George II and George III. Legal records indicate he owned more than a thousand acres of land on Middle River. In 1742 Daniel's name appears as a private on the muster roll of Capt. John Smith's company of Augusta Co. On Aug. 20, 1746 he was a Captain. A partial list of his land transactions is as follows: Jun. 10, 1740, patented 400 acres; Dec 31, 1745, 400 acres on a branch of the James River called Burden's Creek to James Trimble; Sep. 20, 1748, patented 23 acres which he sold Aug. 27, 1751; Dec. 9, 1748, he obtained 100 acres on Jenning's Branch; Nov. 17, 1752, sold 115 acrese to Alexander Gibson located on the Middle River of Shanadore; Nov. 23, 1753, James Patton deeded to him 390 acres on a branch of Wood's River; May 29, 1756, he deeded 147 acres (part of his 400 acres of 1740) to James Sayers. Records show that in Feb., 1749, Daniel was a miller. He was probably marrried to Hannah (surname unknown) about Feb. 1745, as this is the first time that her name appears jointly with his in acknowledging deeds. Daniel died previous to Jul 19, 1791, for on that date his son David was made administrator of his estate. It is probable that there was a daughter, Hannah McNair, probably married to James Trimble. A sun dial with the inscription "David McNair, 2nd, 1711" is among the family relics owned by Dr. James McNair Stover (South Boston, VA). According to tradition, this sun dial belonged to Daniel's father and had always been kept on the gate post of the original McNair farm on Middle River until about 1900.