John Nall.

John Nall, a Kansas pioneer and prominent Johnson county farmer, is a native of North Carolina. He was born in Chatham county, in 1832, and is a son of John and Dorcas Nall, both natives of Chatham county, North Carolina, who came from that State to Tennessee and then to Missouri at an early date. They were the parents of ten children, as follows : Wesley, Thomas Carter, Orville Eastland, Sarah, Mary, Atlas, Lemuel, Willis, Elizabeth and John. John Nall, whose name introduces this sketch, was educated in private schools and in the public schools of Tennessee and Missouri. In 1856, he came to Kansas from Missouri and settled in Bourbon county, near Mapleton. He remained there about two years and went to Bates county, Missouri, but returned to Kansas, March 18, 1859, this time locating in Mission township, Johnson county, then Shawnee township. With his brother, Thomas, he bought a claim of 160 acres of school land. He then bought a claim of eighty acres from a Shawnee Indian named Wash White, paying him $12 per acre, and also purchased forty acres from a Shawnee woman named Sarah Prophet for $1.25 per acre. This land is now worth $200 per acre.

His last purchase was forty acres from Milton McGee, of Kansas City, Mo. This last forty acres joins the school land which he first purchased. There were a great many Shawnee Indians here when Mr. Nall came and Graham Rodgers was the chief of the tribe. He lived where John R. Foster now resides, about three-fourths of a mile from Milburn station. Mr. Nail resided on his place through the days of the border warfare and the Civil war, except while he was in the service for a short time. He served in Company D, Thirteenth regiment, Kansas militia and was in camp with his company at Little Santa Fe, Olathe Mission and Shawneetown. Mr. Nall's home is on an eminence overlooking the battlefield of Westport, which is about two and one-half miles distant.

He was home on the day of the battle, and saw the charges and countercharges and not only could hear the firing but could hear the yells of the soldiers as the conflict was waged. Mr. Nall was married in 1857 in Bates county, Missouri, to Miss Nancy J. Sells, who died in 1870. To this union were born nine children, two of whom are living, as follows. Tabitha Josephine, married Philip C. Nall and is now a widow, residing in Shawneetown, and Benjamin Franklin, who resides in Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Nail was married the second time in 1872 to Miss Susan Emma Mooney, at Mission, Kan. She died August 19, 1915, and is buried in the Nail cemetery. Six children were born to this marriage, four of whom are living, as follows : Robert E. Lee is married and resides at Oakland, Calif.; Maggie Cornelia resides at home; Susan Asenith married W. J. McClellan and lives on the home place, and Thomas Raymond resides at home. Mr. Nail is well known in Johnson county and is one of the substantial citizens of Mission township. Thomas Nail, who came to Johnson county with his brother in 1859, died December 31, 1903, and is buried in the Nail cemetery. Orville Nail, another brother, lives with his younger sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Bowles, in Rosedale, Kan.