My Notes on the 1894 History

 

Reminiscent History of the Ozark Region

 

Source: Reminiscent History Of The Ozark Region, pub. Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, Chicago 1894

Compiled by Nancy Quillin Long

2 April 2016

 We are blessed in the south with old books that were written after the Civil War to restore the history that was lost.  These authors included family stories that are invaluable in piecing together our family histories.  The McNairs were a large, respected family included in this history book.  Our great-great grandfather, Mack Manilus McNair, would have been 47 years old when this book was published.  We are fortunate because his name was always included which gave me the opportunity to establish Mack's family ties.  Though Mack was not researched, his very much older brother, James Claiborn, was a well-established man in the community and much of their history and family lines were researched and documented.  I have been strongly linked through DNA back to James McNair, Mack's grandfather, through the Manes DNA circle. James Claiborn McNair married Harriet Manes. The following story about James Claiborn not only ties us to the McNair family but also gives information about the Sherertz family putting us back another generation on Mack's mother's family.

I have struggled with contradicting information from this book published in 1894, but I believe that this author was relying on information given in interviews with family members.  It is a condensed general history, with a brief descriptive history of each county, and numerous biographical sketches of prominent citizens of those counties. It is a county history book, which is different from a research book of one given family. There are many pronouns with unclear antecedents which can often mislead readers, but the wonderful history of James Claiborn sheds light on our great-great grandfather's generation and their ties to the previous generation.

This history gives me clues as to why we may have misleading information about Illinois and Missouri.  During any war, families are displaced and lives are interrupted.  James Claiborn took refuge in Missouri during the Civil War because of his own convictions.  I believe his mother (also our Mack's mother) followed James Claiborn to Arkansas (and possibly for a few years to Missouri) to be near family after John died.  There could be some confusion linking Mary Ann to Pleasant Hill, Missouri, during the time frame of the Civil War, but she is clearly in Arkansas in the 1860 census. As far as their father John (Jack) McNair, moving to Union County, Illinois, where they claim he died in 1852, I have stated my difference of opinion in my history sheet of John (Jack) McNair, our 3rd great grandfather.