Biographical Sketch of S. F. McNair, Johnson County, Missouri,
Warrensubrg Township

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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S. F. McNair, the well known practical farmer of the Warrensburg State
Normal School, is a native of Moniteau county.  He was born in that
county, but was reared on a Pettis county farm.  Mr. McNair is a son of
Daniel and Maggie (Houx) McNair, the father, a native of Pennsylvania
and the mother, of Moniteau county, a member of a prominent pioneer
family.  Daniel McNair came to Missouri in early manhood and located in
Moniteau county.  Mr. McNair was a distant relative of Alexander McNair
the first govenor of Missouri.  Since the father's death, in 1905, the
widowed mother has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. T. P. Woods,
in Arkansas.  For twelve years, S. F. McNair was employed as telegraph
operator and then he returned to the farm.  He came to Johnson county,
Missouri, in 1896 and is now the owner of a farm of one hundred sixty
acres in Warrensburg township, a place located four miles south of 
Warrensburg.  Mr. McNair has been superintendent of the State Normal
farm for the past four years.  He is a close observer and keen, practi-
cal thinker and by reading widely on the various subjects pertaining to
agriculture became very proficient in his agricultural knowledge and
pursuits, so that when the time came that the Normal School desired a
good, practical farmer to assist in farm work and experimentation, Mr.
McNair was well qualified for the position.  In 1888, S. F. McNair and
Dollie Inman, of Kansas City, Missouri, daughter of Thomas and Anne
(Davis) Inman, natives of Indiana, were united in marriage.  To this
union have been born four children: Margaret, deceased; Mary, Martha,
and Samuel, Jr.  S. F. McNair was the first man in the southern part of
Warrensburg township to erect a silo.  He built one of one hundred tons
capacity in 1906 and after two years' trial found it an excellent pay-
ing proposition, for in that time it had paid for itself, and he then
erected a second one.  The first silo was constructed of yellow pine.
Mr. McNair is now a strong advocate of the silo as a "money-maker."  He
is also a firm believer in the utility of the dairy cow on Johnson
county farms and for soil builders enthusiastically recommends soy 
beans and sweet clover.  The Farm Laboratory of the Warrensburg State
Normal School was purchased in 1910 for the use of the Department of
Agriculture and it is managed by S. F. McNair under the supervision of
Professor H. A. Phillips, the head of the Department of Agriculture.
The farm is equipped with such conveniences as are found on the average
country place.  There is one large barn for the horses and dairy cattle
all fed under one roof.  This barn is supplied with stanchions and
litter carriers.  The milk from the dairy is A grade and is sold in 
Kansas City.  A silo of seventy tons capacity is on this farm.  One of
the attractive features of the Farm Laboratory is the modern poultry
house, in which are kept several different varieties of pure-bred
poultry, among them, namely: Barred Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds,
White Leghorns, Silver Wyandottes, and Golden Wyandottes.  A herd of 
ten Jerseys, five registered, are kept on the place.  At present, the 
O. I. C. hogs are being raised.  In 1917, garden produce for the use of
the domestic science students of the Normal School came from the Farm
Laboratory, including tomatoes, green beans and sweet corn, which the
department used to demonstrate proper methods of canning.  Last year,
of 1916, experimental work was conducted with fifteen different variet-
ies of wheat, eight varieties of oats, three varieties of barley,
eight varieties of soy beans, four varieties of cowpeas, and six vari-
eties of corn and at the same time experiments were made in the differ-
ent times and methods of seeding.  Practical work in growing alfalfa
and clovers and in rotating crops was also done.  A four year rotation
is used: oats, wheat, corn and clover or soy beans.  Mr. McNair is a
worker and deeply interested in the Farm Laboratory.  The Normal School
is indeed fortunate to have as competent, industrious and progressive
man as he as superintendent.

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