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Reuben Harrison McNair

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Reuben Harrison McNair

Birth	:	1878
Death	:	1962
Burial	:	St. Helen's Churchyard, Benson, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate	:	51.6200200, -1.1127400
Description	:	Eva Claire Ganoung, born July 17, 1887 in Nebraska, married Reuben Harrison McNair on September 23, 1905, and came to California in 1924. In an interview with Dan and Rosalind (née Taylor) McNair, on May 12, 1995, as noted in the book Durham Land Colony (c: 1996): "My father brought his cows down from Canada en route to the State Land Development at Delhi. He was stopped in Durham and told he couldn't go on to Delhi because there was hoof and mouth disease in one of the herds and that there was a quarantine. He... Read More	Eva Claire Ganoung, born July 17, 1887 in Nebraska, married Reuben Harrison McNair on September 23, 1905, and came to California in 1924. In an interview with Dan and Rosalind (née Taylor) McNair, on May 12, 1995, as noted in the book Durham Land Colony (c: 1996): "My father brought his cows down from Canada en route to the State Land Development at Delhi. He was stopped in Durham and told he couldn't go on to Delhi because there was hoof and mouth disease in one of the herds and that there was a quarantine. He got off the train in Durham with his cows, and had to make friends with someone so he would have somewhere to put his cows. He met Mr. and Mrs. Frese who had a ranch. Mr. Frese said he could put his cows on his place if he would also milk the Frese cows. "My father had Holstein cows; I'm not sure of the number, but they filled the boxcar. He had to ride with the cows, since that was railroad policy. My mother and I came later on a passenger train." The Frese farm was located on the southwest corner of Esquon and Durham Dayton Highway [Allotment 24], where Mr. Frese had a dairy operation. "Dad got off the train" Dan continues, "and put up the cows on the Frese place. There was a dairy barn there at that time. My father stayed on the Frese place with his cows for a very short time because he started looking around for a place of his own. He bought a portion, 26.3 acres, of [Allotment] No. 81 from Mr. Doty." The Dotys moved to Southern California, and Lorraine Doty kept in contact with Eva McNair for some time afterward. "My mother was a person who liked to work. My father had about 30 cows when they first started in business, which was a lot to milk by hand, but there were always some dry cows and young animals. Father started in a typical barn of that era, with a small cool house to store the milk until it was delivered to the creamery. The hay barn, evident in 2008, is not original. The one standing at this date was built in about 1935." Reuben tore down the original barn, which faced south and had a redwood silo. A small milk house was attached. The house was located to the south/southeast of the original barn. A circle driveway came in from Mesa Road and down around to the front of the barn, then back to the road. The hay barn, built later, faces west toward Esquon Road. In a Chico Daily Enterprise, newspaper story of Wednesday Evening, February 20, 1929, (pg. 2): "Two Dairy Herds Sold. Durham -- Twenty-five Holstein cows from the ranches of R.H. McNair and Chris Skovmand [Allotment 23] were sold this week and yesterday were shipped from the local corrals to Dos Palos near Fresno. Skovmand is going out of the dairy business and McNair plans to discontinue dairying on his ranch for the time being." Reuben and Eva McNair ran the Durham Cooperative Creamery from 1928 to 1933. "My dad ran the upstairs where they received the milk ... where they take it in and weigh it, sample it and dump it into a huge tank, and my mother ran the downstairs part where the milk came over the cooler. She bottled it, and toward the end they had a homogenizer; then out in the back end they had the cold storage plant for butchering. There was a lean-to at the back of this building with a cement floor and a huge butcher block, and that is where they butchered. Then they had the cold storage department with all the separate sections. You could leave your meat there and rent a box. This was before freezers. As I remember it, Dad got $85 per month for the upstairs and Mom got $65 for the downstairs, and she worked just as hard as he did ... That was a good job for those days. They bought a new car, a radio with a phonograph in the top, and a washing machine ... luxuries." Reuben and Eva returned to farming at the location on the northeast corner of Esquon and Mesa sometime during 1933. Dan graduated from Durham High School in 1940 and went into the Army Air Corps that October. He and Rosalind Taylor were married on April 11, 1942. He returned home in 1945. By 1950 Reuben and Eva were ready to retire to some extent, and Dan bought into the dairy herd. The senior McNairs moved to the corner of Lott and Cummings, and Reuben died in 1962. Around 1966 Eva McNair moved into a large mobile home adjacent to the home of her son and daughter-in -law, the cows were sold, and moved off the farm. Dan went into the McNair Harvestor business. He built the first machine on the milk barn floor all by himself, and continued building a total of 13 machines during the next year. The business was bought out by a corporation from New York, who later bought out the Weiss Sweepers. In 2008 it is known as Weiss-McNair. Eva McNair, known affectionately as "Gramma" by neighbors up and down Esquon Road had always enjoyed keeping busy. She faithfully tended a small garden around her new home, and started helping with the creation of lap robes and afghans for veterans hospitals. In a photo and caption, taken by Enterprise-Record writer and photographer Mary Lemcke in July 1971, she was honored at a luncheon given in her honor at the Durham Park in thanks for the then 13 afghans she'd completed and which had been sent to veteran's facilities by the members of the Durham American Legion Auxiliary. Multiple newspaper articles throughout the next several years, culminating in the article of the Chico Enterprise-Record, on Friday, July 16, 1976, tell the story of "completing 13 … 21 … five more … an additional eight … the 40th", plus requests for funds for more yarn. "Woman Makes 89th Afghan "When Eva McNair of Durham celebrates her 89th birthday tomorrow, she'll have something to brag about. The alert and talkative octogenarian-plus has made as many afghans as she has had birthdays. "The 89th afghan was given to the late Jens Hansen of Durham, a 50-year member of the American Legion last week. Hansen was undergoing treatment at a local hospital, but died July 13. "Mrs. McNair presented the red, white and blue blanket featuring a Bicentennial theme to Hansen's wife, Eunice, on July 9. The active 89-year-old woman, who has made those 89 afghans in the last five years, gives the fruit of her labors to veterans and Durham residents. "After the afghan presentation, Mrs. McNair was honored at a surprise birthday luncheon at Fjord's Smorgette. Attending and hosting the party were members of Durham Unit 673, American Legion Auxiliary. "Besides birthday cake, Mrs. McNair was given a commemorative vase of the 1893 World's Fair. Mrs. McNair attended that first World's Fair, held in Chicago, Ill. "Agnes Pearce, rehabilitation chairman of the Durham group, organized the party. Attending from Durham were: Barbara Berger, Ruth Brinson, Mrs. Hansen, Fran Willadsen, Shanda Pearce, Alys Walters, Vance Lucas, Cleo Comer, Agnes Pearce and the honoree." Eva Claire Ganoung McNair made an impression on many of her friends and neighbors during the 62 years she lived in the community of Durham. Hard-working, giving, and empathetic describe the vital life lived, ending on August 8, 1986, at the precious age of 99. Story published in Nonpareils of Durham, c: 2010 by Adriana Farley.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Reuben Harrison McNair's memorial?
Reuben Harrison McNair's memorial is located at: St. Helen's Churchyard, Benson, South Oxfordshire District, England.
When did Reuben Harrison McNair death?
Reuben Harrison McNair death on 1962 in
Where are the coordinates of the Reuben Harrison McNair's memorial?
Latitude: 51.6200200
Longitude: -1.1127400

Family Members:

Spouse

Eva Claire Ganoung McNair

(1887 - 1986)

Children

Daniel Syms “Dan” McNair

(1921 - 2019)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. St. Helen's Churchyard
Benson, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6200200, -1.1127400

2. St. Helen Churchyard Extension
Benson, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6201400, -1.1121200

3. Benson War Memorial
Benson, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6207890, -1.1108700

4. Wallingford Cemetery
Wallingford, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6058200, -1.1232000

5. All Hallows Graveyard
Wallingford, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6020520, -1.1242267

6. Saint Peter's Churchyard
Wallingford, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6005819, -1.1215970

7. St Mary Magdalene Churchyard
Crowmarsh Gifford, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.5992169, -1.1139564

8. St. Mary-le-More Churchyard
Wallingford, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.5993878, -1.1249488

9. Friends Burying Ground
Warborough, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6374080, -1.1354510

10. St Laurence Churchyard
Warborough, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6383330, -1.1358310

11. St. Leonard's Churchyard
Wallingford, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.5972711, -1.1230712

12. Saint James Churchyard
Brightwell cum Sotwell, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6120200, -1.1549800

13. St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard
Ewelme, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6177310, -1.0674850

14. St. Agatha New Churchyard
Brightwell cum Sotwell, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6131480, -1.1665480

15. St. John the Baptist Church (Defunct)
Mongwell, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.5860980, -1.1233580

16. Saint Birinus Catholic Churchyard
Dorchester, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6412600, -1.1649100

17. Dorchester Abbey
Dorchester, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6436250, -1.1644290

18. Dorchester Cemetery
Dorchester, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6478130, -1.1649480

19. St Giles Churchyard
Newington, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6638800, -1.1207600

20. Brightwell Baldwin St Bartholomews Churchyard
Brightwell Baldwin, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6500670, -1.0569610

21. St. Peter's Churchyard
Little Wittenham, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6369880, -1.1830625

22. St Leonard and St Catherine
Drayton St Leonard, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6640020, -1.1387005

23. St Mary's Church Cemetery
Chalgrove, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.6641000, -1.0802000

24. St. Mary's Churchyard
North Stoke, South Oxfordshire District, England
Coordinate: 51.5714910, -1.1228080