Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-09-11
WEBB NcNALL.
A Brief Sketch. of One of the Pho
neers of the Northwest.

Webb McNall, the Republican nom
inee for Congress, came to Smith
county and homesteaded in 1871
That winter he hauled freight from
Concordia to Waterville, frequently
being gone ten days on a trip. He
slept out in all kinds of weather.
There were times during the winter
Of 1871 and 1872 that he slept out in
his wagon while camping out and
hauling freight that it was so cold he
was afraid to pull his boots off for
fear they would freeze so he could
not get them on again in the morn
ing. In the fall of III his father and
mother came out. His father home
steaded a claim just north and ad-
joining his. In the spring of 70
Webb furnished a breaking pillow. the
provisions, feed for team, seed corn,
and a hand to do the planting, and
his father broke prairie, half of the
time on his own claim and half of the
time on Webb's. In the mean time
Webb was freighting, hauling rock,
burning lime, digging cellers, dig
gIng wells, ETC., to make money for
both families to live on. In the wint-
er of 1872 and 1873 he freighted, and
IN addition kept feed ranch at Gay
lord. In the spring of '73 Webb and
four or five others dubbed together
and sent up to Womer's, on Walnut
creek in the north part of the county
on the Nebraska line, and purchased
a load of spring wheat, paying one
dollar per busheI, and sowed between
four and five acres of wheat. At
this time the nearest grist mill was
at Glen Elder. When he was putt
ing in his wheat that spring he was
told that he had better take his seed
to Glen Elder mill, and he would
realize something out of it; that it
was too dry and he would not get
his seed back He harvested seven
teen bushels to the acre from that
sowing.
Webb continued to live on his farm
worked out by the day, freighted, and
did whatever he could do to make an
honorable livelihood. He kept this
up until the winter of rs; then he
went to the Legislature and was
elected doOr-keeper of the lower
House. He came back in the spring
of '76, and continued farming. In
January of the following year, he
went down to the Legislature again
and was rejected dOOr-keeper. That
spring he went to Washington, D. O.,
and Senator Plumb gave him a posi-
ton in the Senate end of the build
ing upon the capitol police force
That paid him $1,1OO per year. He
was on duty twelve hours and off
twenty-four. That brought him on
every third day and every third
night. Then Webb went to reading
law, and continued to study law in
the daytime when he was not on du-
ty, and at night when he was on duty,
and remained there until the LIST of
May. 1879, when the Senate went
Democratic. Webb was the first
man to get bounced under the new
administration on the Senate end Of
the building. He Immediately re-
turned to his homestead in Kansas.
The May term of court was in session
IN his county at that time and he ap-
piled for admission to the bar. The
committee reported favorably and he
was admitted to practice law. The
same summer the Central Branch
railroad was built through Smith
county. There were thirty-three ap-
peal cases from the right of way
against the railroad company from
/ the assessment Of damages. The
farmers employed Webb in every
! case to prosecute theiF suits against
the railroad company. He was sue
cessfuI in every case except one
! Since that time he has been residing
on his half section farm near Gaylord
farming and practieing law. He was
elected assistant sergeant-at-aTms Of
the Kansas LegtelatHre several times.
In the fall Of 1884 hs vas nIalomiRat-
ed for Representative by a unani-
nous vote, while he was attending
court At Smith Centre, as the Repub-
lean candidate Tor The south district
n Smith county. His ma3qfEta vas
between 300 and 300. That winter 3