ned mcnair, jr.
1914-1987
Life Story
Farmer, Community Leader, and Deacon in the Lawrence Community
Early Life in the McNair Household
Ned McNair was born on October 10, 1914, in Newton County, Mississippi, to John McNair and Candis Beddingfield McNair. He grew up in the rural farming community near Lawrence and Conehatta, where agriculture shaped both family life and the local economy.
Ned was raised in a large farming family in Beat 4 of Newton County. The 1930 census shows fifteen-year-old Ned living with his parents and siblings on the family farm along the Newton–Conehatta Road. Members of the household included:
- John McNair – father
- Candis McNair – mother
- Esther McNair
- Selesta McNair
- Christine McNair
- Lorena McNair
- Alex McNair – his grandfather
Like many young boys in rural Mississippi, Ned worked early in life. Census records show him working as a farm laborer and unpaid worker on the family farm, while also attending school and learning the agricultural skills that would sustain him throughout adulthood.
Marriage and Establishing His Own Farm
By 1940, Ned had established his own household in Newton County. The census lists him as 27 years old, married to Louise Kidd McNair, and operating his own farm.
Their home was already a busy one, with several young children including:
- Rufus McNair
- John Willie McNair
- Charlie McNair
Over the following decade their family continued to grow.
By 1950, the McNair family lived on South Seventh Street in Newton, where Ned worked as a millhand in a lumber mill, putting in long hours to support his large household. Despite the shift from farming to industrial work, agriculture remained an important part of his life.
The 1950 household included:
- Rufus
- John Willie
- Charlie
- Samuel
- Robert Lee McNair
- Sue
- Ellestine
- Elton
- Carolyn
- Thelma
Community Leadership and Agricultural Work
Ned McNair was widely known in the Lawrence community not only as a farmer but also as an active participant in agricultural improvement programs.
Newspaper articles from The Newton Record show that he was involved in the Lawrence Rural Development Club, which worked closely with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service to promote better farming practices. During one club tour, visitors viewed Ned McNair’s truck crops, which included:
- corn
- beans
- peas
- snap beans
- potatoes
The article also noted that Mrs. Louise McNair served as secretary of the club, showing that the McNair family played an important leadership role in the organization.
These clubs were important institutions in rural Black communities, helping farmers improve crop production and strengthen cooperation among neighbors.
Faith and Church Life
Faith played a central role in Ned McNair’s life. He and his family were active members of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Lawrence.
Newspaper accounts describe Ned as a deacon of the church, and his home often hosted visiting ministers and church leaders. One article record that Rev. Robert Denmark, pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church, was often a dinner guest in the home of Deacon and Mrs. Ned McNair.
The McNair family regularly participated in church services, community gatherings, and special programs. Their home served as a place of hospitality for church leaders, relatives, and visitors from other communities.
Family and Community Connections
The McNair household remained closely tied to family and extended family members across Mississippi. Their son and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Rufus McNair of Jackson, often visited Ned and Louise and attended services with them at Jerusalem Baptist Church.
These visits reflected the strong family networks that linked the McNair descendants across the state.
Later Years
In later years Ned and Louise lived in the Decatur area of Newton County, where he continued to farm and remain active in community life.
Records show that he resided at Route 1, Decatur, Mississippi, where he spent the final years of his life surrounded by family and friends.
Death and Burial
Ned McNair passed away on December 20, 1987, at the age of 73.
He was laid to rest in Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi, near the community where he had lived and worked throughout his life.
Legacy
Ned McNair’s life reflects the perseverance and leadership of rural Black farmers in twentieth-century Mississippi. Through hard work, faith, and community involvement, he helped sustain his family and contribute to the development of the Lawrence community.
His legacy lives on through the many descendants of the McNair family, who continue to be part of the history and life of Newton County, Mississippi.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
- Scott County Times, Candis B. McNair Obituary, Wed, Oct 16, 1985 ·Page 12
- The Newton Record, Truck Crops visited on Tour, Wed, Jul 14, 1971 ·Page 14
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