Francis M. McAnnally, a prominent pioneer of Kansas, now deceased, was born in Franklin county, Indiana, July 6, 1841, a son of William and Nancy (Poe) McAnnally. The mother was a native of Kentucky and a relative of Andrew and Adam Poe, known in the history of Kentucky as famous Indian fighters. They were brothers, and in a desperate encounter with a band of Wyandottes, killed chief Big Foot, of that tribe. William McAnnally was a native of Tennessee, and grew to manhood in his native State, when he went to Kentucky where he met and married Nancy Poe. Shortly after their marriage, they went to Franklin county, Indiana, where they bought land and resided there to Franklin county, Indiana, where they bought land and resided until his wife's health failed, when the[sic] moved to Hardingtown, where she died. After that, William McAnnally resided at Brookville, the county seat of Franklin county, and was prominent in that county, and at one time held the office of sheriff. He died at Brookville in 1888. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom Francis M., the subject of this sketch, was the youngest.

Francis as[sic] about three years old when the mother died, and it devolved upon him in early life to make his own way in the world. As a boy he worked at almost anything which presented itself as a means of livelihood. His early opportuinties[sic] to obtain an education were necessarily limited under the circumstances, and when he attained the age of sixteen years, he worked on a farm for his board and attended school. While a boy in his teens, he realized the importance of an education, and determined to attend school. In 1858, he went to Hamilton county, Ohio, to care for a sick brother and remained there about two years, during which time he attended school, and in that way obtained an average education.

In October, 1860, Mr. McAnnally was married, to Miss Rachel Hannah Boyles, a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, born September 13, 1842. She was a daughter of Cyrus and Mary U. (Crail) Boyles, the for-

mer a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Kentucky. Cyrus Boyles was born in 1801, a son of John Boyles, who was a native of Ireland, and who immigrated to this country when two years of age with his father, Michael Boyles, came to America with his family before the Revolutionary war. Michael Boyles served in the American army during the Revolutionary war. John Boyles' wife bore the name of Margaret Jane Clifford, and was a native of Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of Captain Clifford who held a commission as captain in the War of 1812. When Cyrus Boyles was sixteen years of age, he removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1817, and spent his life in that State. He died January 4, 1869.

Francis McAnnally and his wife lived in Ohio after their marriage until 1867, when they drove to Johnson county, Missouri, with a team and covered wagon. They remained in that locality two years, and in 1869, came to Butler county and homesteaded a quarter section of land in what is now Fairview township. After coming here, they camped on Harrison creek for four weeks while looking for a suitable location, and then after locating on their claim they lived until December of that year in a tent, when their little cabin was completed. Their first few years in Kansas were filled with trials and privations, but they were happy in the possession of good health, and confident in the future, and finally success came. The country, at that time, was one broad stretch of unbroken prairie, and the primitive animals of the plains were plentiful, and Mrs. McAnnally frequently went on short hunting expeditions with her husband, and has brought young fawns home which she raised as pets. Mr. McAnnally did some freighting in the early days between Florence and El Dorado.

Mr. McAnnally always took an interest in local public affairs and was prominent in the community. In 1881, he was elected trustee of Fairmount township, and also served as constable of his township. In 1882, he went to El Dorado and for two years was engaged in the grocery business, when he returned to his farm in Fairmount, where he died November 14, 1902. To Mr. and Mrs. McAnnally have been born four children, as follows: Thomas J., born July 4, 1861, in Ohio, and died October 3, 1893: A. J., born August 29, 1863, and died October 5, 1863; Lemuel Albert, born December 17, 1871, now resides in New Mexico; and Ira Francis, born October 26, 1874, lives in Oklahoma.

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