My Genealogy Hound

Prof. W. P. Nason, one of the most prominent educators of Kirksville, was born in Fairfield District, S. C., in 1824. His parents soon after moved to Athens, Ga., and remained, there until 1839, when they removed to Mississippi to engage in agricultural pursuits. He attended school in Fayetteville, Tenn., and then taught for several years in Mississippi. He spent 1850 in traveling through Texas, and in 1852 located in Indiana, where he taught one year, in Switzerland County, before going to Carroll County, Ky., where he taught for about three years, and during this time attended South Hanover College. He came to Adair County in 1857, and soon after located in Kirksville, where two years later he was married. After teaching a private school till 1862, he went to Wisconsin and taught for three years. He then located permanently at Kirksville, and taught public school. In 1867 he became connected with the Northern Missouri Normal School. It existed as a private school under J. Baldwin until January, 1871, when it was adopted as a State institution. Prof. Nason was acting president for one year, 1881-82, and since the organization has had charge of the chair of English language and literature. By his first marriage three, sons were born, one of whom died in infancy. W. B. resides in Ripon, Wis., and J. C., in Macon, Mo. Their mother, Sarah Cowan, a native of Ohio, died February 10, 1864, and June 12, 1866, he married Sarah A. Thompson, nee Griffith. Their son, George, is a graduate of the State Normal, in the class of 1887. Prof. Nason is a Mason, and his family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The father, James, was a North Ireland man, born August 4, 1782, and after reaching manhood came to America and located in South Carolina. His wife, Margaret Montgomery, was a native of North Carolina. She died in 1852, in Mississippi, and her husband followed her three years later, after they had reared five sons and four daughters to maturity.