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James McNally Reminiscences

 Collection
Identifier: MC 1722

Scope and Content Note

The collection includes 13 booklets and 1 typescript prepared and authored by McNally. The booklets include short stories, family and local Arkansas histories, anecdotal accounts of his personal relationships, and descriptions of his experiences leading up to service in the United States Army.

Dates

  • 1997-2023

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Access Information

Please call (479) 575-8444 or email specoll@uark.edu at least two weeks in advance of your arrival to ensure availability of the materials.

Use Information

No Use Restrictions Apply.

No Interlibrary Loan.

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).

Biographical Note

James McNally was born on October 30, 1943 in Springdale, Arkansas to Ermil McNally, a dentist from Missouri, and formerly Dorothy Sanders, a teacher from Arkansas. McNally grew up in Springdale, Arkansas across the street from Don Tyson. After graduating from Springdale High School, McNally began attending Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri in 1962. On August 30, 1967 James entered the United States Army and served two tours in Vietnam until he was released on April 2, 1970. Once he was officially discharged from the army, McNally entered the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. It was here at the University of Arkansas that he first met the former president, Bill Clinton. McNally graduated in 1970 with a B.A. in business/sociology.

After the completion of his degree, McNally became involved in the commodity business at Refco in Springdale. In February 1980, he moved to Giddings, Texas as the project manager for Phillips Petroleum Company until he was fired in 1985. While McNally was in Texas, he opened “G.C.I.,” for Giddings Commodity Investments. It was associated with Heinhold Commodities out of Chicago. From 1988 to 1990, James worked as a crew member of the luxury cruise ship Princess Xanadu.

Through out his life, McNally was married six times. He was first married to Kathy Brewer whom bore him a daughter, Beverly Kay, on September 30, 1963 in Rogers, Arkansas. The marriage lasted five years. McNally’s second marriage was to Cindy Skalski and was short lived. Suki “Barbara” Van Meter Hinman married McNally in 1971 and by 1973, they were divorced and McNally had already remarried. Nancy Parker, a special education school teacher in the Springdale, Arkansas school system was McNally’s fourth wife. While married to Nancy McNally had his second child, Shreve on September 16, 1979. Nancy Franklin became McNally’s fifth wife. The marriage lasted 63 days. McNally would not marry again until 1996, to his sixth wife, Laura Duran.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)

Arrangement of the Papers

Materials are arrange by topic.

Acquisition Information

The James McNally Reminiscences were donated to the Special Collections Department, University of Arkansas Libraries, on August 4, 2007 by James McNally. An additional item (Box 1, Folder 14) was donated by McNally in December 2023.

Processing Information

Processed by Kristie Flynn; completed in October 2008. Updated by Katrina Windon in December 2023 to incorporate an additional donation (Box 1, Folder 14).

Creator

Source

Title
James McNally Reminiscences
Status
Completed
Author
Kristie Flynn
Date
2008
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Department Repository

Contact:
University of Arkansas Libraries
365 N. McIlroy Avenue
Fayetteville AR 72701 United States
(479) 575-8444