McNinch was born and raised in Amboy and moved to Rock Falls in the early 1900's. He was a tinner by trade and worked in a tin shop in Rock Falls for several years.

He later was employed as a traveling salesman fo the Sterling Manufacturing Company before purchasing the feed store business which sold baled hay and the various feeds for both cattle and poultry.

He sold the buisness to Mr. Meckling. McNinch accepted a job as flagman for the Noth Western Railroad and moved to Buda in 1914. Later he was transferred back to Rock Falls and he continued working for the railroad until his retirement in 1941. He died in 1946 at the age of 75.

Mc Ninch and his wife Myrna were the parents of five sons, James, Marvin, Kenneth, Wilbur and Donald.

Illinois - "Our Way"