William A McPhail was born in April 1803 in Cumberland County, North Carolina. His father was Dougald McPhail, who was born in Argyll, Scotland, and came to America with his parents at age 11. His mother was Isabella Murphy, who was born in North Carolina but whose parents came here from Argyll, Scotland, also.

William was one of the "middle" children in a large family; he had at least 8 brothers and 2 sisters. He married Mary Elizabeth Lunderman on December 13, 1833, in Christian County, Kentucky. She was born in Virginia but moved with her family to Christian County around 1822.

From Kentucky they migrated to Pulaski County, Missouri, in the mid-1830s and settled in what would become the town of Lebanon. There they had two daughters, Mary Isabella and Nancy Jane. The area they were in became Kinderhook County, which was soon renamed Camden County.

As soon as it was surveyed and available for sale, William McPhail, Lot Murphy, and their neighbors traveled to Springfield to purchase the land they had chosen. The McPhails soon would own 400 acres in and around the future town of Lebanon, Missouri. However, they would not live to see the town grow and thrive.

William died unexpectedly when he was struck by lightning on March 25, 1848, still in Camden County. He was only 44. Sadly, his wife died later that same year. The following year, Laclede County was formed and Lebanon was named the county seat. Mary Isabella and Nancy Jane went to live with their Aunt Nancy and Uncle Lot Murphy, who looked after their inheritance and saw to it they received a good education.

We have no burial information for the McPhails, but judging from where their farm was located on the 1845 survey map, the "old" Lebanon Cemetery was located on the west side of their farm and would have been the obvious choice. The old cemetery was never documented, so the burials there are unrecorded. Hooker Cemetery would have been another option, since the Murphys lived just east of it and raised the McPhail girls after their parents died.