Nathaniel Skinner Gunn was born January 24, 1834 in the Arkansas Territory. The son of James and Elizabeth Wilkes Gunn, his parents moved from Virginia to the Arkansas prior to statehood. U.S. Government land records from 1832 indicate that James purchased 160 acres near Nobel Lake southeast of Pine Bluff. Following the death of his father, Nathan purchased 80 acres in 1860 from the U.S. Government. The land was located to the west of Big Creek and near the community of Mt. Elba. During January of the following year, Nathan joined the Zion Church and is listed as one of its charter members along with S.W. Grace, Mary Grace, J.H.W. Overton, and Susan Wharton Overton.

Wife Pheletia Jane Cash was born 1844 in Elbert County Georgia. Pheletia was the 4th of 6 daughters, and one of 12 children born to Reuben and Pheletia White Taylor Cash. The Cash family moved from Elbert County and also settled near Mt. Elba in1858. Three years following on January 17, 1861, Pheletia and Nathan married at Reuben's home with the Rev. Stephen Treadwell presiding. Shortly after, Nathan joined the Confederacy in 1862 and served in the Civil War for a period of 3 years. Following the war the family continued to live near Mt. Elba for several years then moved to Whiteville Township located along the north side of the county. Nathan and Pheletia had 13 children, 11 boys in a row, then 2 daughters. Following the birth of daughter Nola, Pheletia died on October 18, 1887. After a brief marriage, Nathan moved with the 2 young daughters and 2 youngest sons to Bell County Texas where several of the older Gunn boys had located. There Nathan farmed and raised the children until adulthood. The oldest daughter Felicia lived and cared for her father until his death on March 8, 1909. Following Nathan's death, Felicia moved to New Mexico along with her sister Nola, and brothers Pinkney and Charles. Most of the Gunn boys lived out there lives in Texas.

The Gunn Boys: (1) William Thomas "Tommy" (2) Walter Nathaniel (3) Albert Alexander "Zan" (4) Reuben Gillespie, (5) James Nathaniel, (6) George Washington, (7) Joseph Henry Blackwell, (8) Edison Haywood "Ed" ( 9) John Overton (10) Pinkney Lafayette "Pink" (11) Charles Wesley "Charlie".

The Gunn Daughters: (12) Lou Pherlishea Elizabeth "Felicia", and (13) Susan Phernolia "Nola".