The web page for Ness City gives this:
"Ness County, of which Ness City is the county seat, was named for Corporal Noah V. Ness who died of Civil War wounds on August 22, 1864. At that time there were no known residents of the county. Corporal Ness never lived in Ness County - the name was selected by the State."
The site also has a photo of the statue: