LINN COUNTY, KANSAS
BIOGRAPHIES
Henry Blackburn, of Linn county, was born at Sheffield, England, January 25, 1813. He came to Kansas from Oskaloosa, Iowa in 1858 and served as member of the house in 1868. he died in Linn County, November 8, 1884. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 269)
John Fletcher Broadhead was born at Hudson, N.Y., September 15, 1830. He was educated in the common schools and later read law, and was admitted to practice September 15, 1857. The following spring he came to Kansas, locating at Mound City, where he engaged in his profession. He was elected a senator to the first state legislature, and served until his enlistment in the army; he was mustered in as captain of Company D, Third Kansas infantry, July 25, 1861, which became Company E on its consolidation with the Tenth Kansas, and was with his company until his regiment was mustered out, August 18, 1864. Upon his return to Mound City, he was elected to the house of representatives of 1865, and returned to the senate of 1869-70. March 9, 1871, he was appointed judge of the Sixth district, vice D. P. Lowe, who had been elected to Congress and held the office until November 17 of that year. He moved to Independence in 1875, where he died November 15, 1881. His first wife was Ellen A. Warner of Jamestown, N. Y. whom he married July 15, 1857, and who died July 11, 1861. December 11, 1863, he married Nettie W. Warner, a sister of his first wife. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 238)
Addison Danford, of Linn county, was born in Laconia, Belknap county, New Hampshire, July 4, 1829; settled at Mound City, Kan., February, 1857; was a member of the house of representatives in 1857 and 1858; was a member of the Leavenworth constitutional convention, March 1858; was a member of the committee on credentials at the convention at Osawatomie, May 18, 1859, when the Republican Party in Kansas was organized; was state senator in 1865, from Fort Scott; was attorney-general from January 12, 1869, to January 12, 1871. His last place of residence was Colorado Springs, Colo., where he died in 1901. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 210)
Daniel Underhill, was born January 10, 1826, in Tippecanoe county, Indiana. He was educated in the common schools and came to Linn county, Kansas, in march 1857. He was the first postmaster of Jackson, Linn County, being appointed in November 1857. He was elected to the legislature of 1863 and was a member of the senate of 1867-68. He was appointed a trustee of the Osawatomie state Hospital, serving from 1866 to 1869, and was its steward in 1870-73. In 1869 he was elected probate judge of his county, but resigned. He was county treasurer in 1878-82. He enlisted in Company I, Tenth regiment Kansas state militia, organized to repel the invasion of General Price. Mr. Underhill was married July 24, 1851, to Julia A. Richhart. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 268)
JOHN W. HOLT
John W. Holt, a successful general agriculturist and stock-raiser of section 36, Centreville Township, Linn County,
is a self-made man and representative American citizen, and from small beginnings has with natural ability and
unswerving industry steadily won his upward way to a comfortable competence and position of usefulness and influence.
Mr. Holt is by birth an Ohio man, a native of Knox County, and was born September 16, 1838. His parents, Jonah
and Betsy Elizabeth (Mathews) Holt, were the descendants of long lines of thrifty and hard-working ancestors. The
father was born in Pennsylvania, and the mother, a native of the Buckeye State, was born, reared, educated and
married in Knox County, where the parents continued to reside for a number of years. Finally they joined the steady
stream of emigration to the further west and journeyed to Taxewell County, Ill., where after lives of care and
busy toil they passed away mourned by many friends and relatives. Eight children had blessed their fireside and
been cared for tenderly through the early years of infancy and childhood. The sons and daughters who clustered
in the old home were: William, Sarah A., Fidelia, John W., Thomas, Jesse, Jonah and Carrie.
John W., reared to twelve years of age in the old Knox County home, attended the district school fo his birthplace, and was a sturdy lad when he accompanied his parents to Illinois, where he attained to manhood. When the Government issued its appeal for troops in the disastrous days of the Civil War, our subject patriotically responded, and with courage enlisted in August, 1862, in Company B, Seventy-third Illinois Infantry, serving with brave fidelity until the close of the war. At the fierce battle of Franklin, Tenn., he was twice knocked down, once by the concussion of a shell, and at another time by his gun being struck. Among the engagements in which Mr. Holt actively participated were the battles of Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Tenn., Chickamauga, Ga., Resaca, Ga., Kenesaw Mountain, the Atlanta campaign, Dallas, Ga., Peach Tree Creek, Ga., Atlanta and Jonesboro. Our subject also took part in the campaign after Generals Bragg, Johnston and Hood, and although constantly exposed to death and capture, escaped without any serious wound and, mustered out of service in Springfield, Ill., at the close of the war, returned at once to his home in Taxewell County.
For the next few years Mr. Holt continued to till the soil of Illinois, but in 1870, in the spring of the year, located in Kansas, and renting land on Lost Creek, remained in that locality for two years. He then worked out by the month at farming during the busy seasons and in the winter labored at anything his hands could find to do. Carefully and prudently our subject managed to accumulate a small capital, which he invested in his present farm of one hundred and sixty – seven acres, now under fine cultivation and one of the most productive homesteads in the township. Mr. Holt has added improvements from time to time and owns good stock of a high grade.
Before leaving Taxewell County, Ill., John W. Holt and Miss Louisa Kellog were united in marriage. This excellent lady, a native of Taxewell County, did not long survive, but lived to become the mother of one child, who died in infancy. The young mother also passed to her rest in the home of her youth. A second time entering the bonds of wedlock, our subject married in Centreville Township Miss Sarah Vinton. She was a native of the sunny south and was born in Mississippi. Of the large family which brightened the Kansas home seven children now survive. Macy is the only son; then follow in the order of their birth, Blanche, Mary, Bertha, Jesse, Maud, Ella and Elsie. The latter is now deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Holt are valued members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and together with their family are active in the social and benevolent enterprises of their denomination and home neighborhood. Our subject, interested in both local and national issues, has held with efficient discharge of duty the position of Road Overseer. His record as a citizen, a soldier and business man is untarnished, and possessed of sterling integrity of character, John W. Holt receives the deserved confidence of his fellow-townsmen. (Portrait and Biographical Record of Southeastern Kansas, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Chicago, Biographical Publishing Co. 1894, Page 170 - 171, Transcribed by Lisa Smalley)
WILLIAM W. WILSON
William w. Wilson, since August, 1858, an energetic citizen and enterprising general agriculturist of Mound City
Township, Linn County, Kan., was born in Jay County, Ind., August 27, 1839. His parents, Joseph and Sabina (Grisell)
Wilson, were long-time residents of Indiana, and there enjoyed the high esteem of many friends. By his marriage
Joseph Wilson became the father of ten children, four of whom arrived at adult age. Hannah married D. F. Hoover
and makes her home in Jay County, Ind.; Maria is the wife of E. M. Hyatt, a well known citizen of Mound City Township;
and Joseph A. is a successful business man of St. Louis, Mo.
The father of our subject, with two of his children
and a half-brother, T. F., came to Kansas, and took up a claim in Mound City Township, where he passed his declining
years and died December 13, 1866. A Republican and active in local affairs, he occupied with ability various offices
of trust while a citizen of Indiana, efficiently performing the duties of County Treasurer and Postmaster. Our
subject, reared and educated in Jay County, Ind., when about sixteen years of age removed with his parents to Iowa,
locating in 1856 in Lee County. When they journeyed to Kansas two years later, Mr. Wilson, who then had not attained
his majority, was legally given his time by his father. He pre-empted a claim in Mound City Township, which he
afterward sold, homesteading the place where he now resides.
Our subject is the owner of one hundred and ninety acres of land, finely cultivated and devoted to mixed farming.
For some years he followed stock-raising almost exclusively, and handled large flocks and herds of graded cattle
and hogs. A cyclone at one time wrought great destruction of property in this immediate neighborhood, and tore
to pieces houses, barns and granaries. A large and commodious barn arose from the foundation of the old building,
and the handsome and modern stone residence has since been repaired and is one of the most attractive homes in
the township. In 1860 our subject was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Souder. Two children blessed the union:
Joseph, who married Anna Krouse; and Sabina, who died in infancy.
Mrs. Wilson, born in Columbiana County, Ohio, October 22, 1838, is the daughter of Michael and Margaret (Cannon)
Souder, natives of the same county, widely known and highly respected. The paternal grandfather, Michael Souder,
was of German parentage and settled in Columbiana County in 1802. Mr. and Mrs. Souder later removed from their
native state to Knox County, Ill., and resided near Galesburgh. In 1859, journeying to Kansas, they settled for
a time in Mound City Township, but after some years removed to Missouri, making their home in Pettis County, where
Mr. Souder died January 4, 1888. the mother yet survives and enjoys comparatively good health.
Mrs. Wilson was one of eight children. Amanda married John Armstrong and died in Linn County, Kan.; Mahala is the
wife of Thomas Seran, a citizen of Pettis County, Mo.; Elizabeth was the third in order of birth; John died at
the age of seventeen years; Frances M. resides in Saline County, Mo.; Armina married David Gelder and resides in
Oklahoma; Mathew lives in Pettis County, Mo.; and Lindsey C. also lives in Pettis County, Mo. In 1888 our subject
and his estimable wife experienced the pleasure of an extended absence in California, the home farm being rented.
They spent a twelve month in Placerville, El Dorado County, and visited in Oregon for about three months.
In 1892 Mrs. Wilson made a second trip to California, sojourning mostly in a valley near San Francisco. The inviting
Wilson homestead is one of the most desirably located in Mound City Township, and is the abode of thrift and plenty.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are Congregationalists, and have ever been foremost in the extension and support of religious
work and influence. Our subject for many years voted the straight Republican ticket, but of late has been independent
in politics, and gives his hearty support to the best man for the place. In all matters of local interest and enterprise
he has long been an important factor, and for nearly thirty-five changing years has been associated with the upward
growth and rapid development of Linn County. (Portrait
and Biographical Record of Southeastern Kansas, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the County, Chicago, Biographical Publishing Co. 1894, Pages 168 - 169, Submitted by Lisa Smalley)
back to index
All rights reserved