John Francis Linn
In the dual lines of law and real estate John Francis Linn has accomplished a pleasing degree of success since he became first identified with Gas City and its interests, and he has gained a foremost place in business and professional circles of the city as a result of his well directed efforts. The year 1899 saw the advent of Mr. Linn to this place, and up until 1908 he confined his attention entirely to the practice of law, but in that year he purchased the real estate business of J. H. Lay, a well established agency, and since that time has carried on the the two lines of enterprise with gratifying success. In the real estate department, Mr. Linn is ably seconded by Mr. Thomas B. Pugh, while Mr. Linn confines himself rather closely to his general law practice, which is an extensive one, entering into the real estate departure more as an adviser than as an operator.
John Francis Linn is the son of John and Jane (Bingamen) Linn. The father was born in New York State, near to Rochester, in 1838 and he died in 1905. He came to Indiana when he was four years old, settling in Bass Lake, Starke County, with his parents who were Henry and Catherine Linn. Henry Linn was born in Ireland, and came as a young man to America. Settling in Rochester, New York, there he met and married Catherine Cunningham. After his death she married a Mr. Truax in Starke County, Indiana, who died early, leaving her with two children resulting from their marriage. She survived her second husband for twenty-five years, most of which she spent with her son, John Linn, father of the subject, in Pulaski County, Indiana, where she died in 1893 at the age of eighty-four years. She was a woman of many splendid qualities and was long a member of the Presbyterian Church. John Linn, father of the subject, was the only child of the first marriage of his mother. When he was thirteen years of age he began to "shift for himself," according to the old saying, and he set out with an axe on his none too sturdy young shoulder, and not a penny in his pockets. He was fortunate enough, soon after, to meet with a fine old gentleman of the name of John Davenport, who took a fancy to the independent youth, and thereafter stood in the relation of foster father to him. He lived with Mr. Davenport until his marriage, and then he established himself on a farm and continued thus for years. He early took up his residence in Tippecanoe Township, and there he converted a wild and unpromising tract of land into a fertile and productive farm. This place of two hundred acres, in its process of reclamation, was the recipient of much hard labor on the part of its owner and his children, but it amply repaid them for all they put into it in what it allowed them to take back from it in later years. The place is located on the river road, and is one of the attractive farms in the township today.
On this farm John Linn died in 1905, his widow surviving him until 1909. She was sixty-nine years of age when death claimed her. They were fine people of many Christian virtues, though they were unique in their Christianity in that they never maintained a church membership, as did many of their family. The father was a stanch Republican and active in the work of the party in his town and county for many years.
Six children were born to these good people, and John Francis Linn was the youngest of the number. Mary Linn died some time after her marriage to R. G. Hollis, of Cass County, leaving two sons. Sarah, the second child of her parents, is unmarried and resides in Winamac. William H. is a resident of Pulaski County, is married and has two sons and three daughters. Anna married Charles Taylor, a Pulaski County man, and they have two sons and two daughters. Amanda became the wife of J. F. Conn, of Winamac, and they have one daughter.
John Francis Linn attended the public schools of his native community, and took a preparatory course in the Valparaiso Normal School, and following that he entered the Indianapolis Law School, from which he was duly graduated in 1898, in the same year gaining his admission to the bar and being admitted to practice in the Supreme and Federal Courts. For a year he was engaged in practice at Winamac, Indiana, and in 1899 he came to Gas City, here establishing himself in legal practice as has been set forth in previous paragraphs.
To enter further into a detailed account of the legal and real estate activities of Mr. Linn and his associate, Mr. Pugh, is not essential at this point, and it will suffice to add some few facts of a personal nature in the conclusion of this brief biographical review.
Mr. Linn was united in marriage in Pulaski County, Harrison Township, to Miss Grace Douglas, who was born and reared in that place. She is a daughter of George S. and Emma (Horne) Douglas, both natives of Cass County, and representatives of families that settled in the county when it was yet in the throes of uncivilization, and that have been worthily identified with the advance of progress in the county through several generations. They were both of Scotch ancestry, and possess many of the sterling qualities that mark the Scot wherever he is found. George Douglas and his wife were married in Cass County and early moved to Pulaski County where they settled on a new farm in Harrison Township, which they improved and brought to a high state of cultivation. There the mother died five years ago at the age of sixty-two, while the father yet lives on the place where they together spent many busy and happy years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Linn one daughter has been born, Edith May, born January 19, 1901, and now attending the public schools of Gas City.
The family have membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Linn is a Republican in his political faith, active and interested in the advance of the party.
Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914, page 1205.