Franklin Bryce Linn

Franklin Bryce Linn
Born	July 16, 1873(1873-07-16) Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA
Died	1946
Resting place	Shelby Township Cemetery, Shelby, Iowa, USA
Spouse	Hannah Elizabeth Walker (m. 1898) «Did not recognize date. Try slightly modifying the date in the first parameter.»"Marriage: Hannah Elizabeth Walker to Franklin Bryce Linn" Location: (linkback:http://jimlindstrom.com/mediawiki/index.php/Franklin_Bryce_Linn)
Children	Harry Deforest Linn Dwight Russel Linn Lily Gladys Linn Laura Lavina Linn Hugh Alva Linn Jacob Bryce Linn Mary Fern Linn Franklin John Linn Leslie Leonard Linn Samuel Dale Linn Everette Edward Linn
Parents	Jacob Booher Linn Hester Ann Chilcoat
Relatives	Ambrose Burnside Linn (brother) McKendree Linn (brother) Monroe Linn (brother) Anna Laura Linn (sister) Walter McKnight Linn (brother) Willie Linn (brother) Hugh Harrison Linn (brother)

Reference in The Clan Linn in the Twentieth Century

Franklin Bryce Linn (h776), son of Jacob B. Linn and Hester Chilcoat, was born in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania on 16 July 1873. When Frank was less than one year of age his father, Jacob Linn, moved his family to a one hundred twenty acre farm northwest of Shelby, Iowa. This farm, purchased for fifteen dollars per acre, remained in the Linn family for nearly one hundred twenty years, selling in 1991, then a full quarter section, for fifteen hundred dollars per acre!

In 1881, Jacob Linn and several of his sons homesteaded land in Hand County, South Dakota. Much shuttling back and forth between Iowa and South Dakota took place during the 1880's and early 90's. Frank eventually became operator of the Shelby farm, while his brothers: Ambrose, Kenny, and Roy became permanent residents of South Dakota. Frank had also taken a homestead in South Dakota, which he held until April 1906, selling the quarter section for a profit of eleven hundred fifty dollars! Frank married Hannah Elizabeth (Libbie) Walker on 7 December 1898. Libbie Walker was born on 10 January 1875. She was the granddaughter of Samuel Walker and Elizabeth Stover Walker, early settlers of Johnson County, Iowa.

In the early days Frank took several trips across the prairie from Shelby to western South Dakota in a covered wagon. These trips made an indelible impression upon him. He clearly remembered the wagon trails; late in his life when he returned by automobile over modern, improved roads he could still point out places of interest and identify old wagon trails as he crossed them.

One of his special interests in life was the collection of rocks and fossils which he accumulated over the years. The rocks, along with his collection of Indian relics and artifacts, made a display which filled three large glass display cases in the living room! He was a firm believer in education, encouraging everyone to become as educated as possible. Each year Frank invited a Shelby High School class to his home to discuss the origin of his relics and led discussions on rock formations, Indian history, and the winning of the west. As a young man he was a public school teacher, and he later served many years as a director of the local country school. After consolidation of the Shelby School District, Frank was a member of the school board; he was board president when the present school building was erected. Frank was also instrumental in the construction of the Methodist church which still stands in Shelby. He was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church and the Republican Party.

One day Frank drove his horses to Shelby and left them standing on Main Street while he attended to his business. When Frank returned to the street a few moments later, the team was no place to be seen! Immediately Frank and several friends began to search frantically for the lost team and wagon. They were soon found placidly standing in front of the Methodist Church several blocks away; the horses were so accustomed to being driven to the church that they automatically went there without being so ordered. And no wonder; he was active in church events. At various times he was superintendent of the Shelby Sunday School, Sunday School teacher, steward, and a long-time member of the official board.

Frank especially enjoyed growing things. Many plants and tress still thriving in the Shelby cemetery and Methodist Church grounds were planted by Frank Linn. He was a director of the Shelby Cemetery for many years. He built a small pond at the cemetery, using many rocks and minerals from his own collection. The colorful display still draws interest after seventy-five years in existence. Frank died at age seventy-two, while still very active in family and community affairs. Frank and Elizabeth had eleven children.

Marketing for Frank's unsuccessful bid for US Congress

Handwriting of Frank Linn

The following handwritten speech was prepared by Frank around 1920 as a commencement speech for a graduating high school class.

1915 Biography of Frank

A worthy citizen of Shelby county, Iowa, is Franklin B. Linn, who has met with definite success in his agricultural career. He came to this county forty years ago, when he was a babe in arms, and consequently has been identified with the history of the county for a long time. He is a man of splendid education and is a wide reader of everything which pertains to his own chosen profession, and thus keeps in close touch with the latest ad- vances in agriculture. He is a man who is deeply interested in the welfare of his community, and by his upright conduct and correct principles of life he has endeared himself to a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

Franklin B. Linn, the son of Jacob B. and Hester Ann (Chilcoat) Linn, was born, in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, July i6, 1873. His father was born in the same county on March 16, 1839, and his mother was born on December 15, 1835, and was a native also of Huntington county. They were married on October 7, 1864, immediately after his father's return from the Civil War. Jacob B. Linn was attending school in his home county when the war broke out in i86i. Jacob B. Linn enlisted on April 23, 1861, in response to President Lincoln's call for fifty thousand volunteers, in Company F, Eighth Pennsylvania Reserve. He served for three years. He fought at Gainesville and in the Seven Days' Peninsular Cam paign battles, was taken prisoner June 27, 1861, and was sent to Libby prison. He spent sixty days here and at Belle Isle, experiencing all the horrors of these terrible prisons. After his exchange he was unfit for duty and. was sent to the United States Hospital in New jersey, but escaped from the hospital and joined his regiment at Sharpsburg, Maryland. Other battles participated in by Mr. Linn were Sharpsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Battle of the Wilderness, and Seven Days' Battle before Richmond.

He returned to his father's farm in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, married and lived in his native county until 1874, in which year he came to Shelby county, Iowa, and bought one hundred and twenty acres of unimproved land in Shelby township. His first home was a rude cabin, fourteen by sixteen feet, and a barn of still smaller dimensions. That he succeeded is shown by the fact that when he died, in 1893, he was the owner of seven hundred and sixty acres of well-improved land in Shelby county and South Dakota. There were eight children born to Jacob B. Linn and wife, Ambrose B., Kenny, Anna Laura (Best), Roy S., Walter, Franklin B. and Dr. Hugh H. Of these children two are deceased, Anna Laura (Best) and Walter. Dr. Hugh H. Linn is a physician and minister in the southern part of India, where he is serving as a physician and missionary for the Methodist Episcopal church. The mother of these children is now living with her son, Franklin B.

The education of Franklin B. Linn was received in the district schools and in the high school at Shelby. He has always remained on the farm and managed a part of his father's estate from the time of his marriage, in 1899, until 1908. In that year he bought one hundred arid sixty acres of his father's farm and at once erected a beautiful country home and a large and commodious barn. He has placed other improvements upon the farm and has brought it to a high state of cultivation and productivity. He keeps only the best grades of horses, cattle and hogs, and is known throughout the county as one of its most progressive farmers.

Mr. Linn was married on December 7, 1899 to Elizabeth Walker, who was born in Johnson county, Iowa, on January 10, 1875. She was the daughter of John Walker, who was born in Johnson county, Iowa, in 1851, and Sarah Woodruff, who was born in Ohio in 1855. To this union have been born nine children, Harry, Dwight, Gladys, Laura, Hugh, Jacob, Fern, Frank and Leslie. All of these children are still living and at home with the exception of Laura, who is deceased. Mrs. Linn's parents came to Shelby county in 1890 and located on a farm in Shelby township. John Walker removed to Oklahoma in 1894, where Mrs. Walker died in 1905. They were the parents of four children, Sherman (in Oklahoma), Mrs. Elizabeth Linn; Samuel (Oklahoma), and Mrs. Hattie Egnew (Oklahoma).

Politically, Mr. Linn is allied with the Republican party and has been one of his party's leaders for many years. He is now the able incumbent of the office of trustee in his township and has held this position for the past four years. He and his family are loyal and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and give it their hearty support at all times. Mr. Linn is a man of genial personality and is highly respected by everyone with whom he is associated.

Source: 1915 Past and Present of Shelby County, Iowa Contributed by: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs