Difference between revisions of "James Blair Linn (1831)"

From FamilyTree
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page with " John Blair Linn was born at Lewisburg, Penn., October 15, 1831, and inherited his inclination to genealogy and local history from his father, James F. Linn, whose memorandums ...")
 
(Blanked the page)
 
(6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
John Blair Linn was born at Lewisburg, Penn., October 15, 1831, and inherited
+
 
his inclination to genealogy and local history from his father, James F. Linn,
 
whose memorandums and newspaper files were the sources from which much of
 
whatever is valuable in the "Annals of Buffalo Valley" was derived.  He was
 
prepared for college at the Lewisburg Academy, under John Robinson, Esq., late
 
of the Philadelphia Bar; entered Marshall College at Mercersburg, Penn., in May,
 
1846 (sophomore class), half advanced, where he graduated at the age of
 
seventeen in the same class with the Hon. Charles A. Mayer, some years ago
 
president judge of Clinton and Centre counties.  He read law in his father's
 
office, and was admitted to the Bar September 16, 1851.  The years 1852 and 1853
 
he spent in Sullivan county, which had just been opened out, where he was
 
elected district attorney.  He returned to Union county in 1854, where he
 
practiced his profession until his removal to Bellefonte, in April 1871.  On
 
April 10, 1873, he was appointed deputy secretary of the Commonwealth by the
 
Hon. M.S. Quay, and May 15, 1878, upon the resignation of Mr. Quay, he was
 
commissioned Secretary of the Commonwealth, in which incumbency he remained
 
until after Gov. Hoyt was inaugurated, and then returned to Bellefonte.  Mr.
 
Linn and Dr. Egle were made editors of the Second Series of Pennsylvania
 
Archives, the publication of which was recommended by Gov. Hartranft in his
 
annual message, January 7, 1874, and they were issued in twelve volumes, under
 
Mr. Quay's supervision.  In 1879 Mr. Linn published the "Annals of Buffalo
 
Valley," a local work embracing the history of Union county principally.  It is
 
a book of 620 pages, replete with interest, though largely local, and involved
 
an immense amount of painstaking labor.  While he was Secretary of the
 
Commonwealth, there was published under his direction "Duke of York's laws,
 
1676-82; and Laws of the Province, 1682-1700."  In 1882 he edited a "History of
 
Centre and Clinton counties" in a handsome volume of nearly 700 pages, which has
 
preserved all that is of value of "Men and things in these counties" in a
 
readable and entertaining shape.  Mr. Linn has not only inherited from his
 
father his inclination to genealogy and local history, but also that same
 
methodical and systematic manner of looking after his business affairs, and that
 
same sense of right, justice and honor and Christian manhood-characteristic of
 
his father-is posses by him.  He is an exemplary citizen, known and beloved by
 
all.  His work in the line of history and genealogy has been one of labor and
 
love-he being fond of research and investigation.  He possesses that love of
 
books, and a literary taste that has been characteristic of a distinguished
 
ancestry.  He is identified with the Presbyterian Church.  Politically he is a
 
Republican.  During the war of the Rebellion he was a patriot, and served his
 
country.
 
  Mr. Linn was twice married; (first) October 22, 1857 to Julia J. Pollock,
 
born February 2, 1831, daughter of F. W. Pollock, of Milton, Penn., and their
 
children were:  Sarah P. G., born April 9, 1859; and Bessie W., born September
 
13, 1860.  Was married (second) to Mary E.D. Wilson, daughter of Samuel Hunter
 
and Mary Benner Wilson, and their children are: Mary H., born July 26, 1869, and
 
Henry Sage, born January 18, 1873, at Bellefonte, Penn.  The latter is a member
 
of the Society of Cincinnati.  He is associated in the office with his father
 
under whom he is preparing himself for the profession of the law.  A well-
 
educated, bright, genial and affable young man, he surely has before him a
 
promising future.
 

Latest revision as of 03:50, 25 October 2010