Biography of John R. Linder, White County, Arkansas *********************************************************** Submitted by: Bonnie Palmer Date: Jun 1997 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/white/white.html *********************************************************** From "A Centennial History of Arkansas", edited by Dallas T. Herndon, the Director of the Dept. of Archives & History, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock, 1922. JOHN R. LINDER John R. LINDER, attorney at law of Beebee, has spent his life in Ark., his birth having occurred in White Co., Jan. 6, 1870, his parents being Jefferson P. & Lucy J. (SHELTON) LINDER. The family has long been represented on American soil. The paternal grandfather, Abraham LINDER, was a native of the Spartanburg district of S. Carolina & was a well educated man, who devoted his life to teaching in his native state for a number of years and then made an overland trip with ox team & wagon to Ark., crossing the rivers on ferries. This was in 1858 & after reaching this state he continued in the teaching profession, being connected largely with private schools. He married a Miss TEMPLEMAN, a native of South Carolina, who died about he year 1864, while his death occurred in 1874, when he was 70 years of age. Their son, Jefferson P. LINDER, came with his parents to what was then Conway Co., Ark. in 1858. He was there married to Miss Lucy SHELTON, who was born in Shelby county, Tenn., and who went from Memphis to Des Arc, making the boat trip in order to visit her sister, but owing to the hostilities between the north & the south she could not return. She became acquainted with Jefferson P. LINDER & they were married in what is now Faulkner Co. Subsequently, they removed to White Co. where Mr. LINDER purchased wooded land, which he cleared & developed, carrying on general farming & stock raising. During the last 10 years of his life he also preached to a considerable extent throughout the community, he & his wife being members of the Missionary Baptist church. His political endorsement was given to the democratic party. He died July 27, 1903, at the age of 64 years, while his wife departed this life Aug. 11, 1910, at the age of 63 years. They had a family of 12 children, 5 of whom are still living: Laura, the wife of S. M. TROTTER, a farmer of Lamar, Ark.; John R.; Charles, who is farming in White Co; Oscar B., a barber of Calif.; and Albert, also farming in White Co. Those who have departed this life are: Thomas J., who died in Monroe Co., Ark., in 1889, at the age of 21 years; Maggie, who was the wife of J. W. ACREE & died in 1919, at the age of 47; 2 who died in infancy; Myrtle & Belmer, who died at the age of 2 years; & Berley, who died when 16 years of age. John R. LINDER is indebted to the public school system of White Co., Ark., for the educational opportunities he enjoyed. He remained at home until he had attained his majority & began reading law at the age of 18 years. He entered upon practice in the judicial court & in 1901 was admitted to practice in the district & circuit courts. He opened his law office in Beebee where he has continued in the general practice of law & has been connected with much important litigation. He is also numbered among the lawmakers of the state, having served in the general assembly in 1905, through election on the democratic ticket. He gave thoughtful & earnest consideration to the vital questions which came up for settlement & at all times he has been actuated by devotion to the general good in his attitude toward all public questions. Mr. LINDER was married to Miss Mattie E. HILL, a native of White Co., Ark., and they have become parents of 9 children, 6 of whom are living: Harvey, now residing in Pittsburg, Penn., where he is engaged in vocational training, is a veteran of the World war. He enlisted in St. Louis in the regular army in 1917, was at Jefferson Barracks & later was sent to Boston, Mass., where he was in training. He then went overseas & was connected with the Medical Corps in France for 6 months. After his return home he again went to France, where he married a French girl; Pearl, the second of the family, is the wife of W. E. DAVIS, a farmer of Beebee, Ark.; Bernard, who is bookkeeper with the Buckeye Cotton Oil Co. of Little Rock, married Marie WESTBROOK, a native of Ark.; Robert is following the profession of nursing at Little Rock; Earnie & Mabel are at home. Ruth & Thomas died at the age of 2 months & 3 years, respectively, while one child died in infancy. The religious faith of the family is that of the Baptist church & Mr. LINDER is serving as clerk. He also belongs to the Woodmen of the World. The greater part of his time and attention is given to his profession & he has made steady progress in a calling where advancement depends entirely upon individual merit & ability. He is a close student of the principles of law & is seldom, if ever, at fault in the application of these principles to the point in litigation.