Biographical Sketch of S. M. Christian, Holden, Johnson County, Missouri

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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Col. S. M. Christian, real estate dealer, well and favorably known 
auctioneer, Holden, Missouri, is one of the native born pioneer 
settlers of Johnson county.  Colonel Christian was born on a farm in
Madison township, August 30, 1860.  He has, consequently, been a wit-
ness to and an active participant in the great and wonderful develop-
ment which this region has undergone during the fifty-seven years of
his residence in this vicinity.  Since his boyhood days, he has been
an auctioneer of considerable repute and has "cried" hundreds of 
public sales in this section of Missouri during a long period of over
forty years of auctioneering.  He has long been a familiar figure in
Johnson county and this part of the country, having "cried sales" in
this and neighboring counties in a manner which has rarely been ex-
celled by his competitors.  Colonel Christian is a son of J. H. and
Nancy Christian, the former, a native of Virginia and the latter, a
native of Kentucky.  J. H. Christian migrated from Kentucky to Johnson
county, Missouri in the early thirties and entered government land at
a cost of thirty cents an acre.  He was one of the very first pioneer
settlers in the western part of Johnson county at a time when settlers
were few and far between and it was a hazardous proposition to brave
the terrors of an unbroken wilderness and found a home in this part of
the country.  His ancestors had been pioneers in Kentucky and the 
spirit of adventure and the desire to push westward the frontiers of
civilization were inherent instincts, and, endowed with a dauntless
spirit, he succeeded and became one of the real founders of this
county.  For many years he was a successful farmer and stockman, pro-
gressive in his views, enterprising to a high degree, he did his part
well and nobly in building up the country.  He was a life long Demo-
crat, a good, honest citizen.  He was a Baptist in his religious
persuasion and was a leading factor in the establishment of the Holden
Baptist church.  The death of this pioneer occurred in the early
eighties.  His widow survived him for many years, dying in 1909.  They
were parents of seven children who grew to maturity, namely: Judith,
deceased wife of William Phillips of Columbus township; Annie, who
married Milton Davidson and is now deceased; Mrs. Lizzie Kendall;
Nannie, wife of Samuel Grover, of Kansas; Mrs. Louise Hall, residing
in Oklahoma; Alice, deceased wife of Herbert Meadows; and William 
resides in Arkansas.  S. M. Christian spent his boyhood days on his
father's farm in Madison township, where he remained until he had
attained the age of sixteen years.  At this early age, he began carv-
ing a career for himself by becoming an auctioneer.  While his educa-
tion was limited to such as was afforded by the district schools of 
his day, he was apt, endowed with considerable native ability and a
gift of speech, which admirably fitted him for the business of "crying
sales" as a life work.  He has successfully followed this exacting and
difficult profession during many years.  In addition to his profession
he has also been engaged in the real estate business and has handled 
many deals in Holden and the contiguous territory.  Colonel Christian
was married to Mary B. Lawrence of Warrensburg, and to this union have
been born six children as follow:  Anna, wife of F. A. Hancock, farmer
of Chilhowee township; Bessie, wife of C. E. Atchison, of Chilhowee;
Martha, wife of P. E. Rogers, of Chilhowee; Lawrence, at home with his
parents; Robert, Linwood, Kansas; and Jessie, at home.  Colonel Chris-
tian has been a life long Democrat and a firm believer in Democratic
principles.  He takes a keen interest in his party's welfare although
he has never been a seeker after public preferment.  He is religiously
affiliated with the Baptist church.  His geniality, conversational
powers, together with a vigorous and warm personality, have made him
many war friends during his long and active career.

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