ERNEST LINDER.

Mr. Linder's residence on Owl creek antedates that of any other resident now living along that stream. The history of Woodson County in pioneer days is therefore very familiar to him as well as that of the later progress and development. He arrived here on the 13th of April, 1857, and through the passing years has been a representative of the agricultural interests of this portion of the state.

Ernest Linder was born in Baden, Germany, October 31, 1827, and was a son of Jacob Linder, also a native of that country. He was a stone mason by trade and spent his early life in Carlsruhe, where he married Barbara Stobber. Coming to this country he spent the last four years of his life in Owl Creek township, Woodson County, where he died in 1870, at the age of sixty-eight years, while his wife passed away, the following year. Their children were: Ernest, of this review; August, who died in Freeport, Illinois, in 1896; Frank, who also died in Freeport; Louise, who died in 1862; Christina, a twin sister of Louise, and now a widow of Richard Perdel, of Allen County, Kansas, and Caro-

line, wife of Martin Kern, of Allen County.

Throughout the period of his minority Ernest Linder remained in the fatherland and there learned the stone mason's trade. Deciding to emigrate to America in 1852, he sailed from Havre, France, landing in New York after forty-eight days spent upon the bosom of the Atlantic. He made the journey with the other members of the family, and after reaching the shores of the new world they continued their westward journey across the country to Wisconsin and later went to Stephenson County, Illinois, where our subject remained until 1857, working at his trade. He then came to Kansas, his trip resulting from accounts which he read in a paper published at Osawatomie and which advocated the principles and plans of John Brown, the celebrated abolitionist.

In company with his brother August, Mr. Linder went by rail to St. Louis, Mo., thence by boat to Kansas City and from that place by stage to Lawrence, Kas., where they stopped for a short reconnaissance. On learning something about the country and its opportunities, they started on foot for the southeastern corner of the state, spending the first night in Ohio City, near where the city of Ottawa is now located. The second night was passed in the home of an old bachelor west of the site of Garnett, and the next day they proceeded along the Indian trail to Leroy, which was then a small village. On the fourth morning they crossed the Neosho river, continuing on their way to Cherry creek, and in that locality for some months they made their home with John Coleman. The brothers at once began searching for good claims and Mr. Linder of this review entered the northeast quarter of section thirty-three, township twenty-five, range seventeen. He then began the erection of a rude cabin, followed by the work of clearing and improving his land, upon which he has resided continuously since, transforming the wild tract into a richly cultivated farm, where well tilled fields give promise of bounteous harvests, and buildings and fences, all in good repair, indicate the careful supervision of a painstaking owner.

Since coming to the county Mr. Linder has followed farming with the exception of the time of his service in the Union army. In 1862 he enlisted in Company F, Ninth Kansas Cavalry. The regiment spent its time largely in Kansas and Missouri during the first two years and the last year in Arkansas, being finally mustered out at Duvalls Bluff, that state. The only battle in which Mr. Linder participated was that of Newtonia in 1862, for the regiment was largely engaged in checking the operation of the bushwackers.

On the 20th of April, 1865, in Stephenson County, Illinois, Mr. Linder was united in marriage to Miss Julia Boyer, who was born in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1843, a daughter of John Boyer, who died in Owl Creek township, in 1890, at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife bore the maiden name of Sarah Fenstermacher, and they were the parents of ten children, as follows: John; Owen;

Caroline, widow of Henry Boardner; Lizzie, deceased wife of John Guenther; Frances, who married Lou Knights; Emma, wife of Charles Walton Aaron and Sylvester, in Stephenson County, Illinois, and Mrs. Linder. With the exception of those otherwise designated all of the members of this family have been or are residents of Iowa. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Linder has been blessed with five children: Alice, wife of August Stockebrand, of Woodson County; Frank Edward, who married Katie Strauss and also resides in Woodson County; Laura, at home; Louisa, wife of Nicholas Bennett, of the same county, and Sarah, who completes the family. Mr. Linder and his family have long been connected with the Evangelical church and are worthy people of the community, winning friends by their true worth. Mr. Linder has been an important factor in the progress and development of the county, and his name is enrolled high on the record of its honored pioneers.

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