History of Octorara Farmers Club -page
Nathan Linton, son of Joshua B. and Esther Rakestraw Linton, was born near Cochranville, Pennsylvania, March 12, 1815. On March 17, 1842, he married Martha Harvey, who was born January 18, 1816. He had three children who lived beyond childhood. Nathan Linton died September 3, 1868, and is buried in the West Grove Friends Cemetery. His faithful wife remained on the farm the remainder of her days, delighted with her flowers and the shrubbery and rare trees her husband had collected as a hobby. She was an Elder among Friends, and consistent in life and conversation. A biography prepared by Nathan's son says: "Nathan Linton was a man of rare intellect and energy. He started life as a farmer near Cochranville, Pennsylvania and in 1860 moved to Penn Township two miles north of West Grove. War time prices and judicious projects enabled him to reduce the farm mortgage very materially but from exposure in the early spring he had contracted a cold that was aggravated by dust from a clover huller, that eventually caused his death from consumption eight years later. He was an influential man among Friends, and faithful in his duties. In the Farmers Club, his opinions had great weight, and he was sought after to settle boundary disputes, lay out roads, and settle estates, as his father had done before him. Naturally, he was mathematical. It is related by his brother in law that in the old school master days, the large boys in school delighted to give "posers" to the teacher. This time in question, the poser was a poser for Enoch Lewis, the trigonometry author who resided not far from Nathan Linton's home. After struggling late into the evening with the problem, he rode over to see his friend who had just retired, with the result that Nathan evolved a method of solution that allowed Enoch Lewis to rest the remainder of the night and meet his boys unabashed the next morning" Nathan was one of the eleven founders of this Club and was elected as its first president. @~~~@ Nathan Linton 1868 Whereas in the death of Nathan Linton who has been associated with us for a number of years and who continued to take an active part in our Club as long as his health permitted him to do so, who have lost one of our most able and efficient members; and whereas, the long and intimate acquaintance we have had has enabled us the more fully to appreciate his character we therefore feel called upon to give this last tribute of respect to the memory of one who has been a preserving and intelligent laborer in the improvement of agriculture, an active and conscientious business man, a loyal citizen, a warm and faithful friend. It is fit that the character of such a man be held up to the public view, that others may profit by their bright example. In his death we have lost a valuable member of our Club and we deeply sympathize with his family in their bereavement. Sept. 25, 1868........J.I. Carter, J.C. Brosius