My Genealogy Hound

J. CHRIS. COLUMBIA, Webb City, Mo., is a native of Ft. Wayne, Ind., born Sept. 1, 1849. His parents, Christopher and Martha Columbia, were natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. In 1852 they moved to Council Grove, Kan., were they were among the pioneers of that section Mr. C. was a member of the first territorial legislature of that territory, taking an active part in the organization of it as a free soil state. He was also one of the first to cross the plains to California, going there in 1849, with a wagon train. J. C., the subject of this sketch, was raised in Kansas and principally educated there. He attended one of the first mission schools and was one of three white boys who attended, the balance being Indians At the age of seventeen he attended the state normal school at Emporia where he remained nine months, after which he attended the Bryant & Stratton Business College at St. Joseph. Mo., where he graduated in 1874. Leaving there he went to Colorado, where he remained sixteen months, and then came to Jasper county and engaged in the mercantile business, which he followed until 1881. In connection with his brother Charles, and Lon. Hunt of Columbus, Kan., he opened the large billiard and pool hall of Columbia, Hunt & Co. He is also engaged in mining, owning a third interest in Brown & Co.’s mine, Columbia, on the South Carterville tract. He was married Oct. 12, 1877, to Miss Angeline Wright of Webb City. They have an interesting family of three children. Mr. C. is a Royal Arch Mason a member of Webb City Lodge, No. 512, and a Republican in politics.