My Genealogy Hound

Philip B. Linville, of Edina, Mo., was born on Linville’s Creek, Rockingham Co., Va., August 7, 1814, and is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Parrett) Linville, both natives of Virginia. Our subject’s paternal grandfather immigrated to the United States from England, with two of his brothers and William Penn. Benjamin went to Virginia. Joseph and the other brother, whose name is not known, located in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. In 1817 Joseph Linville and family immigrated to Fairfield County, Ohio, where the father spent the remainder of his years engaged in farming, stock raising and milling. Although successful in his business, he died comparatively poor, having paid large security debts. The mother died before him. Their children were Philip B.; Samuel, a farmer, near Columbus, Ohio; Joseph, a resident of Fairfield County, Ohio; Joshua, of Perry County, Ohio; Benjamin, of Circleville, Ohio (all living); Anne, deceased wife of Dr. Armstrong, near Columbus, Ohio; Sarah, wife of William Eyman, of Fairfield County, Ohio; Delilah, widow of Nathaniel Coulson, of this city, and one girl, who died in infancy. The subject of our sketch passed his youth upon his father’s farm in Fairfield County, and secured a common-school education. At the age of eighteen he commenced clerking in the mercantile business in Columbus, and continued in commercial line in that city and other Ohio towns until 1844. He then went west to Missouri, and located in Edina, and was one of those who helped to purchase the county addition to Edina, in order to secure the county seat. He built the first store of the town, on the present site of T. J. Lycan’s block. A year later he bought his first lot further north on Main Street, and fitted up a frame building where he engaged in merchandising, until 1849, when he built the two-story brick building adjoining, now occupied as a hardware store by Willis & Linville. Our subject conducted mercantile trade in both stores until 1857, when he closed out, and became associated with the late Judge E. V. Wilson in money loaning, and in partnership with this noted jurist was engaged in this business extensively, dealing largely in real estate, for a period of nearly forty years. In 1864 they began a private banking business, and upon the organization of the Bank of Edina our subject was its first president, but later officiated as cashier until the death of Judge Wilson, when he again became president, which position he now holds. In 1828 he married Mary C. Wilson, a native of Maine, now deceased. But two of the four sons and four daughters born to them survive: Ida, (wife of Rufus M. Ringer) and Charles B. In politics Mr. Linville was formerly a Whig, and he held the office of public administrator for twenty-one years before the war. During the war he was a stanch Union man, and was the first county treasurer elected. Since the war he has been a Republican, and has served two terms as county treasurer. His present wife was Anna V. (Bitler) Daulton, a native of Fairfield County. Ohio. This lady had one son, George, by her first marriage, Our subject became a member of the I. O. O. F. in Ohio in 1839, and is a Mason of long standing, having reached the Royal Arch degree. He has been a life-long church member, and is connected with the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Linville is a specimen of a self-made man; haying come here a young man with no capital, he has by his industry, economy, and business ability, succeeded in accumulating a handsome competency, and has aided many others to do likewise. He is one of the most esteemed and honored citizens of the county, and a prominent and enterprising business man.