The Atchison County World is the leading organ of the Democratic party of Atchison county, Missouri, and is ably managed and edited by John L. Christian, the subject of this sketch. The gentleman was born in this county December 28, 1855, a son of L. C. and Sarah E. (Golden) Christian, the former being one of the oldest and best known of the pioneers of the county, who came here in 1850. At that time this part of the state was yet filled with Indians and wild beasts. The grandfather of our subject, who had been a soldier in the Mexican war, came to Atchison county with nine sons and two daughters, and his death occurred at this place. L. C. Christian, the father of our subject, has held many of the important local offices, being elected county clerk in 1868, and is now the president of the asylum board. For thirty years he has been connected with the Masonic order.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Christian consisted of ten children, of whom, John L., W. B., J. T., C. M. and two sisters, Laura and Allie, are survivors.
Our subject was reared and educated in Rockport, Missouri, and at the age of twenty he settled at Lost Grove, in this county, and engaged in the stock business, where he remained until 1888, when he came to Tarkio and began to buy and sell cattle for commission houses in St. Joseph and Kansas City, in the live stock business. He is considered an expert in judging stock. His employers, the Seigle & Saunders Stock Company, of Kansas City and St. Joseph, consider that he is second to none, in his line. This is a large firm, having a capital of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Mr. Christian was married, in 1876, to Miss Martha Haffner, a daughter of L. M. Haffner, of this county, who resided here on a farm until the time of his death in 1888. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian—Floyd, Hattie, Eveline, Minnie and Mary.
The esteem in which Mr. Christian is held by his party may be indicated by his popularity as a buyer of cattle and success of his paper, and he fully comes up to their expectations. He is a Democrat who takes an active interest in every issue by which his party may benefit, and wields a wide influence. Aside from politics, the Atchison County World is also a bright and acceptable paper, and is one which may be admitted to the family circle with profit to all readers. For the past five years Mr. Christian has been the representative of his section in county and state conventions. Socially he is connected with the K. of P. and Modern Woodmen, and possesses a hart as warm as his physical frame is large, and is one of the popular citizens of this part of Atchison county. He gives to charity with an unstincted hand, and no one ever asked alms of him in vain, for out of his bountiful income he divides with the poor.
Source:Â [Anonymous], A Biographical History of Nodaway and Atchison Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1901), pp. 265-266.