Born in Mercer county, Penn., in 1830 and came to Letts, Iowa, in November 1852, shortly after his marriage to Miss Eliza Thompson. He was a carpenter by trade. Mr. Linn as a veteran of the Civil war, having been mustered into service at Muscatine in the month of August, becoming a member of Company F, 25th Iowa Infantry. At the close of the war he returned to Letts and again worked at his trade of carpentering until 1881, at which time he engaged in the furniture business, and in connection with this business he became proprietor of the Onawa hotel and also owner of the feed stable. Mr. Linn was a republican and during his active life took great interest in politics attending the conventions of his party, and taking part in the primary elections. In 1883 he was elected to the 12th General Assembly of the Iowa legislature, which convened in 1884, and in 1889 he was elected mayor of Letts. Socially he was a member of Caldwell Post, G. A. R. at Letts, and also belonged to the A. F. & A. M., in which he held at one time the office of chaplain. He was a member of the Methodist Church.