I. O. Pickering, a veteran of the Civil war and a prominent lawyer of Olathe, is of English and Welsh descent on the paternal and maternal sides respectively. He is a son of Jesse Brock Pickering and wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Manlove Whealdon, both of whom were natives of Ohio. This branch of the Pickering family is an old established one in America, and has had many members of prominence, including Timothy Pickering, the American soldier and statesman who participated in the battle of Lexington, served as adjutant-general under Washington, and as secretary of state under Presidents Washington and Adams, and later was a member of the United States senate for a number of years. Jesse Brock Pickering, who in his earlier business career was engaged in manufacturing plows in Vermont, owned the second largest plant of that kind in the state and shipped the manufactured products to various sections of the country. Later he brought his family to Kansas and first located in Johnson county, but later bought property in Leavenworth county, where he resided until his death in 1868, at the age of fifty years. His wife survived him ten years.

I. O. Pickering began his service in the Civil war under General Lane's command, which was stationed at Iola, and did guard duty in that section of the state. Later he enlisted in the Ninth Kansas cavalry, which he was appointed a non-commissioned officer. In 1864 he was promoted to be first lieutenant, and later was recommended for motion to a captaincy, but the close of the war came before the assuming of his commission, hence never received it. The Ninth Kansas cavalry was under the command of Col. Edward Lynde, and rendered valiant and faithful service in the irregular and hazardous warfare along the border. Mr. Pickering participated in the disastrous engagement at Newtonia, where the Ninth fought until their ranks were decimated and they were literally crowded from the field. They materially assisted in bringing off the artillery and enabled part of the infantry to escape. He also participated in the engagements at Prairie Grove, Dripping Springs, and Van Buren in Arkansas; and Cabin Creek in Indian Territory. In the engagement at Van Buren, where Brig.-Gen. James G. Blunt commanded the Army of the Frontier, of which the Ninth Kansas cavalry was a part, the cavalry charged and in a running fight drove the Confederates into and through Van Buren, resulting in the capture of all their transportation, some forty wagons, camp and garrison equipage, ammunition, etc., and 100 prisoners. Four steamers, attempting to escape down the Arkansas river, were also captured. As a lawyer Mr. Pickering has had a very successful career and has won a prominent place in the ranks of his profession in Olathe. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His church membership is held with the Congregational denomination. In politics he is a Democrat. He was a candidate on the Democratic ticket in 1908 for the supreme court and received 486 more votes than were received by the Democratic candidate in 1910. Mr. Pickering has reared six children: Grace, the wife of L. W. Snepp, cashier of the First National Bank at Olathe; Frederick Scott, associated with the Buick Motor Company of Kansas City, Mo.; Frances, the wife of Fred H. Bowersock, of New York city; Jessie Amy, the wife of J. All Evans, who is engaged in the clothing business in Olathe; George B., a druggist at Olathe; and Harold W., associated with the Funk & Wagnalls Publishing Company of New York city. All of these children have been students in the University of Kansas.