John Charles Starr, a prominent and pioneer citizen of Scott, Kan., was born at Columbus, Ohio, July 5, 1848. George Starr, his father, was a native of Bavaria, Germany, where he was born Nov. 14, 1820. He came to the United States in 1843, locating near Columbus, Ohio, where he engaged in farming until his removal to Iowa in 1867. In Iowa he gave his attention both to farming and stock raising and remained a resident of that state until 1894. In 1844, at Columbus, Ohio, he was married to Margaretha Nicol, born Oct. 19, 1823, a daughter of George Nicol, a native of Germany. Twelve children were the issue of this marriage, as follows: John L., born in 1845, a brave defender of the Union, as a lieutenant of Company K, Fifty-fourth Ohio infantry, was wounded at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., July 3, 1864, and died the following day; J. Michael, born in 1847, is now a retired farmer of Keokuk county, Iowa; John Charles, the subject, was next in order of birth; J. George, born in 1850, is now a retired farmer at Spencer, Iowa; Margaret, born in 1852, is now the wife of Frederick Klett, a farmer of Clay county, Iowa; G. Frederick, born in 1854, is a farmer and stockman in Scott county, Kansas; Mary, born in 1856, is now the wife of Henry Killmar, a retired resident of Sigourney, Iowa; Martin L., born in 1858, is now a traveling salesman; Chris L., born in 1860, is a land dealer at Pierre, S. D.; William, born in 1862, died in 1863; Anna, born in 1864, is the wife, of John Randolph, a farmer and stockman of Scott county, Kansas; and Lizzie, born in 1866, is now the wife of R. L. Richardson, a merchant of Keota, Iowa. The children all having married and settled for themselves, the aged parents, in 1894, removed to Scott, Kan., and there lived retired until their respective deaths, the father having passed away on March 4, 1903, and the mother on Dec. 22, 1910, at the age of seventy-seven.

John Charles Starr was educated in the public schools of Ohio and Iowa and at the age of twenty became a teacher, continuing to be thus engaged for several years. He was married April 30, 1871, in Keokuk county, Iowa, to Miss Minna Mohme of Sigourney, Iowa. Mrs. Starr was born Sept. 20, 1850, to parents that were both natives of Germany. In the same year of his marriage Mr. Starr removed to Osborne county, Kansas, and located on government land which he had preëmpted. He continued his residence there until the fall of 1874, when he returned to Keokuk county, Iowa. There he again taught school and farmed until his removal to Sigourney, Iowa, where he took up the study of law in the office of Mackey, Harned & Fonda. He was admitted to the bar in 1877 and during his residence in Sigourney he served one term as mayor of the city. There he established and became the owner of the "Sigourney Courier," a German publication, which he sold in 1884. In 1885 he and his family came again to Kansas, making the journey in a covered wagon, and located in Scott county, on a homestead and timber claim located in the White Woman valley south of Scott. In 1890 he removed to Scott, where he has since resided. During his residence there he has entered actively into the public life of his community and state and has given public service in different capacities. He has filled the office of justice of the peace, mayor of the city, county attorney, and has served two terms in the lower house of the Kansas state legislature. In 1904 he was a member of the State Text-Book Commission, under Governor Bailey, and in 1908 he served as a member of the State School Land Commission, under Governor Stubbs.

Mr. Starr was one of the founders of the "Scott County News," in 1886, and was its editor until the fall of 1888. In 1891 he established the "Scott County Lever," and in the following year bought the "News," combining the two papers under the title of the "News-Lever." In 1909 he sold his newspaper interests and retired from that business. He is now interested with his son in real estate business in Scott and is also interested in gold mining on a small scale at Cripple Creek, Col., and at Goldfield, Nev.

Seven children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Starr, viz.: Rosa, born in Osborne county, Kansas, Sept. 10, 1872, died Oct. 12, 1880; Ella J., born May 30, 1874, is single and resides with her parents; Anna, born March 20, 1876, is also at the parental home; Myrtle, born Dec. 25, 1877, is now the wife of Prof. C. S. Risdon, superintendent of the city schools of Independence, Kan.; Carl M., born Oct. 27, 1879, graduated from the University of Kansas with the law class of 1900, is now married, was official court stenographer of the Thirty-third judicial district six years under Judge Charles E. Lobdell, and now practices law at Scott, Kan.; Marguerite, born Oct. 12, 1882, is now the wife of A. N. Rochester, a banker at Tribune, Kan.; and Carrie B., the youngest daughter, born July 30, 1891, graduated in the Scott County High School with the class of 1911 and is now a teacher in Scott county. Early in life Mr. Starr and his wife embraced the Lutheran religious faith, of which church the parents of each were members.