Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 787 - 788 

JOHN N. FLINT, proprietor of the Avondale House, a first-class hotel in all its appointments, pleasantly situated in Garden Plain, is a man of much experience and a good knowledge of business, and is conducting his present enterprise with marked success, winning popularity as a host who understands well how to cater to the wants of the public.

            Mr. Flint was born Oct. 22, 1824, in Rush County, Ind., and was a son of Thomas and Rachel (Foster) Flint. His father, born in the eastern part of Maryland, in 1799 or 1800, was a son of William Flint, a sailor, who died on the water. He left a widow and six children, all of whom were well educated, and during some period of their careers taught school, some of them making their mark in that or other professions. Their record is as follows: John, Dorcas, Maria, Thomas, George and Joseph. John, like his father, followed the sea and became captain of a vessel; during the War of 1812 he died of the measles. Dorcas married William Davis, and lived and died in Ohio, leaving a family of children, all now grown to maturity; Maria married Oliver Thurston; she also spent the greater portion of her life in Ohio, and there died, leaving a large family of children. George became a preacher in the Christian Church, married Nancy Foster, a sister of the mother of our subject, and at his death left seven children; Joseph settled in Iowa, in the practice of his profession as a physician and surgeon; he was quite a politician, held many public offices and became State Senator; he left a family of children at his death.

            Thomas, the father of our subject, was a mere boy when his father died, and shortly after his mother, Temperance Flint, removed with her children to a farm in Ohio, and in that State he passed the remainder of his boyhood days and his early manhood, assisting in the farm work. In the meantime he received, with his brothers and sisters, the benefits of a good education, his mother, who was a woman of keen intellect and marked ability, being their principal instructor. After marriage he continued to live in Ohio for awhile and then removed to Indiana, where he bought land and made his home for several years, and there a part of his children were born. He eventually moved to Harrison County, Mo., in the year 1840. He was a leading Democrat, a conspicuous figure in the administration of public affairs, and both in Indiana and Missouri held office for a long term of years. He was County Judge and Justice of the Peace for a long time, and in Missouri he was elected County Circuit Clerk, the duties of which important position he discharged with marked ability until his death. To him and his wife were born eleven children, all married except one who died young, and four still living. The following is their record: Martha, Temperance, John, Nancy, James, George W., Elizabeth, Joseph, Rachel, Dorcas and Maria. Martha married William Selby, died in Missouri, and left a number of children; Temperance married William Allen, and died, leaving four children; Nancy married James Rhodes, and at her death left three children; James married Frances Noah, and subsequently died, leaving several children; George lives in Missouri, is married, and has a number of children; Elizabeth married Edward Mitchell; at her death she left three children. Joseph married, and at his death left several children; Rachel married E. D. Humphrey; they live in Missouri, and are the parents of six children. Maria married Allen Rhoads, and lives in Oregon; Dorcas died in infancy.

            The early days of our subject were spent on a farm, and his chances for schooling were very limited, but he managed to pick up a fair education at home. When twenty-one years of age he commenced to learn the trades of bricklayer and plasterer, serving an apprenticeship of four years. His marriage to Miss Martha L. Hawks, daughter of John and Barbara Ann Hawks, took place Nov. 25, 1847. She was a Virginian by birth, the date of that event being Feb. 17, 1825. After marriage Mr. Flint continued a resident of Missouri for many years, and there nine children were born to him and his estimable wife, of whom the following is the record: William M., born Sept. 17, 1848; George W., born March 21, 1850; Isaac N., born Jan. 14, 1852; Martha J., born Jan. 13, 1854; Sarah T., born Aug. 12, 1856; Joseph, born April 20, 1858; James M., born Aug. 9, 1860; Howard F., born Feb. 20. 1865; John J., born Oct. 18, 1868. William lives at Wichita, is married, and has six children; George is married and lives in Kansas; Isaac lives in Garden Plain; Maria married George W. Fallis, a farmer of Garden Plain; Sarah married James Clark; she is now dead, leaving no children. Joseph H. lives in Davis County, Mo., is married and has three children; James married Edith Daniels; to them has been born one child. He spent four years in Dakota, but is now living in Garden Plain, and owns a half-interest in the Avondale Hotel. Howard is a telegraph operator in Pratt City; John is a clerk in a store in Garden Plain.

            After marriage our subject during his long residence in Missouri, the most of the time in Harrison County, with the exception of five years in Gentry County, was actively and profitably engaged at his trade, besides managing his farm. He built a good many houses, some in Bethany, and in many other places. On the breaking out of the Rebellion Mr. Flint put aside all personal interests and ambitions, with the patriotic determination to take part in the defense of his country, and, as the recruiting officers could not be prevailed upon to enroll him among the volunteers of the regular army, he joined the Missouri State Militia, becoming a member of the first company organized in his county, and did good service as a member of that company throughout the war, with the exception of a year and a half, when he was Provost Marshal, with the rank of Captain.

            In 1887 Mr. Flint traded his farm in Missouri for his present hotel property, and removed with his family to take up his residence in Garden Plain. He has given up his other business interests, and has retired from the active duties of life, aside from the management of his hotel. He is securing a good class of patronage, as he attends carefully to the needs of his guests, and serves them with appetizing and well-cooked food.

            Mr. and Mrs. Flint are excellent people, who, by their unfailing kindness, benevolence, and undoubted integrity of character, have readily won their way to the trust and esteem of all in this community. They and all the members of their family are sincere and earnest members of the Christian Church.

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