John Larkin, Sr.

"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 55, No 39, p 620, Sep. 25, 1899. John Larkin, son of Abel Larkin, was born in Rhode Island in 1813. He was married to Fannie Tanner, daughter of William Tanner, in 1835. In 1845 he moved to Milton, Wis., where he made a short stay, and then went to Berlin, Wis., where he became a member of that church at its organization. In 1866 he went with others to Brookfield, Mo., where he became a constituent member of the Seventh-day Baptist church there organized. In 1879 he settled in North Loup, Neb., where he identified himself with the church. Here he met that great sorrow that comes to men, in the loss of his wife, who passed away in 1886. After a time, Brother Larkin was married to Mrs. Lucy Butts and moved to Mississippi, where he became a member of the Seventh-day Baptist church of Hewitt Springs. It is not known just how long he remained there. For the past few years he has been living at Lewiston, Idaho. From this place it seems he started for Hammond, La., some time in the early days of September. From a letter written by the head surgeon of the Missouri and Pacific Railroad Co., bearing date of Sept. 6, it seems that for some unknown reason Mr. Larkin was thrown from the train near Chamois, Mo., early in the morning of Sept. 3. His injuries were so severe that he never recovered consciousness. He died that evening at 8:30 in the St. Louis Hospital, where he had been taken. Thus ends the life of one who, for more than half a century, has been quite closely identified with the frontier movement of our people. E. A. Witter