The Person:
From Wikipedia entry on Lewis F. Linn:
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"Lewis Fields Linn (November 5, 1796 – October 3, 1843) was a physician and politician from Missouri who represented that state in the United States Senate.
Linn was born near Louisville, Kentucky on November 5, 1796. He received a meager academic education because of the deaths of his parents. He was raised by his older half-brother, Henry Dodge and began studying medicine in Louisville. During the War of 1812 he served as a surgeon with troops commanded by Henry Dodge, though he was still a teenager; after the war he completed his studies at Philadelphia Medical College in 1816.
Linn was admitted to practice as a medical doctor and subsequently relocated to Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. Early in his career he earned recognition for his major role in combating two cholera epidemics.
He served in the Missouri Senate in 1827. In 1832 he was appointed to the state commission which settled land claims based on grants made by the government of France prior to the Missouri Territory becoming part of the United States.
In 1833 Linn was elected to the United States Senate as a Jacksonian, filling the vacancy created by the death of Alexander Buckner. He was reelected as a Democrat in 1836 and 1842, and served from October 25, 1833 until his death. During his Senate career Linn was chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims from 1835 to 1841 (Twenty-fourth through Twenty-sixth Congresses), and the Committee on Agriculture from 1841 to 1843 (Twenty-seventh Congress).
Linn died in Ste. Genevieve on October 3, 1843. He was buried at Ste. Genevieve Memorial Cemetery.
Four states have counties named after him: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Oregon.
The towns of Linneus, Missouri, Linn, Missouri, West Linn, Oregon, and Linnton, Oregon were also named in Linn's honor."
The Place:
From the Wikipedia page for Linn County, Kansas:
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"Linn County (county code LN) is a county located in east-central Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 9,656. Its county seat is Mound City, and its most populous city is Pleasanton. The county was named for Lewis F. Linn, a U.S. Senator from Missouri.
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Linn County was established."
The Courthouse:
From the National Register Application:
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"The Linn County Courthouse is a two-story rectangular building with a full basement and an attic. The structure faces north and is approximately 110 feet long and 60 feet wide with an overall height of nearly 65 feet.
The exterior walls are red brick laid in a running bond pattern with contrasting white mortar. The brick walls rest on a native limestone base which projects five feet above the ground level. The large stone blocks have hand hewn faces and are laid in regular horizontal courses. A smooth cut stone belt line divides the stone base from the brick above. An additional band of smooth cut stone traverses the building perimeter at the window sill line of the second story."