County of marker: Allen County
Location of Marker: Iola City Cemetery, Colborn plot, Iola KS
Marker Erected by: The School Children of Iola
Marker Text:
When the town of IOLA was organized in January, 1859 Josiah F. Colborn was one of the founders who named the town after MRS. COLBORN whose given name was IOLA
She and her husband rest here
This tablet is provided by gifts from school children of Iola to record the origin of the city's name and, as a memorial to MR. AND MRS. COLBORN
"Just inside the old Iola Cemetery (west of Iola) and go north, down the road a bit to find the stone and memorial of J.F. and Iola Colborn
"In the 60s, the memorial was erected for Iola, the town's namesake because Tom Bowlus, President of the Allen County Bank, told the school children of Iola that if they would each bring a dime, he would furnish the rest of the money to put up this memorial.
"Eventually, the Colborns moved to town, and Iola had the 1st baby girl, named Luella, born in Iola. They lived just to the north of the square but years later, they moved to the site where the Iola High School is now." ~ Kansas Sampler Foundation