James F. Pendleton, father of Larkin C. Pendleton, and grandfather of Walter Pendleton, pioneers of Marceline, was one of the two first white settlers in Linn County. He and a companion came to Locust Creek country in 1830 on a hunting exhibition. They found the country in accordance with their desires and determined to return and settle on some of its fertile land. In the fall of 1831 they came back and built the first two cabins erected within the borders of the county, they chose as their location what is now Locust Creek Township. They fenced 5 or 6 acres of land the next spring brought their families; thus became the first bona fide white settlers in Linn County.
A son, Larkin C. Pendleton, married Ada Spurling, a native of Kentucky. They lived in Laclede, Missouri and were the parents of two sons and one daughter. In 1888 the family moved to what is now Marceline. The father was a carpenter and clerk in times of peace, a valiant soldier in the Union Army for four years during the Civil War. They were members of the Christian Church here, where he served as elder and sang in the choir. He was a member of Havre De Grace Commandery. His wife helped to organize the Order of the Eastern Star and was its first treasurer. Mr. Pendleton died in May, 1906 and his wife in December 1928.
Their daughter Effie taught in the public schools of Marceline later marrying Joseph Batra, who owned the Batta Hardware Store for a number of years before moving to Chillicothe. Their son John never married and their son Walter resided in and near Marceline until his death in 1953. He had begun life as an apprentice to the printing trade in the office of the Marceline Journal. He worked at this until 1897 when he started farming. On March 10, 1897 Walter married Miss Louisa Alice Wyant and they were the parents of three children. Mrs. Raymond Jones (Irene) who is the only one residing in Marceline. They had five grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren. Mrs. Pendleton is now 90 years old and resides at the Braley Rest Home. She is the last of the Wyant family. They were all members of the Methodist Church.