On February 20, 1962, Americans thrilled to the orbital flight of John Glenn, Jr. in the space capsule Friendship 7, which is now displayed in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Since then Glenn has had a long career in the US Senate and ran for president in 1984. In December 1998, he gave hope to seniors by taking another space flight at age 77 on the space shuttle Discovery.
But we may have forgotten his Linn County connections. In a 1962 article for The Times, former LCHS President Margaret Carey pointed out that John Glenn's great-grandmother, Sarah (Robe) McLaughlin and Rev. Robert Robe, early pastor of the Brownsville Presbyterian Church were brother and sister. Both were born in Ohio. Sons of Rev. Robert and Eliza Robe, Hermon Robe who lived near Brownsville and later Eugene and Elbert Robe who lived in Albany, were second cousins to the astronaut. Carol, a daughter of Rev. Robert and Eliza Robe, married Elias Marsters. That couple lived in the Halsey and Brownsville area and raised their children, Grace, who married Andrew Brund and lived in Cottage Grove; Will Marsters of Vista, California; Mildred Condra of Portland; Bonner Marsters of San Francisco; and Mrs. W. A. Saunders of Carlsbad, California; and Lyman Marsters who married Delma Wahl, daughter of Mrs. J. S. Northrup of Halsey.
John Glenn grew up in New Concord, Ohio and attended Westmenster Presbyterian Church. His wife, Annie, grew up in the same town, but attended College Drive Presbyterian Church. They both attended Muskingam College, a Presbyterian related college in New Concord. The Glenn's were married in College Drive Church, where they attended after marriage. John became an elder in the church. They are "Distinguished Alumni" professors at Muskingam College, where John teaches public affairs and Annie teaches speech communications. For years she struggled to overcome a stuttering problem. {Presbyterian Today, Jan./Feb. 1999, p 7}