Joseph Mayo Batchelder, born 1822, was raised by his father, Joseph, and stepmother, Rachel Stone. He was a Presbyterian minister, having graduated from Princeton's Theological Seminary in 1855. Batchelder first served as pastor in Albia, Iowa (1856 --1878). During part of this time, he was also state clerk of the Des Moines Presbytery for seventeen years. The majority of his ministry was spent in Osborne, Kansas, where he moved in 1878 to later form the First Presbyterian Church there. In 1855, Batchelder married Harriet Frances Gearhart. They had one son (d. 1864) and four daughters: Mary, Lillian ("Harriet's Daughter," "Harriet's Second") Mina, and Annie. Lillian married Joseph Donahue Bonar in 1859. They had one daughter, Jean Bonar, this collection's donor.
From the description of Papers of the Batchelder family, 1847 -- 1976 1860s -- 1880s. (University of Iowa Libraries). WorldCat record id: 229454360
