Linton served as mayor of Palmerston North 1879-82 and 1884-5, and was a director and ardent promoter of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company.

[1] The site of the original planned Linton township is several kilometres away from current army camp, at the location of a Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company station on the Wellington ‒ Longburn railway line.

Along with several other directors of this private company, James Linton was honoured by having a railway station settlement on the line named after him.

In 1889, a school was established,[2] and St Columba's Church, which serve the small farming community.

Until 2013, Linton was part of the Ashhurst-Fitzherbert Ward of Palmerston North City Council, alongside Aokautere and Turitea.