John W. Carlin American politician. Born March 5, 1940 in Salina, Kansas and raised in the Saline County community of Smolan . Attended Kansas State University and earned degrees in history and economics. He returned to Saline County to farm and teach. He served as Governor of Kansas (1979-1987)and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994. A Democrat. He became an archivist for the United States in 1996.