USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I > Part 64
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KINGMAN, Martin, was born at Deer Creek, Tazewell County, Ill., April 1, 1844; attended school at Washington, Ill., then taught two or three years, and, in June, 1862, enlisted in the Eighty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, serv- ing three years without the loss of a day-a part of the time on detached service in charge of an ambulance corps and, later, as Assistant Quarter- master. Returning from the war with the rank of First Lieutenant, in August, 1865, he went to Peoria, where he engaged in business and has re- mained ever since. He is now connected with the following business concerns: Kingman & Co.,
manufacturers and dealers in farm machinery, Chicago. After graduating at Hanover, Mr. King . buggies, wagons, etc .; The Kingman Plow Com- pany, Bank of Illinois, Peoria Cordage Company, Peoria General Electric Company, and National Hotel Company, besides various outside enter- prises-all large concerns in each of which he is a large stockholder and a Director. Mr. Kingman was Canal Commissioner for six years-this being his only connection with politics. During 1898 he was also chosen Lieutenant-Colonel of the Peoria Provisional Regiment organized for the Spanish- American War. His career in connection with the industrial development of Peoria has been especially conspicuous and successful.
KINKADE (or Kinkead), William, a native of Tennessee, settled in what is now Lawrence County, in 1817, and was elected to the State Senate in 1822, but appears to have served only one session, as he was succeeded in the Fourth General Assembly by James Bird. Although a Tennesseean by birth, he was one of the most aggressive opponents of the scheme for making Illinois a slave State, being the only man who made a speech against the pro-slavery convention resolution, though this was cut short by the determination of the pro-conventionists to permit no debate. Mr. Kinkade was appointed Post- master at Lawrenceville by President John Quincy Adams, and held the position for many years. He died in 1846.
KINMUNDY, a city in Marion County, on the Illinois Central Railroad, 229 miles south of Chicago and 24 miles northeast of Centralia. Agriculture, stock-raising, fruit-growing and coal-mining are the principal industries of the surrounding country. Kinmundy has flouring mills and brick-making plants, with other manufacturing establishments of minor impor- tance. There are five churches, a bank and a weekly newspaper. Population (1880), 1,096; (1890), 1.045; (1900), 1,221.
KINNEY, William, Lieutenant-Governor of Illinois from 1826 to 1830; was born in Kentucky in 1781 and came to Illinois early in life, finally settling in St. Clair County. Of limited educa- tional advantages, he was taught to read by his wife after marriage. He became a Baptist preacher, was a good stump-orator; served two sessions in the State Senate (the First and Third), was a candidate for Governor in 1834, but was defeated by Joseph Duncan; in 1838 was elected by the Legislature a member of the Board of Public Works, becoming its President. Died in 1843 .- William C. (Kinney), son of the preced- ing, was born in Illinois, served as a member of
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the Constitutional Convention of 1847 and as Representative in the Nineteenth General Assem- bly (1855), and, in 1857, was appointed by Gov- ernor Bissell Adjutant-General of the State, dying in office thre following year.
KINZIE, John, Indian-trader and earliest citi- zen of Chicago, was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1763. His father was a Scotchman named Mckenzie, but the son dropped the prefix "Mc," and the name soon came to be spelled "Kinzie" -an orthography recognized by the family. Dur- ing his early childhood his father died, and his mother gave him a stepfather by the name of William Forsythe. When ten years old he left home and, for three years, devoted himself to learning the jeweler's trade at Quebec. Fasci- nated by stories of adventure in the West, he removed thither and became an Indian-trader. In 1804 he established a trading post at what is now the site of Chicago, being the first solitary white settler. Later he established other posts on the Rock, Illinois and Kankakee Rivers. He was twice married, and the father of a numerous family. His daughter Maria married Gen. David Hunter, and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. John H. Kinzie, achieved literary distinction as the authoress of "Wau Bun," etc. (N. Y. 1850.) Died in Chicago, Jan. 6, 1828 .- John Harris (Kinzie), son of the preceding, was born at Sand- wich, Canada, July 7, 1803, brought by his par- ents to Chicago, and taken to Detroit after the massacre of 1812, but returned to Chicago in 1816. Two years later his father placed him at Mackinac Agency of the American Fur Com- pany, and, in 1824, he was transferred to Prairie du Chien. The following year he was Sub-Agent of Indian affairs at Fort Winnebago, where he witnessed several important Indian treaties. In 1830 he went to Connecticut, where he was married, and, in 1833, took up his permanent resi- dence in Chicago, forming a partnership with Gen. David Hunter, his brother-in-law, in the forwarding business. In 1841 he was appointed Registrar of Public Lands by President Harrison, but was removed by Tyler. In 1848 he was appointed Canal Collector, and, in 1849, President Taylor commissioned him Receiver of Public Moneys. In 1861 he was commissioned Pay- master in the army by President Lincoln, which office he held until his death, which occurred on a railroad train near Pittsburg, Pa., June 21, 1865.
KIRBY, Edward P., lawyer and legislator, was born in Putnam County, Ill., Oct. 28, 1834- the son of Rev. William Kirby, one of the found- ers and early professors of Illinois College at
Jacksonville; graduated at Illinois College in 1854, then taught several years at St. Louis and Jacksonville; was admitted to the bar in 1864, and, in 1873, was elected County Judge of Morgan County as a Republican; was Representative in the General Assembly from Morgan County (1891-93) ; also served for several years as Trustee of the Central Hospital for the Insane and, for a long period, as Trustee and Treasurer of Illinois College.
KIRK, (Gen.) Edward N., soldier, was born of Quaker parentage in Jefferson County, Ohio, Feb. 29, 1828; graduated at the Friends' Academy, at Mount Pleasant in the same State, and, after teaching for a time, began the study of law, completing it at Baltimore, Md., where he was admitted to the bar in 1853. A year later he removed to Sterling, Ill., where he continued in his profession until after the battle of the first Bull Run, when he raised a regiment. The quota of the State being already full, this was not im- mediately accepted; but, after some delay, was mustered in in September, 1861, as the Thirty- fourth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, with the subject of this sketch as Colonel. In the field he soon proved himself a brave and dashing officer ; at the battle of Shiloh, though wounded through the shoulder, he refused to leave the field. After remaining with the army several days, inflam- matory fever set in, necessitating his removal to the hospital at Louisville, where he lay between life and death for some time. Having partially recovered, in August, 1862, he set out to rejoin his regiment, but was stopped en route by an order assigning him to command at Louisville. In November following he was commissioned Brigadier-General for "heroic action, gallantry and ability" displayed on the field. In the last days of December, 1862, he had sufficiently re- covered to take part in the series of engagements at Stone River, where he was again wounded, this time fatally. He was taken to his liome in Illinois, and, although he survived several months, the career of one of the most brilliant and promising soldiers of the war was cut short by his death, July 21, 1863.
KIRKLAND, Joseph, journalist and author, was born at Geneva, N. Y., Jan. 7, 1830-the son of Prof. William Kirkland of Hamilton College: was brought by his parents to Michigan in 1835, where he remained until 1856, when he came to the city of Chicago. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in the Twelfth Illinois Infantry (three- months' men), was elected Second Lieutenant, but later became Aid-de-Camp on the staff of
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General Mcclellan, serving there and on the staff of General Fitz-John Porter until the retirement of the latter, meanwhile taking part in the Pen- insular campaign and in the battle of Antietam. Returning to Chicago he gave attention to some coal-mining property near Danville, but later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1880. A few years later he produced his first novel, and, from 1890, devoted his attention solely to literary pursuits, for several years being liter- ary editor of "The Chicago Tribune." His works -several of which first appeared as serials in the magazines-include "Zury, the Meanest Man in Spring County" (1885); "The McVeys" (1887); "The Captain of Co. K." (1889), besides the "His- tory of the Chicago Massacre of 1812," and "The Story of Chicago"-the latter in two volumes. At the time of his death he had just concluded, in collaboration with Hon. John Moses, the work of editing a two-volume "History of Chicago," pub- lished by Messrs. Munsell & Co. (1895). Died, in Chicago, April 29, 1894 .- Elizabeth Stansbury (Kirkland), sister of the preceding-teacher and author-was born at Geneva, N. Y., came to Chicago in 1867 and, five years later, established a select school for young ladies, out of which grew what is known as the "Kirkland Social Settlement," which was continued until her death, July 30, 1896. She was the author of a number of vol- umes of decided merit, written with the especial object of giving entertainment and instruction to the young-including "Six Little Cooks," "Dora's Housekeeping," "Speech and Manners," a Child's "History of France," a "History of England," "History of English Literature," etc. At her death she left a "History of Italy" ready for the hands of the publishers.
KIRKPATRICK, John, pioneer Methodist preacher, was born in Georgia, whence he emi- grated in 1802; located at Springfield, Ill., at an early day, where he built the first horse-mill in that vicinity; in 1829 removed to Adams County, and finally to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he died in 1845. Mr. Kirkpatrick is believed to have been the first local Methodist preacher licensed in Illinois. Having inherited three slaves (a woman and two boys) while in Adams County, he brought them to Illinois and gave them their freedom. The boys were bound to a man in Quincy to learn a trade, but mysteriously disappeared-presumably having been kidnaped with the connivance of the man in whose charge they had been placed.
KIRKWOOD, a city in Warren County, once known as "Young America," situated about six miles southwest of Monmouth, on the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad; is a stock-ship- ping point and in an agricultural region. The town has two banks, five churches, and two weekly newspapers. Pop. (1890), 949; (1900), 1,008.
KISHWAUKEE RIVER, rises in McHenry County, runs west through Boone, and enters Rock River in Winnebago County, eight miles below Rockford. It is 75 miles long. An afflu- ent called the South Kishwaukee River runs north-northeast and northwest through De Kalb County, and enters the Kiskwaukee in Winne- bago County, about eight miles southeast of Rockford.
KITCHELL, Wiekliff, lawyer and Attorney- General of Illinois, was born in New Jersey, May 21, 1789. Feb. 29, 1812, he was married, at Newark, N. J., to Miss Elizabeth Ross, and the same year emigrated west, passing down the Ohio on a flat-boat from Pittsburg, Pa., and settled near Cincinnati In 1814 he became a resident of Southern Indiana, where he was elected sheriff, studied law and was admitted to the bar, finally becom- ing a successful practitioner. In 1817 he removed to Palestine, Crawford County, Ill., where, in 1820, he was elected Representative in the Second General Assembly, and was also a member of the State Senate from 1828 to 1832. In 1838 he re- moved to Hillsboro, Montgomery County, was appointed Attorney-General in 1839, serving until near the close of the following year, when he resigned to take his seat as Representative in the Twelfth General Assembly. Between 1846 and 1854 he was a resident of Fort Madison, Iowa, but the latter year returned to Hillsboro. During his early political career Mr. Kitchell had been a Democrat; but, on the passage of the Kansas-Neb- raska act, became an earnest Republican. Pub- lic-spirited and progressive, he was in advance of his time on many public questions. Died, Jan. 2, 1869 .- Alfred (Kitchell), son of the preceding, lawyer and Judge, born at Palestine, Ill., March 29, 1820; was educated at Indiana State Univer- sity and Hillsboro Academy, admitted to the bar in 1841, and, the following year, commenced practice at Olney ; was elected State's Attorney in 1843, through repeated re-elections holding the office ten years; was a member of the Constitu- tional Convention of 1847 and, in 1849, was elected Judge of Richland County ; later assisted in establishing the first newspaper published in Olney, and in organizing the Republican party there in 1856; in 1859 was elected Judge of the Twenty-fifth Judicial Circuit, serving one term. He was also influential in procuring a charter for
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the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and in the con- struction of the line, being an original corporator and subsequently a Director of the Company. Later he removed to Galesburg, where he died, Nov. 11, 1876 .- Edward (Kitchell), another son, was born at Palestine, Ill., Dec. 21, 1829; was educated at Hillsboro Academy until 1846, when he removed with his father's family to Fort Madison, Iowa, but later returned to Hillsboro to continue his studies; in 1852 made the trip across the plains to California to engage in gold mining, but the following year went to Walla Walla, Washington Territory, where he opened a law office; in 1854 returned to Illinois, locating at Olney, Richland County, forming a partnership with Horace Hayward, a relative, in the practice of law. Here, having taken position against the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, he became, in 1856, the editor of the first Republican news- paper published in that part of Illinois known as "Egypt," with his brother, Judge Alfred Kitchell, being one of the original thirty-nine Republicans in Richland County. In 1862 he assisted in organizing the Ninety-eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteers at Centralia, which, in the following year having been mounted, became a part of the famous "Wilder Brigade." At first he was com- missioned Lieutenant-Colonel, but succeeded to the command of the regiment after the wounding of Colonel Funkhouser at Chickamauga in Sep- tember, 1863; was finally promoted to the colo- nelcy in July, 1865, and mustered out with the rank of Brigadier-General by brevet. Resuming the practice of his profession at Olney, he was, in 1866, the Republican candidate for Congress in a district strongly Democratic; also served as Collector of Internal Revenue for a short time and, in 1868, was Presidential Elector for the same District. Died, at Olney, July 11, 1869 .- John Wickliff (Kitchell), youngest son of Wick- liff Kitchell, was born at Palestine, Crawford County, Ill., May 30, 1835, educated at Hillsboro, read law at Fort Madison, Iowa, and admitted to the bar in that State. At the age of 19 years he served as Assistant Clerk of the House of Repre- sentatives at Springfield, and was Reading Clerk of the same body at the session of 1861. Previous to the latter date he had edited "The Montgomery County Herald," and later, "The Charleston Courier." Resigning his position as Reading Clerk in 1861, he enlisted under the first call of President Lincoln in the Ninth Illinois Volun- teers, served as Adjutant of the regiment and afterwards as Captain of his company. At the expiration of his term of enlistment lie established
"The Union Monitor" at Hillsboro, which he con- ducted until drafted into the service in 1864, serving until the close of the war. In 1866 he removed to Pana (his present residence), resum- ing practice there; was a candidate for the State Senate the same year, and, in 1870, was the Republican nominee for Congress in that District.
KNICKERBOCKER, Joshua C., lawyer, was born in Gallatin, Columbia County, N. Y., Sept. 26, 1827; brought by his father to Alden, McHenry County, Ill., in 1844, and educated in the coin- mon schools of that place; removed to Chicago in 1860, studied law and was admitted to practice in 1862; served on the Board of Supervisors and in the City Council and, in 1868, was elected Repre- sentative in the General Assembly, serving one term. He was also a member of the State Board of Education from 1875 to '77, and the latter year was elected Probate Judge for Cook County, serving until his death, Jan. 5, 1890.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, a secret semi-mili- tary and benevolent association founded in the City of Washington, D. C., Feb. 19, 1864, Justus H. Rathbone (who died Dec. 9, 1889) being its recognized founder. The order was established in Illinois, May 4, 1869, by the organization of "Welcome Lodge, No. 1," in the city of Chicago. On July 1, 1869, this Lodge had nineteen mem- bers. At the close of the year four additional Lodges had been instituted, having an aggregate membership of 245. Early in the following year, on petition of these five Lodges, approved by the Grand Chancellor, a Grand Lodge of the Order for the State of Illinois was instituted in Chicago, with a membership of twenty-nine Past Chancel- lors as representatives of the five subordinate Lodges-the total membership of these Lodges at that date being 382. December 31, 1870, the total membership in Illinois had increased to 850. June 30, 1895, the total number of Lodges in the State was 525, and the membership 38,441. The assets belonging to the Lodges in Illinois, on Jan. 1, 1894, amounted to $418,151.77.
KNOWLTON, Dexter A., pioneer and banker, was born in Fairfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., March 3, 1812, taken to Chautauqua County in infancy and passed his childhood and youth on a farm. Having determined on a mercantile ca- reer, he entered an academy at Fredonia, paying his own way; in 1838 started on a peddling tour for the West, and, in the following year, settled at Freeport, Ill., where he opened a general store; in 1843 began investments in real estate, finally laying off sundry additions to the city of Free- port, from which he realized large profits. He
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was also prominently connected with the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad and, in 1850, became a Director of the Company, remaining in office some twelve years. In 1852 he was the Free-Soil candidate for Governor of Illinois, but a few years later became extensively interested in the Con- gress & Empire Spring Company at Saratoga, N. Y .; then, after a four years' residence in Brooklyn, returned to Freeport in 1870, where he engaged in banking business, dying in that city, March 10, 1876.
KNOX, Joseph, lawyer, was born at Blanford, Mass., Jan. 11, 1805; studied law with his brother, Gen. Alanson Knox, in his native town, was admitted to the bar in 1828, subsequently removing to Worcester, in the same State, where he began the practice of his profession. In 1837 he removed west, locating at Stephenson, now Rock Island, Ill., where he continued in practice for twenty-three years. During the greater part of that time he was associated with Hon. John W. Drury, under the firm name of Knox & Drury, gaining a wide reputation as a lawyer throughout Northern Illinois. Among the important cases in which he took part during his residence in Rock Island was the prosecution of the murderers of Colonel Davenport in 1845. In 1852 he served as a Democratic Presidential Elector, but in the next campaign identified himself with the Republican party as a supporter of John C. Fremont for tlie Presidency. In 1860 he removed to Chicago and, two years later, was appointed State's Attorney by Governor Yates, remaining in office until suc- ceeded by his partner, Charles H. Reed. After coming to Chicago he was identified with a num- ber of notable cases. His death occurred, August 6, 1881.
KNOX COLLEGE, a non-sectarian institution for the higher education of the youth of both sexes, located at Galesburg, Knox County. It was founded in 1837, fully organized in 1841, and graduated its first class in 1846. The number of graduates from that date until 1894, aggregated 867. In 1893 it had 663 students in attendance, and a faculty of 20 professors. Its library con- tains about 6,000 volumes. Its endowment amounts to $300,000 and its buildings are valued at $150,000. Dr. Newton Bateman was at its head for more than twenty years, and, on his res- ignation (1893), John H. Finley, Ph.D., becaine its President, but resigned in 1899.
KNOX COUNTY, a wealthy interior county west of the Illinois River, having an area of 720 square miles and a population (1900) of 43,612. It was named in honor of Gen. Henry Knox. Its
territorial limits were defined by legislative enactment in 1825, but the actual organization dates from 1830, when Riggs Pennington, Philip Hash and Charles Hansford were named the first Commissioners. Knoxville was the first county- seat selected, and here (in the winter of 1830-31) was erected the first court house, constructed of logs, two stories in height. at a cost of $192. The soil is rich, and agriculture flour- ishes. The present county-seat (1899) is Gales- burg, well known for its educational institutions, the best known of which are Knox College, founded in 1837, and Lombard University, founded in 1851. A flourishing Episcopal Semi- nary is located at Knoxville, and Hedding Col- lege at Abingdon.
KNOXVILLE, a city in Knox County, on the Galesburg-Peoria Division of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad, 50 miles west of Peoria, and 5 miles east of Galesburg; was formerly the county-seat, and still contains the fair grounds and almshouse. The municipal gov- ernment is composed of a mayor, six aldermen, with seven heads of departments. It has electric lighting and street-car service, good water-works, banks, numerous churches. three public schools, and is the seat of St. Mary's school for girls, and St. Alban's, for boys. Population (1890), 1,728; (1900), 1,857.
KOERNER, Gustavus, lawyer and Lieutenant- Governor, was born in Germany in 1809, and received a university education. He was a law- yer by profession, and emigrated to Illinois in 1833, settling finally at Belleville. He at once affiliated with the Democratic party, and soon became prominent in politics. In 1842 he was elected to the General Assembly, and three years later was appointed to the bench of the State Supreme Court. In 1852 he was elected Lieuten- ant-Governor on the ticket headed by Joel A. Matteson; but, at the close of his term, became identified with the Republican party and was a staunch Union man during the Civil War, serving for a time as Colonel on General Fremont's and General Halleck's staffs. In 1862 President Lin- coln made him Minister to Spain, a post which he resigned in January, 1865. He was a member of the Chicago Convention of 1860 that nominated Lincoln for the Presidency; was a Republican Presidential Elector in 1868, and a delegate to the Cincinnati Convention of 1872 that named Horace Greeley for the Presidency. In 1867 he served as President of the first Board of Trustees of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home, and, in 1870, was elected to the Legislature a second time. The
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following year he was appointed a member of the first Board of Railroad and Warehouse Commis- sioners, and served as its President. He is the author of "Collection of the Important General Laws of Illinois, with Comments" (in German, St. Louis, 1838); "From Spain" (Frankfort on- the-Main, 1866); "Das Deutsche Element in den Vereiningten Staaten" (Cincinnati, 1880; second edition, New York, 1885) ; and a number of mono- graphs. Died, at Belleville, April 9, 1896.
KOHLSAAT, Christian C., Judge of United States Court, was born in Edwards County, Ill., Jan. 8, 1844-his father being a native of Germany who settled in Edwards County in 1825, while his mother was born in England. The family removed to Galena in 1854, where young Kohlsaat attended the public schools, later taking a course in Chicago University, after which he began the study of law. In 1867 he became a reporter on "The Chicago Evening Journal," was admitted to the bar in the same year, and, in 1868, accepted a position in the office of the County Clerk, where he kept the records of the County Court under Judge Bradwell's administration. During the sessions of the Twenty-seventh General Assembly (1871-72) , he served as First Assistant Enrolling and Engrossing Clerk of the House, after which he began practice; in 1881 was the Republican nominee for County Judge, but was defeated by Judge Prendergast; served as member of the Board of West Side Park Commissioners, 1884-90; in 1890 was appointed Probate Judge of Cook County (as successor to Judge Knickerbocker, who died in January of that year), and was elected to the office in November following, and re-elected in 1894, as he was again in 1898. Early in 1899 he was appointed, by President Mckinley, Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, as successor to Judge Grosscup, who had been appointed United States Circuit Judge in place of Judge Showalter, deceased.
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