A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 99

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 99

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

He assisted his father in the building of Scioto, Clinton and Buckhorn furnaces. He moved to Wheelersburg in 1835, where he established a general store of drugs, dry goods and groceries. He remained there until 1846, when he loaded his goods on a flat boat and went south as far as Memphis, Tennessee, closing out his stock there. He moved to Portsmouth in 1850, locating on the southeast corner of Seventh and Chillicothe streets. The old stage line be- tween Columbus and Portsmouth, made his house their headquarters and occupied a large frame barn once used by his grandfather, John Brown, as a mill. Here he again engaged in surveying for a number of years.

When the war of the Rebellion broke out, although fifty-four years of age, he enlisted as a private in Battery L, First Ohio Light Artillery, Captain L. N. Robinson, October 19, 1861. He served with the Battery until September 26, 1862, when he died at Wash- ington, D. C. He is buried at the National Cemetery near that city. He was a life long Whig until 1860, when he voted for Abraham Lincoln.

His wife, Elizabeth Fenton, was born in Hector, New York, August 30, 1808. She was the daughter of John and Sallie Benneit Fenton. Her father took a drove of horses to Philadelphia to sell, and died there, after a few weeks illness. Her mother with four chil- dren then came to Ohio with her father, Thaddeus Bennett and a number of other families in 1818. They left New York in the fall of 1817, and wintered at the head of the Alleghany river, where they sawed lumber and built rafts. Upon these they placed cabins, and floating down the Alleghany and Ohio rivers landed at the mouth of the Little Scioto on April 27, 1818. They lived in a schoolhouse at Wait's Station during the summer, while they looked around for a location. Fever and ague having become prevalent along the rivers, they settled inland in Madison township. Elizabeth Fenton taught school until her marriage with Jefferson Kendall. Five children were born to them, three of whom died in infancy. Of the two who grew to maturity, the son, Alva Fenton Kendall of Portsmouth is deceased, and the daughter, Ella Kendall Overturf, who resides in! Columbus, is still living.

Milton Kendall,

son of General Willam Kendall and Rachel Brown, his wife, was born June 16, 1812 in Clay Township. He spent most of his boyhood on his father's farm, but resided with relatives in Pennsylvania for some time. He became a farmer and resided near the city of Ports- mouth, and gardened for the market. He continued at this work most of his life, He was a member of the Whig party until the dissolution and then became a Democrat. He was united in marriage, June 23, 1833, to Ruth Lawson, youngest sister of Christina Lawson who was his father's second wife. Ruth Lawson was born June 16, 1812 and

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died September 27, 1883. To this marriage were ten children born : Thomas L., William H., Mary J., George W., Stephen, Louisa, Ra- chel, Milton, Clara B., and Jeremiah.

Mr. Kendall was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ports- mouth, Ohio. He was a good father, a good neighbor and was well liked by all who knew him. He died August 6, 1882.

Thomas Kendall

was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, July 6, 1814, the eldest son of General William Kendall and Rachel Brown, his wife. His mother died while he was a child and he was taken to Pennsylvania to the home of his paternal grandfather, where he spent his boyhood. As a youth. he returned to Portsmouth, and became a clerk in the drug store of Andrews & McVey, and subsequently went into business himself. In 1837, and in 1843, he was Overseer of the Poor of Wayne Town- ship. In 1846, he was a Trustee of Wayne Township. He was Superintendent of the Scioto and Hocking Valley Railroad for a number of years. In 1856, he removed to West Liberty, Ohio, and engaged in milling. In 1874. he went to Cleveland and engaged with the Wilson Sewing Machine Company. In September, 1888, he re- turned to Portsmouth. November 16, 1836, he married to Miss Anne Glover and three children were born to them : Charles Kendall, Roda. the wife of General William H. Raynor of Toledo, Ohio: and Mrs. Elizabeth Henderson, deceased. The latter left three children : Annie, Jennie and Charles. Our subject died December 15, 1889, of a pa- ralysis of the muscles of the throat.

Milton Kennedy

was born May 7. 1811, on Wolf Creek in Washington County, Ohio. His parents were William Kennedy, son of a Revolutionary Soldier and Martha Gray, his wife. The family moved to Washington County Pa., shortly after his birth, and resided there until he was eight years old. At that age the family embarked on a family boat and went to New Richmond, Ohio. Our subject's father was a tobacconist, and the son learned the business. He attended school but six months, but studied law in New Richmond with Perry J. Dunham, and practiced before the magistrates in Clermont County. In 1848. he came to Portsmouth and engaged in buying and selling corn. He continued in that business until 1856, and handled as much as $40,000 to $50,000 per year. In 1855, he met with financial reverses, from which he never fully recovered. He lost $26,000.

In politics, he was most prominent always. In 1836, he voted for Van Buren. In 18.11, he voted for James G. Birney. He was the first member of the Free Soil Party in Scioto County. In 1852, he voted for John P. Hale and he, Wm. Hicks and R. S. Silcox were the ouly ones in Scioto County, who so voted. He held the first Free Soil meeting in Scioto County in 1852, and made a speech

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

from a wagon in front of the White Bear Hotel. The same year he attempted to make a Free Soil speech at Lucasville, and was stoned and rotten egged. He joined the American Party when it was form- ed, and, in 1856, was a delegate to the National Republican Conven- tion in Philadelphia. He was a first-class politician, and one of the first Apostles of the Republican Party, when many wanted to act with him but were ashamed to.

He was a great friend and admirer of Salmon P. Chase, and named a son for him. That son was educated at West Point, is now an officer of the Regular Army and has a sketch herein. In 1860, Governor Chase made him Superintendent of the Ohio Canal, and when the war came on, Assistant Treasurer of the United States at Vicksburg. In the earlier part of the war he commanded the steamboat Piketon on the Sandy river, and was a captain of trans- ports on the Mississippi. He at one time owned the Peytonia and Reville-small steamboats.

He married Rosanna Israel February 4, 1830, and had eight children. October 20, 1849, he was married to Miss Josephine B. Hutchinson, of Pittsburg, and they had ten children. He was a Con- stable in Portsmouth many times. He was a Justice of the Peace in Wayne township in 1858. In 1871, he was a candidate for Post- master, Oliver Wood got 428 votes and he received 385. In 1872, he was a Day Policeman in Portsmouth. In 1873, he was appointed Sanitary Policeman He was a man of great physical powers and intense mental energy. He became addicted to the drink habit, af- ter he came to Portsmouth, but he reformed and became a great ad- vocate of temperance.

James Keyes

was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, March 24, 1801. His father's name was Selma Keyes, a native of Massachusetts, and his mother's maiden name was "Polly" (Mary) Andrews. There is an account of the Keyes family elsewhere in this book. When our subject was ten years old, his father re-considered the idea of residing in Virginia and moved to Scioto County, Ohio. Selma Keyes was a Revolutionary soldier, a sketch of him, as such, will be found under the title of Revolutionary soldiers.

James Keyes was born with a disposition to be a student. He received a fair education in Virginia. When he came to Ohio he procured a scholarship in the Ohio University at Athens, and improv- ed his education there, but never graduated. He was one of the ear- liest pupils at the Athens University. He was a fine mathematician, well read in both modern and ancient literature. After completing his education, he learned the trade of a carpenter, and followed it to some extent.

In 1830, he kept a ferry at the mouth of Scioto Brush creek. Samuel Griffith Jones, who has a separate sketch in this work, resided

JAMES KEYES.

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there with his large family, and Mr. Keyes became acquainted with his daughter Catharine, and was married to her April 3, 1831. Her father's home was then on the Kirkendall place. He had four chil- dren : Thomas, of Columbus; Milford, who resides at No. 151 East Eighth street, and is a journalist: and two daughters who died in infancy. Mr. Keyes was a Democrat until the Know Nothing move- ment came up, and then he joined that party. When it went to pieces, he became a Republican, and continued that during his life. Mr. Keyes never belonged to any church. He was a man of the strictest morality. He never drank any liquors, never smoked nor used tobacco in any form, and would not tolerate profanity or im- moral talk in his presence. He was a free thinker in his notions. He was of the strongest of will power, great purity of life, a high sense of business and social honor. He had a wonderful constitution physically. He never got old, except in years and at eighty, he still had advanced ideas and kept abreast of the times. In 1866, he was elected Justice of the Peace of Wayne Township and served one term. In 1872, he was one of the City Infirmary Directors of Portsmouth. In 1880, he issued a book called "A Series of Pioneer Sketches," which is fully noticed under the bibliography of Scioto County. He moved about considerably in his early life, but settled down in Ports- mouth and became quite well off from the year he made Portsmouth his permanent home. Mr. Keyes conserved all his powers physically and his faculties, mentally to the year of his death. He was a pleasant companion and fond of reminiscence. He never forgot any- thing he learned of a historical character. He was stricken with paralysis in March, 1883, but appeared to have recovered. He died suddenly on June 28, 1883, in the fullness of all his powers. He was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery. He was highly respected by all who knew him; and it is most unfortunate that he did not undertake to write a history of the county, for no one appreciated a work of that character more, and no one was more competent to edit such a work.

Aaron Kinney

was born in Sunbury. Penna .. October 10. 1773. His father, Peter Kinney, was in the Revolutionary war.

He was a man of great force of character, and after the war became a farmer.

As to the early education of our subject, we know but little, but we do know that he had only such as the vicinage afforded. He however, learned the tanner's trade.

In 1797. he married Mary Clingman, the daughter of John Mich- ael Clingman, who was born in 1746, a native of Germany, but a man of substance and importance for his time. He had been a Cap- tain in the Revolutionary war.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

On August 26, 1798, the eldest son of our subject was born, and was named for the Father of our Country, then living. His next child, Elizabeth, afterwards married to Wilson Gates, was born October 2, 1800. His third child, Ann Elizabeth Cady, was born July 2, 1802, and his fourth, Maria Tracy, was born July 2, 1804. Then Mr. Kinney thought he had best emigrate where his increasing family might have room to grow up. As a youth he had learned the tanner's trade, and he thought the great state of Ohio would be a good place to exercise it.

He came to Portsmouth with his family, from Pennsylvania, in 1804 in a four horse wagon. His brother-in-law, Washington Clingman, had come before, and had entered fractional section seven and section eight, north of Portsmouth.

Aaron Kinney purchased his rights and had them transferred to him. The first thing he did was to inspect his domain. It extend- ed from the foot of Amos B. Cole's hill, at the old toll house, to the foot of Clingman's hill where the C. P. & V. railroad crosses the turnpike, and from the Scioto river to Martin Funk's land on the west. He was of course first looking for springs of water, and he found the celebrated "Kinney Spring," and drank from its limpid waters. Then he took his trusty rifle, and went upon the hill just above the spring and killed two deer. He marked out a place for a cabin west of where the present brick house is built; here he built the cabin and set up his household goods. He sunk a tannery in front of the present brick residence and went to work to make money ; and well he might, for his family was increasing right along. Peter was born December 16, 1805: Margaret Hall, February 16, 1808; Rachel Dodson, December 9, 1809: Nancy Walker, November 19, 18II. In the mean time he was busy with his tanning. Leath- er was a prime necessity among the pioneers, for money was a thing almost impossible to obtain. So he tanned on the shares and took his pay in hides. His share was plenty, and he sent it to Barr & Lodwick in Chillicothe. He owned a six-horse team which was sent to Chillicothe with tanned leather and came back with goods and money ; Samuel C. Briggs drove this team for him. Hugh Cook had a six-horse team and took his leather to Chillicothe. James Emmitt drove the Cook team for him, and one James Davis of Chillicothe, was also a driver for him. While Aaron Kinney brought money from Pennsylvania, he was a money maker, a family trait which descended to his sons.

From 1809 to 1811, he found time to be an Overseer of the Poor in his township, but he eschewed politics and office holding.

In 1812, he began to feel that he was on a firm foundation, financially. On August 7, 1812, he had completed his payment for fractional section seven and section eight and received a patent from the United States, recorded in Volume D. Page 402. This

AARON KINNEY.

PIONEER OF SCIOTO COUNTY. SETTLED IN SCIOTO COUNTY, 1804. BORN 1773-DIED 1857.

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was a goodly inheritance and embraced several of the best farms in the county.

On June 14, 1814, he bought of Henry Massie for $900.00, 104 acres which fronted the Ohio river, and was bounded on the west by the Raynor property, and by the Martin Funk tracts on the east. It extended north from the river 209 poles and was 80 poles wide.

In the summer of 1812, he built the present brick house in which his son, Henry R. Kinney resides. The brick was made of earth excavated in front of the residence.

All the time his family was increasing. His son, Eli, was born September 17, 1813: his son, Henry Richie, was born July 2, 1815; his daughter, Sarah Ann Renshaw, was born April 23, 1817; and the youngest, Philander Chase, was born May 28, 1821.

On February 9, 1816, he began the tannery business in Ports- mouth. He went into partnership with General Kendall. Each put in $700.00 and they sunk a tannery where the Gas Works are now located. The partnership was to last for ten years.

On December 15. 1823, he purchased 178 acres of land of Henry Massie. It embraced the Maria L. Kinney, Peter Kinney, and Eli Kinney Additions. It extended from Union street to the Scioto river, and from the south line of sections seven and eight to Thirteenth street. He gave $1,780, or $10.00 per acre, for it. At the time of the purchase General Kendall had 124 acres south of it, which he had purchased of Massie, and which afterwards became the Barr Addition.

This was the last of his purchases, and he died seized of all of it, and it was divided among his heirs. He was a staunch citizen, always up to date with his obligations. He was a communicant of the Episcopal church.

His wife died August 21, 1849, of the cholera, and he survived until April II. 1857.

He was the first tanner in Portsmouth. In his political views he was a Democrat. Of his four sons, Henry R. Kinney is his only survivor. Of his seven daughters, only Mrs. Sarah Ann Renshaw survives.

Men of such sterling qualities as he, made our nation great and powerful. He was a man who let no opportunity pass, and left his impress on his sons, who were all prominent business men.

Washington Kinney

was born August 26, 1798, in Pennsylvania, and came to Portsmouth, Ohio, with his parents. In 1820, he advertised in the Portsmouth paper as "G. W. Kinney. Tanner and Currier." He had his tan yard where the Portsmouth Gas Works now stands and it ran through from Second to Third street. On December 14, 1820, he was

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

married to Mary, one of the daughters of Doctor Thomas Waller and they had a large family. The daughters were Mrs. Samuel Ross and Mrs. Samuel Reed; and the sons were George, Charles, Aaron, Alfred, William and Thomas Waller.

Mr. Kinney was successful as a tanner and currier and made and saved money. He became a banker and for many years conducted a private bank in Portsmouth under the name of W. Kinney & Com- pany. He was a person in whom the whole community had confi- dence. He was always an active and useful citizen. In 1827, he was Secretary of Mt. Vernon Chapter of Freemasons. In 1829, 1830 and 1837, he was a Trustee of Wayne Township. In 1829, he was in the town council and he and Sam Tracy settled the ques- tion as to the front of the town. That was a great question in its time and Mr. Kinney settled it happily. In the same year, he and Mr. Samuel Gunn procured two floating wharves for the city. In 1833, he was Overseer of the Poor of Wayne Township. In 1839 to 1845, he was one of the school directors of Portsmouth. He filled the same office in 1837. From 1847 to 1850, he was one of the County Commissioners. In 1846, he was Assessor in the Second ward.

He was a Whig in his political views and he was a devout com- municant of the Protestant Episcopal church. He was a vestryman, first of All Saints and afterwards of Christ church. He was always reliable as a citizen and a churchman. He was conservative in his views, but of excellent business judgment. He had a happy faculty of getting along smoothly and easily with all with whom he did busi- ness. Mr. Kinney was highly esteemed by all his business contem- poraries as a man of honor and integrity, and he enjoyed the highest confidence of the entire community. He was always regarded as a safe man. He died September 21, 1869, aged seventy-one years and one month and his wife died March 7, 1874.

Colonel Peter Kinney

was born in Scioto County, Ohio, on December 16, 1805, the son of Aaron Kinney and Mary Clingman, his wife. He was born with an imperious will and it lasted him to his dying hour. He grew up in Portsmouth with what little education the town afforded him, but he learned much from the association with his fellow men. He was at all times daring and venturesome. In 1820, his father sent him with the family grist to Major Isaac Bonser's mill on Bonser's Run. when the woods were full of wild animals. This then was the near- est mill available to Portsmouth. In the same year his father sent him to New Orleans on a flat boat loaded with produce.

In 1827, he made another trip to New Orleans and this time brought with him the seed of the pecan tree, which stands near the spring near the old Kinney homestead. In 1829, he was Captain

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of a cavalry company of militia. He had a taste for military af- fairs which followed him all his life. In 1829, he and Wilson Gates had a general store, under the name of Gates and Kinney. In 1832, he engaged in business as a private banker and was so engaged for many years. The firm name was E. Kinney & Co. In 1832, he also had a grocery license from the city countil and conducted a grocery on Front street. In this year he married Elizabeth Red- head, who survived him. In 1835, he became a member of the city council and was a member of the town and city council most of the time until 1854. From 1842 to 1844, he was a Director of the Portsmouth Insurance Company. In 1845, he appears on the com- mittee on claims. In 1846, he was elected town recorder, but declin- ed. In 1848, his banking firm was P. Kinney & Co. In 1850, it was Kinney & Tracy.

In 1849. he was appointed to welcome Gen. Zachary Taylor on the occasion of his visit to Portsmouth on his way to Washington to be inaugurated President. In the same year on September 21. he was elected trustee and visitor of the public schools. In 1850, he was one of a committee sent to the Legislature to lobby on the Scioto and Hocking Valley railroad.

He was president of the city council from 1852 to 1854. In 1855, he obtained a controlling interest in the Portsmouth branch of the state bank of Ohio and directed its affairs till 1861, when he vielded the control to go into the military service of the United States. In 1856, he took a great part in the erection of Christ church and was a vestryman there a long time, but went back to All Saints church. In 1857, he was treasurer of the Scioto and Hocking Valley railroad and helped build it.

On September 11, 1861, he was appointed Colonel of the 56, O. V. I., and served as such until April 8. 1863. During the Morgan Raid, he commanded all the militia at Portsmouth. He declared martial law. Every man who could carry a gun did so; and those who did not were ordered to work with a pick or a spade on the en- trenchments. After his return from the army, he resumed his posi- tion in the bank: and when the law was passed organizing banks, he organized the Portsmouth National bank, became its president and remained such until 1867. when he sold out his interests and made his celebrated trip to the Holy land. in with the party written up in Mark Twain's "Innocents Abroad"

When he came home from Europe, he organized the bank of Portsmouth and in 1872, he changed it into the Kinney National bank of which he became president. This enterprise was not a success, as Portsmouth was then overstocked with bank capital. Af- ter Col. Kinney's death, this bank liquidated, and its stockholders lost fifty per cent of their investment.

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On May 16, 1872, he and Mrs. Kinney gave a party to the young folks at their beautiful home at Mt. Tabor in the afternoon and evening. The day was fine, merging gradually into a moonlit evening and the young people rolled ten pins. Col. Kinney and his wife always took pleasure in the young people and this function was one of those ever to be remembered in the history of the city. Col. Kinney was always in favor of any public enterprises or improve- ments. He took a great interest in the completion of the Scioto Val- ley railway. He took part in the ceremonies of digging the first earth on April 10, 1877. He died on the 13th of August, 1877.

He was proud, self-willed and very much set in his own opin- ions. He was a good friend if he had his own way all the time. It was of no use to cross him. He was a communicant of All Saints church and a vestryman there, after 1870. He was a valuable citi- zen.

After his return from Europe, he built a fine residence on Kin- ncy Lane, north of the cemetery and named it Mt. Tabor. He was the father of ten children all of whom died in childhood, but two; Em- ma now the wife of Hon. Theo. K. Funk and Captain John W. Kin- 6

nev.

Eli Kinney

was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1810. He and his wife, Martha S. Lodwick were married at the residence of James Lodwick, the old Buckeye House on Front street. They went to housekeeping int the east side of the double brick in the rear of All Saints Chapel. Mr. Kinney then had a salary of $400 per year and he and his wife thought they were rich. In 1849, he built the brick dwelling on the southwest corner of Court and Fourth streets and lived there until his removal to Cincinnati.

He began his business career in the old Commercial Bank be- low Lynn's livery stable. He afterwards went into business two doors below Gilbert's store on Front street. The firm was E. Kin- ney & Company and was composed of himself. Peter Kinney and Wil- liam Hall. He retired from this firm in 1846 and became the found- er of the Portsmouth branch of the State Bank of Ohio, and was its first cashier. He went to Cincinnati and established the banking house of E. Kinney & Company, composed of himself, B. B. Gay. lord. George Johnson and William Salter. \ few years after the firm became Kinney, Espey & Company. Then the firm became Kin- ney & Company. His son-in-law. Major Low was a partner. In 1877, the firm failed and that precipitated the failure of W. Kin- ney & Company of Portsmouth, Ohio. At one time Eli Kinney had a fortune of $500,000, but had too much in real estate when the Jay Cooke panic came on.

In 1849, he was a councilman in Portsmouth in place of Henry Buchanan who resigned. He died at his home at Newport High-

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lands, August 22, 1884, of paralysis. His widow and four children survived him, Mrs Major Low, Mrs. Darling, Fannie and Alice. He had two sons, one died of yellow fever in the south and one was killed by an accident on a ferry boat. His daughter Alice is the wife of Mr. Dudley Hutchins of Portsmouth, O.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 99

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612