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Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Iowa K Unless otherwise specified, biographies submitted by Pat Ryan White. ALBERT WASHINGTON KINKEAD, County Attorney for Henry County, Iowa, and a resident of Mt. Pleasant, was born at Homer, Licking Co., Ohio, Feb. 22, 1853, and is the son of Robert and Jerusha (Smith) Kinkead. His father, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, was also a native of Ohio, and was born in Muskingum County Feb. 25, 1817, now a resident of Sharon, Iowa. His mother was a native of Ireland and emigrated to America with her parents in childhood. Her death occurred during the youth of our subject. Albert W. received his primary education in the public schools, and in the spring of 1870 came to Mt. Pleasant and became a student of Prof. Howe’s Academy. After completing his studies in that institution, he entered upon the study of law in the office of Messrs. Henry and Richard Ambler, of Mt. Pleasant, beginning in the spring of 1875. He was admitted to practice in August, 1877, in the local courts, and to the Supreme Court in 1881. In the fall of 1879 he formed a law partnership with Mr. C.B. Whitford, at Mt. Pleasant, under the firm name of “Kinkead & Whitford”, which connection continued four years. Since the expiration of that time Mr. Kinkead has been alone in practice. Mr. Kinkead is a Republican in politics, and was elected City Solicitor in 1879, which office he held two years. In the fall of 1886 he was elected County Attorney for Henry County, being the first to hold that office in the history of the county, the district system having previously been in force. Mr. Kinkead is a lawyer of superior ability and fine legal attainments, and during the eleven years that he has been connected with the Henry County bar he has won the confidence of the community and respect of his brethren of the legal profession. A
farmer residing on Section 7, Jefferson Twp., Henry Co., IA, was born in
Maryland in 1829, and is the son of John and Margaret (Harget) Kurtz, who were
of German
origin, but were born, reared and married in Maryland. His grandfather, on his
father's side was
in Germany, and his name was also John Kurtz. The given name of his wife
was Susan, who bore two children: John and Susan, who remained in MD, and
probably never married. The children of John Kurtz, father of our
subject, are mentioned individually in the sketch of
Newton McClintic, who married Ann R., the second youngest daughter. John
Kurtz, Sr., died at the age of 64, and his wife survived him a number of years,
reaching the age of 72. Both were buried on the old homestead side by side, and
also with one son, Peter, who died unmarried. John
Kurtz, our subject, was married in 1850 to
Martha K. Mason, a daughter of A. W. and Cynthia (Rogers) Mason, who were
married in Monroe Co., TN. Mrs. Kurtz was born there and came with her parents
to Henry Co., in 1842, settling where Wayland is now located. Later Mr. Mason
purchased a farm on Sect. 8, where he lived for some years, but later purchased
a small home on Sect. 6, where he and his wife died. They
were born in NC and reared a family of 10 children, the first 8 being born in
TN--James N.,
William R., Martha A., Mary J., Andrew J., Arch
McCracken; Rufus and Thomas, Leo and Margaret, in Iowa. The
wife of A. W. Mason died in her 41st year, and Mr. Mason wedded Isabella Murry,
who bore Henry H., Charles A., Elizabeth C., Samuel D., Viola J., and Ida, all
born in this county. A. W. Mason died in May 1869, age 64. His widow yet
resides in Washington County, now the wife of Joseph Young. Forty-six
years in the county have crowned the head of John Kurtz, Jr. with hairs of gray,
but he is the same genial man of 25 years ago. He is the father of seven
children: Samantha, wife of John Lute, a farmer in Jefferson Twp.; Aramintha,
wife of Abner Edwards, a farmer of Washington Co.; William husband of Mattie
Essley, is faming near Coppack; David, the husband of Mary Windling, resides in
Jefferson Co.; Mattie, wife of John Page, an employee on the C.B. & Q.R.R.;
Charles, and employee in the State Asylum, and Frank complete the number. Mr.
Kurtz owns 140 acres situated near Wayland., within easy walking distance of
Coppack. He has served longer on the School Board than any other. |