Charles Kinney was a Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 politician who was Ohio Secretary of State

Ohio Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...

 from 1897-1901.

Charles Kinney was born July 7, 1850 in Springville, Kentucky. When his father died in 1861, he moved to Columbus, Indiana

Columbus, Indiana

Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States. The population was 44,061 at the 2010 census, and the current mayor is Fred Armstrong. Located approximately 40 miles south of Indianapolis, on the east fork of the White River, it is the state's 20th largest...

, where he stayed until 1872. He graduated from high school there in 1866. He practiced the printer's trade until moving to Portsmouth, Ohio

Portsmouth, Ohio

Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...

 in 1872. He was in mercantile for four years, until taking up printing again. He was then appointed Deputy Treasurer of Scioto County, Ohio

Scioto County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...

 in 1877, serving until 1880. He was elected County Treasurer in 1883, and served four years. He served as chief clerk under Secretaries of State Ryan

Daniel J. Ryan

Daniel Joseph Ryan was a Republican politician in the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Secretary of State from 1889-1892. He was later an author....

 and Taylor

Samuel McIntire Taylor

Samuel McIntire Taylor was a Republican politician in the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Secretary of State from 1893-1897.Samuel Taylor was born July 24, 1856 in Champaign County, Ohio. He attended country schools and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and the Cincinnati Law School,...

, and was elected as Secretary of State in 1896, and re-elected in 1898.