John F. Kinney
Encyclopedia
John Fitch Kinney was a prominent American
attorney, judge
, and Democratic
politician
. He served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa
, twice as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah
and one term
as the Territory of Utah's Delegate
in the House of Representatives
of the 38th Congress
.
He was born in New Haven, New York
, the fourth child and second son of Stephen Fitch Kinney (1789–1872) and Abby Brockway (1788–1824). Having completed public school and a more select school, he entered the Oswego Academy at age 16. After two years of higher learning there, he entered the law office
of Orville Robinson
, with whom he studied law
for two and half years. He then removed to Marysville, Ohio
, where he resumed his law studies. He was admitted to the bar
in 1837 and began the practice of law
in Marysville.
On December 29, 1838, Kinney and Hannah Hall (1816–1895) were married in Mount Vernon, Ohio
. He lived there and practiced successfully until the summer of 1844, when he moved to Lee County, Iowa
. He was twice elected secretary of the Territorial Legislative Council, in 1845 and 1846, and was prosecuting attorney
for Lee County in 1846 and 1847. In June 1847, he was made president of the Democratic Convention
, and before leaving Iowa City
, which was then the capital of the new state
, he was appointed, by Governor
Briggs
, as Justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa
, to fill a vacancy. Kinney served in the office under the Governor's appointment for nearly two years. He was then elected Judge of the Supreme Court for six years, by the joint assembly of the Legislature
. In January 1854, he resigned in order to remove to Utah Territory.
President
Pierce
had appointed Kinney as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah
, and he served in that position from January 1854 until 1857, just before the Utah War
. He then removed to Nebraska City, Nebraska
, where he resumed his law practice. He was re-appointed Chief Justice of the Territory of Utah by President Buchanan
and served from June 26, 1860 until March 1863. He was directly involved in the events leading up to the Morrisite War
of 1862, and allowed a condemnation of Territorial Governor Stephen S. Harding
to be read into the public record after Harding issued a blanket pardon
for all Morrisites
convicted in connection with the war.
Kinney was elected as the Territory of Utah's Democratic Delegate
to the 38th Congress
and served from March 4, 1863 until March 3, 1865. He was not a candidate for re-nomination in 1864. He returned to Nebraska City, and resumed his law practice. In February 1867, President Johnson
appointed Kinney a Special Indian Commissioner
to visit the Sioux
. He was appointed by President Arthur
as agent of the Yankton Sioux in South Dakota
, and served from December 11, 1884 until January 1, 1889, when he resigned, in order to escape the rigors of the northern climate, and again resumed the practice of law in Nebraska City.
In 1890, Kinney removed to San Diego, California
. His wife Hannah died there on May 1, 1895. He was Chairman of the Democratic Central Committee in 1896, when San Diego County
was carried for William Jennings Bryan
in the Presidential election
, and at the close of his official term, in 1898, received from the County Convention a vote of thanks and an expression of confidence for the able and satisfactory manner in which he had discharged his duties. Kinney was again married on May 9, 1899, to Lucy Jane Leonard (1826–1911), widow of Moses Thurston (1817–1873), a Mormon
pioneer and old friend from Utah. Though they were married in San Diego, the Kinneys made their home in Salt Lake City
.
John Fitch Kinney died at age 86 in Salt Lake. His remains were then returned to San Diego, where he is interred in Mount Hope Cemetery
, alongside his first wife.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, and Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa
Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
, twice as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
and one term
Term of office
Term of office or term in office refers to the length of time a person serves in a particular office.-Prime Minister:In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister has no term limits...
as the Territory of Utah's Delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
of the 38th Congress
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
.
He was born in New Haven, New York
New Haven, New York
New Haven is a town in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 2,930 at the 2000 census.- History :The area was originally called "Vera Cruz."...
, the fourth child and second son of Stephen Fitch Kinney (1789–1872) and Abby Brockway (1788–1824). Having completed public school and a more select school, he entered the Oswego Academy at age 16. After two years of higher learning there, he entered the law office
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Orville Robinson
Orville Robinson
Orville Robinson was an American lawyer and politician who served as United States Representative from New York.-Life:...
, with whom he studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
for two and half years. He then removed to Marysville, Ohio
Marysville, Ohio
Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Ohio, United States. The population was 15,942 at the 2000 census, and the Census Bureau estimated that it had risen to 17,621 by 2006.Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener"...
, where he resumed his law studies. He was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1837 and began the practice of law
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
in Marysville.
On December 29, 1838, Kinney and Hannah Hall (1816–1895) were married in Mount Vernon, Ohio
Mount Vernon, Ohio
Mount Vernon is a city in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 16,990 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is named after Mount Vernon, the plantation owned by George Washington.-History:...
. He lived there and practiced successfully until the summer of 1844, when he moved to Lee County, Iowa
Lee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. He was twice elected secretary of the Territorial Legislative Council, in 1845 and 1846, and was prosecuting attorney
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
for Lee County in 1846 and 1847. In June 1847, he was made president of the Democratic Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
, and before leaving Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, which was then the capital of the new state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, he was appointed, by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Briggs
Ansel Briggs
Ansel Briggs was the first Governor of Iowa, from 1846 to 1850. Briggs was a business entrepreneur, sheriff and a member of the Iowa Territorial House of Representatives before being Governor...
, as Justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa
Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
, to fill a vacancy. Kinney served in the office under the Governor's appointment for nearly two years. He was then elected Judge of the Supreme Court for six years, by the joint assembly of the Legislature
Iowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
. In January 1854, he resigned in order to remove to Utah Territory.
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
had appointed Kinney as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, and he served in that position from January 1854 until 1857, just before the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
. He then removed to Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
, where he resumed his law practice. He was re-appointed Chief Justice of the Territory of Utah by President Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
and served from June 26, 1860 until March 1863. He was directly involved in the events leading up to the Morrisite War
Morrisite War
The Morrisite War was a skirmish between a Latter Day Saint sect known as the "Morrisites" and the Utah territorial government.-Morrisites:In 1857 Joseph Morris, an English convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah, reported receiving revelations naming him the Seventh...
of 1862, and allowed a condemnation of Territorial Governor Stephen S. Harding
Stephen Selwyn Harding
Stephen Selwyn Harding was the Governor of the Utah Territory for the Liberal Party in 1862 and 1863 and was chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court from 1863 to 1865. Harding was an ardent abolitionist....
to be read into the public record after Harding issued a blanket pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
for all Morrisites
Church of the Firstborn (Morrisite)
The Church of the Firstborn was a sect of the Latter Day Saint movement that formed as an offshoot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1861 and was involved in the Morrisite War...
convicted in connection with the war.
Kinney was elected as the Territory of Utah's Democratic Delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the 38th Congress
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
and served from March 4, 1863 until March 3, 1865. He was not a candidate for re-nomination in 1864. He returned to Nebraska City, and resumed his law practice. In February 1867, President Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
appointed Kinney a Special Indian Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
to visit the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
. He was appointed by President Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
as agent of the Yankton Sioux in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, and served from December 11, 1884 until January 1, 1889, when he resigned, in order to escape the rigors of the northern climate, and again resumed the practice of law in Nebraska City.
In 1890, Kinney removed to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. His wife Hannah died there on May 1, 1895. He was Chairman of the Democratic Central Committee in 1896, when San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
was carried for William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
in the Presidential election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
, and at the close of his official term, in 1898, received from the County Convention a vote of thanks and an expression of confidence for the able and satisfactory manner in which he had discharged his duties. Kinney was again married on May 9, 1899, to Lucy Jane Leonard (1826–1911), widow of Moses Thurston (1817–1873), a Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneer and old friend from Utah. Though they were married in San Diego, the Kinneys made their home in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.
John Fitch Kinney died at age 86 in Salt Lake. His remains were then returned to San Diego, where he is interred in Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery, San Diego
Mount Hope Cemetery is a municipal cemetery located at 3751 Market Street, San Diego, California, and gives its name to the neighborhood of Mount Hope. The cemetery is adjacent to Greenwood Memorial Park....
, alongside his first wife.
See also
- United States Congress Delegates from the Territory of Utah
External links
at the Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...
- John F. Kinney at the Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...