My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH KINSEY, farmer, Sec. 26; P.O. Le Roy; Republican; Methodist; born in Wayne Co., Ind., Jan. 29, 1833; he is a son of Thomas Kinsey, one of the early settlers of McLean Co, now living in Randolph Township. The subject of this sketch remained with his father and attended school in his boyhood and worked upon the farm, until he emigrated to Illinois, with the family, and located in Randolph Township, where he hired out by the month, with Robert Stewart, for two years; he farmed on shares one year, when he rented eighty acres of his father, in Downs Township, which he farmed for two years, when he purchased his present place, of eighty acres, upon which he located in 1874, where he has since continued to reside. His marriage with Mary Ann Kershaw was celebrated Dec. 10, 1857; she was born in Williamson Co., Ill., and died Sept. 10, 1877; she was a daughter of Joseph and Hannah Kershaw, whose sketch appears among the biographies of Empire Township, in another part of this work; upon the 26th of Aug., 1877, she, with her husband, started to visit a sick relative in Le Roy; the horses became frightened and they were both thrown from the carriage; Mrs. Kershaw received injuries causing a total paralysis below the shoulders; she retained perfect consciousness until the last, and died in great peace at her home, Sept. 10, 1877; the grace of God sustained her in her affliction, and she repeatedly exclaimed “The Lord’s will be done! all is bright.” A large concourse of friends attended her funeral. His marriage with Mary C. Van, Winkle was celebrated Jan. 3, 1878; she was born in McLean Co., June 1858; she is a daughter of John Van Winkle, one of the early pioneers of McLean Co., now living in Downs Township; they have one child by this union — Charles Henry, born Nov. 5, 1878.