My Genealogy Hound

NATHANIEL KINSMAN. For more than thirty years, and until his recent retirement from an active business life, Mr. Kinsman, whose portrait* appears on the opposite page, has been intimately connected with the interests of Springfield. He has acquired a fortune amply sufficient to gratify all of his wants, and in his beautiful residence, finely located on the southwest corner of North and Factory Streets, he and his family have established a home where comfort abides and hospitality abounds.

Mr. Kinsman comes of fine old Massachusetts stock, and is himself a native of the Bay State, born in the pleasant town of Ipswich, Essex County, June 6, 1819. His father, John Choate Kinsman, was born in the same town, July 5, 1789, a son of Nathaniel Kinsman, also a native of that old town. He was a seafaring man, and after passing many years in the merchant marine service, spent his last days in the place of his birth. The father of our subject learned the trade of a cabinet-maker in his youth, but soon discarded it for the life of a sailor, and was shipmaster in the merchant marine service for about thirty years. In 1838 he removed to Salem, Mass., and subsequently engaged as clerk in the railway repair shops in Boston. He had general charge of the shop, buying supplies, etc., and making daily trips from his home in Salem, where he died in September, 1877, closing an honorable and well-spent life at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. The maiden name of his wife was Annie Lord, and she was the daughter of Nathaniel and Lucy (Smith) Lord. She bore him seven children, namely: John, Elizabeth, Lucy A., Susan C., Nathaniel, Mary and Martha.

The subject of this biographical review attended school quite regularly until he was fourteen years old, gaining a good practical education. He then went to Salem and served an apprenticeship of seven years to learn the carpenter’s trade. He thoroughly mastered his calling in its every detail, and after doing “jour” work one year, entered the employ of the Eastern Railway Company, and remained with it in various capacities the ensuing sixteen years. In 1857 he came to Springfield to accept the position of Superintendent of the Springfield Gas Light and Coke Company, of which his brother was proprietor. Under his judicious management the affairs of the company flourished greatly, and its rapid growth was coincident with that of the city. Springfield had when he came here about six or seven thousand inhabitants, and the gas company had but three retorts. While he had charge of the works they were twice rebuilt, each time on a larger scale to meet the constantly growing demand, and at the present time there are as many as sixty retorts, the most approved methods and appliances being used in the manufacture of the gas, which is of a superior quality, possessing fine illuminating power. In March, 1890, Mr. Kinsman was obliged to resign his position on account of ill-health, much to the regret of the company with whose interests his own had been so closely bound for a period of thirty-three years.

Mr. Kinsman has been three times married. April 24, 1843, he was united in marriage to Clarissa K. Hodgkins. She was born in Salem, Mass., March 30, 1820, and was a daughter of John and Mary ( Rogers) Hodgkins. Her happy married life was of brief duration, as she died December 1, 1844, leaving a little daughter, Clara E., now the wife of Samuel K. Statler, of Piqua, Ohio. They have two children — Elizabeth K. and George H. The second marriage of Mr. Kinsman took place October 27, 1847, to Miss Mary Kimball, who was born in Salem, Mass., March 12, 1821, a daughter of Jonathan and Mary Kimball. December 22, 1858, Mr. Kinsman was a second time bereaved of a good wife. Mr. Kinsman was married to his present wife August 15, 1 859. Her maiden name was Phoebe S. Parker, and she was born at Blue Hills, Hancock County, Me., January 4, 1818, to Marble and Hannah (Lovejoy) Parker.

Mrs. Kinsman’s paternal grandfather was a pioneer of her native place, where he improved a fine farm, on which he spent his last years. Her father was born in Andover, Mass., and was quite young when his parents removed to Maine. He early learned the trade of a boot-maker, and was engaged at it a part of each year, devoting the remainder of his time to his farm, where he spent his last days.

Mr. Kinsman is well endowed with pleasant personal qualities that merit and receive the highest esteem. His probity, high sense of honor, prompt and exact business methods, tact and large capacity, were traits of inestimable benefit, not only to the company with which he was so long identified, but have been useful to the community at large, and have given him a high standing among its business men. His generosity and benevolence are well known, as he is always ready to extend his sympathy to the needy and suffering, and his purse is subject to their demands, he and his family are people of a high order of intelligence and true refinement, are prominent in social circles, and the respect and friendship of many is accorded to them. Mr. Kinsman has always taken an interest in politics, as every true citizen should, and has been a stanch supporter of Republican principles ever since the formation of the party.

*A portrait was included in the original printed volume.