My Genealogy Hound

ZACHARIAH KINNE, a prosperous agriculturist and extensive land-owner, has long cultivated his present homestead located on section 18, Galien Township, Berrien County. He was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., May 15, 1818, and is a member of the Kinne family who trace their descent from Henry Kinne, born in Norfolk, England, in 1624, and who in 1653 became one of the colonists of Salem, Mass. Henry Kinne had eight children, three sons and five daughters. His second son, Thomas, from whom sprang the family of our subject, was born in 1658, and was married to Elizabeth Knight, by whom he had four sons, of whom Thomas is a direct ancestor of Zachariah Kinne. When this second Thomas sold out he signed his name Kinne, and thus the name was ever afterward spelled.

Thomas, the second, had ten sons and six daughters. Cyrus, one of the sons, was the paternal grandfather of our subject. Grandfather Cyrus Kinne was born in Windham County, Mass., August 11, 1748. He married Comfort Palmer, of Voluntown, Windham County, Mass. In 1791, while in business in Troy, N. Y., Grandfather Kinne bought land in Onondaga County, Manlius Township. In March, 1792, accompanied by two sons, he journeyed with an ox- team from Massachusetts to the new home in the Empire State and began the improvement of his property by the erection of a log house. The following July Grandfather Kinne returned to Massachusetts for the rest of his family, and in the mean time his two sons, of whom the father of our subject was one, remained to work the New York State farm. There was an abundance of fish and game in their near vicinity, and they did not lack for sport or provisions. Grandfather Kinne was a remarkable man, of strong physique, uncommon endurance and possessed of unusual ability. He was a mechanic as well as a successful farmer, and was equal to the needs of those pioneer days. He was a devout man and one of the organizers of the Baptist Church of Fayetteville, N. Y. He died in 1808, at three-score years of age. His twelve children were Ezra, Zachariah, Prentice, Ethel, Zebulon, Moses, Joshua, Cyrus, Japeth, Palmer, Rachel and Comfort. The second son, the father of our subject, was born February 24, 1772, at Preston, New London County, Conn. When twenty-two years of age he married Diadama Barnes, of Onondaga County, N. Y., and the daughter of Phineas Barnes.

During the winter, while keeping “bach” on the new farm before the arrival of the mother and family, the father of our subject and his brother lived mostly on partridges and other game they shot. The only roads then in the country were the “blazed” trees on the Indian trails. The grandfather finally gave his son Zachariah a tract of land in Onondaga County, which he afterward traded for a smaller tract near Fayetteville, but later bought the old farm and again became its possessor. Father Kinne devoted himself to farming and accumulated in all several hundred acres of valuable land. He was a prominent citizen and represented his county in official positions, and was a Justice of the Peace for several years. Politically, he was a Whig, and at the time of Morgan’s death was a strong Anti-Mason. He was a resident of New York until his death, July 1, 1850. The children of Zachariah and Diadama (Barnes) Kinne were: Diana; Rite; Phineas; Ira, who died young; Mary Adah; Esop; Cyrus; Rachel; Barnes, who died in childhood; Lydia; Zachariah; and Benjamin.

Until he attained his majority our subject remained with his parents. He received his education in the district schools of New York, and when twenty-one years of age his father started him in life by giving him an ox-team and thirty acres of land in his native county, near Syracuse, township of Selina. After remaining thirteen years upon his first farm Mr. Kinne sold that property and bought a tract of two hundred acres in the same county, and there made his home for the succeeding thirteen years. In 1865, he emigrated to Michigan and located in Berrien County, where he now resides.

When Mr. Kinne was but twenty-one years of age he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Keller, daughter of Peter and Mary (Fink) Keller. Mrs. Kinne was born in Sullivan Township, Madison County, N. Y. Her parents were of immediate German descent, but were themselves natives of the Empire State. She was the mother of six children, three of whom died young, and three survived her. Ellen became the wife of Eugene Russ; Elizabeth married Oscar Vosburgh; and Martha is Mrs. White. Mrs. Kinne died in New York.

The first purchase of land in Michigan made by our subject comprised one hundred and sixty acres, to which have since been added various tracts, until now Mr. Kinne owns five hundred and ninety acres of land, mostly improved, and a part of which is within the boundaries of Indiana. While devoting his time principally to general agriculture, our subject is also engaged in fruit culture, and raises some excellent live stock. After having remained a widower for eighteen years our subject was married in Michigan to Miss Sophia Zimmer, who was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1844. Mrs. Kinne was the daughter of Adam and Margaret (Follhawber) Zimmer, natives of Germany, who emigrated to this country before their marriage. They were members of the Lutheran Church, but their daughter, Mrs. Kinne, is connected with the Christian Church. To our subject and his second wife were born four children, three of whom died in childhood. One son, Zachariah, survives. Our subject was ordained a minister of the Free-Will Baptist Church, but never occupied a regular pulpit, preaching only at funerals and similar occasions, and never allowed “Rev.” to be prefixed to his name. Politically, Mr. Kinne is a stalwart Republican, and has held with efficiency for eleven years the office of Justice of the Peace. Mr. Kinne and his family occupy positions of usefulness and influence, and command the respect and high regard of the various communities in which they reside. They are active in good works and are associated with the progressive enterprises of their home localities.