C. L. KINDER was born February 27, 1842. His great-grandfather, George Kinder, resided on Plum Brush, and followed the Ohio and Mississippi rivers as a trader and boatman. For a time he was successful in business, but being overtaken by financial trouble, a few years later went to New Orleans, and never returned. His son George was born in East Bethlehem township, this county, and lived in that vicinity until after his marriage, when he was accidentally killed in a carding-mill, which he owned and operated. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Christian Booze, was born in Greene county, Penn. He had no educational opportunities, and followed carpentry and farming, eventually becoming a successful business man. Valentine Kinder, the father of our subject, was born in 1805 in East Bethlehem township. He received a limited education in the common schools, but was a good penman. When a young man he went to Galena, Ill., upon a mining expedition, thence coming to St. Louis he raised a crop of corn, and then returning home taught school for a time. He then married Miss Julia Booze, at which time his entire worldly property amounted to $35. He located just below the present home of his son George, and remained there two years. He then removed to West Mill. Six years later he bought the home of his son, Louis, where he lived a number of years, and thence removed to the old Nicholls farm, near Hillsborough. At the time of his death, which occurred June 12, 1890, he left $10,000 for distribution, having previously divided $50,000 among his children.
Our subject was born on the old homestead just south of Hillsborough, where he lived with his father until he moved to the Nicholls farm in 1857, leaving the old farm in charge of his two sons, Louis and Harvy. C. L. Kinder was educated in the common schools, and though his opportunities were limited, he was an eager reader and a very well informed man. He remained at home until his enlistment, August, 1861, in the "Ringgold Cavalry," an independent company, Capt. John Keyes commanding. He was in the service three and one half years, and during two months of that time was confined in Andersonville and Florence Station prisons. He served in no general engagement, being under Gen. Keller protecting the B. & O. R. R. On June 10, 1863, he was taken prisoner at Lester's River Gap, W. Va., and was twice slightly wounded while in the service. He was mustered out of the army March 17, 1865, and on retiring to his home resumed the occupation of farming, working his father's place on shares. In 1868 he and his brother Louis purchased the farm of over one hundred acres where Samuel Kinder now lives. Here he remained for about five years, and in the spring of 1873, together with his brother Valentine, he purchased the farm of 207 acres upon which he passed the rest of his life. Mrs. Kinder has since added ten acres to this tract. Valentine Kinder remained upon the farm one year; then purchased a portable sawmill, and soon after this was killed by falling upon the saw. He left a wife and one child. Our subject then bought out the interests of his brother's heirs in the farm, and became very successful in business, having made the greater share of his property himself. There is probably no finer place in the township than this farm. On Thursday, January 17, 1867, Mr. Kinder married Sarah Worrell, daughter of Elias and Aves Worrell of Allen township. Mrs. Kinder had the following half-brothers: Allen Worrell, deceased in July, 1867; William Worrell, deceased in June, 1873; John Worrell, deceased in July, 1873. Elias Worrell, the father, died in May, 1873. Mrs. Kinder had one full brother, Elias Irvin Worrell, and one sister, Elizabeth, wife of Eli Williams. Mr. and Mrs. Kinder had six children: Aves Ann, born October 7, 1867; Elias I., born May 22, 1868, died May 25, 1868; John Irwin, born July 2, 1871; Elizabeth Nora, born March 18, 1873, was married October 18, 1892, to Ira Friend; Julia Josephine, born April 7, 1877, and Sarah Gertrude, born August 22, 1881. C. L. Kinder died March 17, 1892. He had always been a Republican, and took an active interest in the affairs of his party. He was, as is his family, an active and devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Text taken from page 1159 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]