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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format 
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Source: Atlas Map of Fulton County, Illinois, 
Andreas, Lyter, and Co., Davenport, Iowa. 1871
(page 38)

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Col. Thos. J. Kinney, the subject of this sketch was born on the 28th day of May, 1828, in Madison county, New York; emigrated with his father, in 1837, to Joliet, Illinois, and there remained until 1841, when he removed to Farmington, Fulton county, Illinois, and settled in the town. His father, Aaron Kinney, was a native of New York, and was a Universalist preacher; he died in Farmington, in 1844. His mother's maiden name was Miss Laura Smith, who was also a native of New York, she died in 1844, in the town of Farmington. Mr. Kinney, in 1846, removed to Vermont, Fulton county, Illinois, where he remained until 1848, when he went to Beardstown, and remained there for one year. Mr. Kinney was a clerk and bookkeeper, which position he filled up to 1849. On the 4th day of July, 1849, he was married to Miss Ann Dillworth, the daughter of A. R. Dillworth, of Vermont, Fulton county, Illinois. In the fall of 1849 he moved to Browning, Schuyler county, Illinois, where he engaged in the mercantile, forwarding, and commission business, and followed the same until 1860, when he was elected circuit clerk of Schuyler county, and moved to Rushville, Illinois. 
    
At the call of President Lincoln, on the 14th day of August, 1862, for six hundred thousand men to suppress the rebellion, Colonel Kinney put his deputy in charge of his office (circuit clerk), and organized the one hundred and nineteenth (119th) regiment Illinois volunteer infantry, which he took into camp at Quincy, Illinois, on the 30th of August, 1862, and on the second day of November, 1862, boarded a steamer for Columbus, Kentucky; then by rail to Jackson, Tennessee, at which place he was assigned to the sixteenth army corps, which was then commanded by Major General S. A. Hurlburt, and was assigned to guard duty on the line of railroad leading from Columbus to Bolivar, Tennessee. 
    
The Colonel was taken prisoner at Kenton Station, while sick in hospital. He was paroled and sent to St. Louis, Missouri, in company with several thousand prisoners, where he remained until May, 1863, when he was exchanged and returned to Memphis, and assumed command of his regiment. He remained on general duty at that point until January, 1864, when he went to Vicksburg, and from thence -- accompanying General Sherman -- to Meridian, Mississippi, participating in the various engagements during that campaign. He then returned to Vicksburg, under command of General A. J. Smith, and sailed up Red river, having command of the advance in the siege and capture of Fort Dernsey, Louisiana, and participating in the many engagements fought by General A. J. Smith in his Red river campaign. He had command of the left wing of General Smith's army in the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, which resulted in the signal defeat of the rebel Generals Kirby Smith, Magruder, and others, and in the salvation of General Banks' command after their defeat at Mansfield, Louisiana. After returning to the mouth of the Red river, fighting the rebels almost daily, he returned to Memphis, and from there went to Tupelo, Mississippi, where they had a hard fight with the rebel General Forrest, completely routing him, and retrieving the misfortune of General Sturgis; after which he again returned to Memphis, and from there went to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri. Col. Kinney then participated in the campaign of General Rosencrans against General Price in Missouri, marching seven hundred miles and fighting several battles. Returning to St Louis, Missouri, he went by steamer, to Nashville, Tennessee, where his command participated in the defence of that city by General Thomas. From the 1st to the 17th of December, 1864, he joined in the pursuit and capture of General Hood's army. Immediately following the abovementioned battles, he went into camp at Eastport, Mississippi, on the 1st of January, 1865, where they remained for thirty days, and then went by steamer, to New Orleans; thence across the gulf, and participated in the various engagements which resulted in the capture of Mobile. Colonel Kinney had command of the skirmish line of the left wing of the army in the storming of Fort Blakely, and was breveted brigadier general, for meritorious services. From there he went to Montgomery, Alabama, where he remained until the 19th day of June, 1865, and then returned to Mobile, Alabama. He was then appointed provost marshal for the southern district of Alabama, including the city of Mobile. He remained there until the 26th of August, 1865, when his regiment was mustered out of the service, and left on the next day, with his regiment, for Springfield, Illinois, where they were finally discharged, on the 10th of September, 1865. 
    
Returning home to Rushville, Illinois, he was enthusiastically received by his fellow citizens of Fulton county. In the fall of 1865 he went into the mercantile business, at Bushnell, McDonough county, Illinois, where he remained for one year only, and then moved his business to Vermont, Fulton county, Illinois, where he now resides. 
    
General Kinney's wife died on the 13th day of March, 1867. They had two children, one of whom has since died. He was married to his present wife, Miss M. A. Dillworth. daughter of Wm. Dillworth, on the 17th of December, 1868. 
    
General Kinney was appointed, by President Grant, United States assessor of internal revenue for the ninth district of Illinois, on the 9th of May, 1869, which position he now holds.