August 2006 - John Kidney of Saginaw, MI
JOHN KIDNEY, a respected farmer and stock-raiser of Brady Township, Saginaw County, was born in Rockport, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, May 3, 1830, and is the son of JOHN and Melinda (Butler) KIDNEY. When the boy was about nine years old the father died and he went to live with a half-sister, Mrs. Priscilla S. Coon, with whom he remained until twenty-five years old, although he began independent work for himself upon reaching his majority and for several years took jobs at making staves.
Our subject was married October 5, 1855, to Miss Harriet A., daughter of Prosser and Charilla (Coe) Coon. This lady was born in Oswego County, NY, November 15, 1836, and before her marriage had been a resident of Lucas County, Ohio. Her father was of mixed German and Scotch blood and her mother a New Englander. Erie County, Ohio, became the first home of the young wedded couple and there the young man followed farming and coopering and was unusually successful in any work in which tools were used, so he is naturally gifted in that direction. The removal to Michigan was in 1865, when the present home was purchased and in the wilderness he began to clear and improve his land and put up buildings.
The eldest son of our subject is EUGENE E., born in Erie County, Ohio, May 27, 1858, who began teaching at the age of seventeen and is now a successful and enthusiastic teacher and principal of the schools at Raymond, Dak. He is a graduate from the institutions of learning at both Hillsdale and Ypsilanti, and by his marriage has one child - ALICE E. The second child of our subject bears the name ELMER ELLSWORTH, was born July 1, 1860 in Lucas County, Ohio. He was given a good common-school education and is now carrying on a farm near his father; IRVING A., who was born January 1, 1865, in Erie County, Ohio, was graduated at the Chosaning High School and began teaching at the age of seventeen. He spent two years in Dakota in teaching and is now partner in a hardware store in Brant Center, this county. The daughter, EDITH C., was born in Brady Township, September 1, 1872 and has received a good common-school education.
The Republican party now serves the allegiance of our subject, and his first ballot was cast in 1851 for the Free-Soil party. He has served as Township Treasurer, Highway Commissioner and for many years as school director. His religious convistions united him in early life with the Free Will Baptist Church, but of late his has been connected with the Congregational body. Mrs. KIDNEY had three brothers who took part in the Civil War and one, Oshea W. Coon, saw service for three years and was wounded in the foot; he now lives in Oklahoma; Henry J. Coon, another brother; saw service in the Union army and now lives in this township, but John D. died in the army and was bured at Nashville, Tenn.