Springfield-Greene
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of Many of the Representative Citizens
JOHN KINSER. One of Clay township's enterprising farmers is John Kinser. He has made a success in his calling very largely because he has been willing to give up many of the old and antiquated ideas of farming and adopted such new ones as were practicable here. He is one of those farmers who never loses sight of the fact that the soil must be well supplied with organic matter; that humus is absolutely necessary to the soil to make plant food available; that if one practices crop rotation, one must not fail to include one or more of the legumes. These and many other similar ideas of successful farming have long been known to him and it is a pleasure to look over his well tilled place.
Mr. Kinser was born in Greene county, Missouri, about two miles from his present residence, October 11, 1852, and here he has been content to spend his life. He is a son of Jefferson and Sarah (Lee) Kinser. The father was born in Virginia and grew to manhood and received his education in that state, being a young man when he immigrated overland to Missouri with his parents, making the trip in wagons drawn by oxen. The family settled in Greene county, the father entering a large amount of land from the government which he cleared and improved, and carried on general farming and stock raising successfully here in the pioneer days. During the Civil war he joined the Federal army, under Col. John S. Phelps, and most of his service was confined to Greene county. He was a participant in the battle of Springfield, when General Brown's forces were attacked by General Marmaduke, January 8, 1863. He was honorably discharged at Rolla, Missouri, at the close of the war. After the war he returned home and resumed farming, which he followed until his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-seven years. Politically, he was a Republican. He belonged to the Christian church. He was a well known and influential man in his locality, and had a great many friends wherever he was known. The mother of the subject of this sketch was born in Virginia, and she received a common school education. She was young in years when she came to Missouri with her parents, the family locating on a farm in Greene county. She was a great help to her husband on the farm, was industrious, spun and wove most of her cloth in the early days, and raised cotton for this purpose. She was a member of the Christian church. Her death occurred prior to that of her husband.
To Jefferson Kinser and wife eight children were born, namely: Joseph, deceased; Ephraim lives in Greene county on an adjoining farm to our subject; John, of this review; Mrs. Sarah Davis, deceased; Mrs. Mary Fulton, deceased; Mrs. Anna Dykes lives in Webster county; Nancy, deceased; William is engaged in the livery business in Oklahoma.
John Kinser was reared to manhood on the home farm where he received his education in the district schools of his community. He worked for his father at home until he was twenty-five years of age, when he was married to Sarah Cloud and began farming for himself. His father gave him a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres, to which our subject has added eighty acres. He cleared part of his land, making many improvements of a substantial and permanent nature, built a comfortable home, several convenient barns and his excellent place of two hundred acres is entitled to rank among the best in this part of the county in every, respect. About thirty acres is in timber. He carries on general farming and stock raising. He has lately moved to Menter, where he now resides, going to and from his farm as necessity requires.
Mrs. Kinser was reared to womanhood in Greene county, and here she received her education in the common schools. She proved to be a most faithful helpmeet and was a woman who was a favorite with her many friends, and her untimely death at the early age of thirty-eight years was deeply deplored. She was a daughter of Calvin and Elizabeth Cloud. Her father was one of the earliest settlers in Greene county and he owned an excellent farm here and spent the rest of his life on the home place, and there his wife died also.
To Mr. and Mrs. Kinser four children were born, namely: Mrs. Laura Estes lives in Greene county; Mrs. Lula Patterson is living at home with her father; Mrs. Lennie White lives in Greene county; James E. is living on the home farm.
Politically, Mr. Kinser is a Republican, and is loyal in his support of the party, although is no office seeker or public man.
[1739-1740]
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