‡Source: History of Hocking Valley, Ohio Together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History, Portrait of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. 1883 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z < CLICK HERE to RETURN to 1883 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >   FREDERICK P. KASLER was born in Clinton County, N. Y., Aug. 29, 1817, and when one year old came with his father’s family to Ohio, and settled in Ames Township, Athens County.  He was the second son of Kilion and Mandana Kasler.  His youth was spent in assisting his father in clearing and opening up their frontier home, and attending school.  He was married Apr. 10, 1843, to Jane L. Minorca daughter of Nathan L. and Hannah L. Minor, who were prominently identified with the early settlers of Ames Township.  Seven children were born to them, six now living— Kilion, Royal P., Ellen, Alice, Warren V., Georgiana, and Charles (deceased).  Mr. Kasler has always followed assiduously the avocation of a farmer, having moved on his present farm in 1843.  He has accumulated a good property, and by his honest and upright dealings, has won the confidence and esteem of the entire community.  He has held many local offices of trust.  His wife died Feb. 20, 1871.  His farm contains 153 acres of improved land on which, in the year 1881, he erected one of the best farm houses in the township. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 532   KILION KASLER, deceased, was born in Norwich, Vt., Aug. 27, 1788, and married Mandana Pembers, who was born in Poultney, Vt., Feb. 27, 1793, and in 1818 they came to Ohio, having only 12½ cents when they arrived here; but by industrious and economical habits they were able to accumulate a large property.  They were the parents of seven children, six of whom still live.  They were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, and both lived to an advanced age.  Their youngest son, Andrew J. Kasler, was born in Ames Township, Athens Co., Ohio, Apr. 3, 1831.  He was reared on a farm and received his education in the common schools.  He lived with his parents until the death of his father, when he succeeded him to the homestead and cared for his aged mother until her death.  He was married Oct. 4, 1855, to Mary A. Rathburn, of Ames Township.  They have had five children, only four of whom are living— Marvin M. (deceased), Lillie D., Lewis W., Asa A., Sally A.  Mr. K. has a fine farm of 150 acres of good land under a high state of cultivation. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 532   J. L. KELLY SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 806   JOHN KELLY SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 806   JOHN L. KELLY SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 806   Trimble Twp. - JAMES F. KEMPTON, fourth son of Stephen N. and Abigail (Tolbert) Kempton, was born in Trimble Township, Athens Co., Ohio, Mar. 1, 1841, and lived with his parents on a farm until twenty years of age, attending the common school.  Apr. 27, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Twenty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as a private for three months and served his term of enlistment in West Virginia and Maryland; was discharged at Athens, Ohio, Aug. 31, 1861.  In September, 1861, he re-enlisted in Company B, Seventy-fifty Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as a private, for three years, and was appointed Second Sergeant of his company.  In 1862 he was promoted to First Sergeant of company, and served as such until November, 1863.  He was taken prisoner at the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 22, 1863, and was confined in Libby and Belle Isle prisons, Va., for twenty days, when he was exchanged and returned to his command.  In November, 1863, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and sent home on recruiting service, and was thus employed until April, 1864, when he returned to his regiment in Florida, and was promoted to First Lieutenant and assigned to the command of his company.  At the battle of Gainsville, Florida, he and the majority of the regiment were taken prisoners; were in prison a short time in Macon, Ga., thence to Charleston, S. C., under fire of the Federal batteries two months.  He was then removed to Columbia, S. C.; remained there until Mar. 1, when he was removed to Wilmington, N. C., and then exchanged.  Soon after he reported at Washington, D. C., and was discharged in March, 1865.  was engaged in the battles of McDowell, W. Va., Chancellorsville, John's Island, Gettysburg, Pa., White Point Landing, Camp Baldwin and Clay Ridge, Florida.  Returning home he engaged in harness-making at Trimble, Ohio, until 1877.  He then purchased a farm where he lived three years.  He was then employed by the Akron Iron Company, in the huckstering business, two years and six months; then resumed farming.  In January, 1883, he sold his farm to O. D. Jackson, and entered the store as clerk where he is employed at the present time.  He ha served six terms as Township Clerk, one term as Justice of the Peace and one term as Assessor.  Apr. 6, 1864, he married Emma, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Edwards) Dupler, of Trimble Township.  They have five children - Elfa E., Adda A., Sylvia E., Silas F. and Frank T.  Mr. and Mrs. Kempton are members of the Disciple church. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 778   Trimble Twp. - STEPHEN T. KEMPTON,  manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes, is the oldest son of Stephen N. and Abigail (Tolbert) Kempton, and was born near North Killingsly, Conn., Jan. 13, 1826.  In his sixth year he came with his parents, to Amesville, Ohio, where they lived one year, and then removed to Dover Township and lived one year.  They then came to Trimble Township, where they lived two years.  His father then purchased a farm near Trimble, known as the Tucker place, and farmed there two years.  He then sold his farm and rented the Allen farm one year; then entered one quarter-section of land in section 13, Trimble Township.  After coming of age Mr. Kempton went to learn the carpenter's trade of Daniel Fulton.  After working a short time, business being dull, he abandoned the trade, and went to work for Bennett Woodworth to learn the boot and shoe trade, remaining with him two years.  He then worked for himself near his father's one year, and then worked for G. W. Roberts, in Trimble, for several years on piece work.  In December, 1862, he built a shop in Trimble, where he has carried on the boot and shoe business to the present time, farming some in connection with his business.  during seven months in 1879 he was mining in Colorado.  Sept. 6, 1849, he married Mary, daughter of James and Nancy (McClearie) Swift, to Pennsylvania.  They had eight children - Amanda, wife of Warren Brison;  Loretta, wife of W. Biddison; Charles F., John F., Angenetta, wife of J. P. McClearie, of North Carolina; Parker S., Minnie E. and U. S. Grant.  Mr. and Mrs. Kempton are members of the Disciple church. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 779   W. N. KENNEDY SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 673   NATHAN KENNEY, JR., son of Nathan and Clarissa Kenney, was born in Athens Township, Oct. 1, 1827.  His early life was spent in assisting his father on the farm and attending the district schools.  He resided on the homestead farm till 1858, when he went to Taylor County, Iowa, and settled on Government land, remaining there five years.  He then returned to Athens County and lived on the old homestead till 1877, when he moved to his present farm, where he has 138 acres, all well improved.  He is engaged in farming and stock-raising.  Mr. Kenney was married Oct. 30, 1851, to Samantha Teeters, daughter of Daniel and Mary Ann Teeters.  They have a family of seven children - Georgiana, Sidney Howard, Charles Lewis, Frank Albert, Edward T., Mary C. and Laura N.  Mrs. Kenney died Mar. 12, 1883.  Mr. Kenney is a member of the Methodist Protestant church.  Politically he is a Democrat. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 561   NATHAN KENNEY, SR., deceased, was born in Randolph County, Vt., in 1790.  His early life was spent in Vermont, and when a young man he came to Athens County, locating about a mile east of Athens.  He afterward moved northwest of Athens, and after a residence there of about ten years moved to the southern part of the county, settling on 300 acres of wild land, where he lived till 1863.  Being too old to have the care and management of the farm he retired and moved to Athens, where he died Aug. 25, 1874.  He was married Nov. 1, 1812, and Clarissa Abbott, of Cape Cod.  They had a family of twelve children - Lydia, Lordrick, Marianne, Maria, Jofanna,  Samuel, Nathan, Nahum, Josephus, Clarissa, Emeline and Eliza.  Mr. Kenney was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Source:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 560   S. H. KENNEY, son of Nathan Kenney, was born in Athens County, Ohio, Mar. 1, 1825.  In 1850 he came to Alexander Township, where he has permanently located, being one of its prominent citizens.  He owns a farm of 160 acres in Alexander Township.  He has served in all the offices of the township.  Politically he was a Jackson Democrat until 1880, when he became a staunch Prohibitionist.  He was married Jan. 8, 1850, to Minerva, daughter of Daniel Drake, of Athens County, Ohio.  They have reared a family of nine children, whose names are- Augusta B., Lafayette H., Winfield W., Wayne B., Webster D., Luelma M. , Murdock D., Missouri R., Sierra Nevada, all of them residing in Athens County. Source:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 561   PETER KERN, dealer in and manufacturer of boots and shoes, was born near Chambersburg, Pa., Oct. 10, 1837.  When two and one-half years old his parents removed to Ohio and settled at Logan, Hocking County, where his father died when he was about four years old.  He lived with his mother at Logan until he was nineteen.  At the age of sixteen he began to learn the trade of a shoe maker, serving three years.  He then worked as a journeyman at Logan and Pella, Iowa, until 1863, when he came to Athens and engaged in manufacturing and in dealing in boots and shoes.  He was associated with several parties at different times, under various firm names, up to 1879, when he became sole proprietor and carried on business alone until August, 1882, when his son, Harry E., became associated with him, under the firm name of Peter Kern & Son.  In April, 1879, he was elected a member of the Council of Athens for a term of two years, and re-elected in April, 1882.  Oct. 18, 1860, he was married to Annie M. Reynolds, of Athens County.  They have two children - Lizzie and Harry Ellsworth.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has taken the degrees as high as Knight Templar. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 356   MRS. ALICE KERR was born in Pennsylvania June 13, 1807.  She was married Jan. 19, 1836, to David Kerr, a native of Pennsylvania, born Dec. 17, 1804.  They moved to Virginia in 1837, and in 1842 came to Ohio and settled on section 2, Lee Township, where Mr. Kerr died Dec. 9, 1880, and where Mrs. Kerr now resides.  Mrs. Kerr has six children - Salome, born Nov. 5, 1836; H. Huston, Jan. 16, 1838; Mary L., Oct. 31, 1839; Margaret, Mar. 16, 1841; Rebecca, Dec. 8, 1842, and Phoebe A., Dec. 16, 1844.  Mr. and Mrs. Kerr were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.  The children are all members of the Free-Will Baptist church.  Mrs. Kerr's daughter, Mary L., commenced to teach school when sixteen years of age and taught sixteen years, in Ohio, Illinois and Nebraska.  For the past three years she has been managing the home farm. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 618   ANDREW KESSENGER, deceased, was a native of Virginia, born in Rockingham County in 1800.  He came to Ohio with his mother in 1812 and lived in Muskingum and Fairfield countiles till 1842, when he came to Athens County, and engaged in merchandising and milling at Athens, until his death in 1853.  He was an enterprising business man and one of hte substantial citizens of the county.  He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church from his boyhood. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 357   CHARLES E. KEYES SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 674   Trimble Twp - PETER ROBINS KIDWELL, farmer and butcher, oldest son of William A. and Susan (Collins) Kidwell, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, June 30, 1842.  When a small boy his parents moved to Perry County and lived one year, then removed to Athens County, and three years later removed to Hocking County and lived three years.  They then returned to Athens County, Dover Township, where Peter R. lived with his parents, working on the farm, tending the grist-mill, and going to school till twenty-one years of age.  He then worked in his father's mill for wages until 1865.  During the year 1865 he was in the employ of the New York and Ohio Oil Company.  He then rented and farmed until the spring of 1873, when he purchased the farm where he lives.  Aug 8, 1863, he married Miss Frances E., daughter of Zephaniah and Laura (Fay) Fulton.  They have five children - Florence E., Chester A., William Z., Mary A. and Charles.  Harvey R. died at the age of two years.  Mr. Kidwell and wife are members of the Disciple church. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 779   JOHN KINCADE was born in 1815 in Clarksburg, Pa., a son of Joseph and Sarah Kincade.  His parents came to Athens County when he was small, first settling in Guysville.  He worked with his father in the mill and on the farm till manhood, then worked three years in the Coolville Mill.  He then moved on the farm now called the Chalker farm; lived there a while and then went to Guysville and worked in the mills there three years; then moved one mile above Guysville and building the Kincade Mill, where he lived about thirty years.  In 1881 he rented the Shade Valley Mills two years.  He now is in Harmony.  He was married Apr. 1, 1840, to Harriet Hale.  They had four children, only two now living - James Edwin and Justina.  Mrs. Kincade died July 22, 1851.  Jan. 1, 1852, he married S. E. Kelley.  They have had eight children born to them - Mary Irena, John William, Laura A., Charles Ellsworth, Melville, Izetta May, Emma Dell and Edna Matilda.  Politically Mr. Kincade is a Democrat.  He has been a member of the Baptist church thirty-four years. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 807   WALLACE WASHINGTON KNIGHT SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 464   C. L. KNOWLES SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 674   KOENER, THEODORE SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 357   SOLOMON CHARLES KNOTNER SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 465   FRANCIS MARION KOONS SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 357   CHARLES LINDLY KURTZ SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 358   WILLIAM WYLAND KURTZ SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 359   JAMES KYLE SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 807