-There is a biography of Joel F. Kinney in the "Queen City Book" on Cincinnati and his family. It stats that he studied in the high-school at Adrian, Michifan and two terms at Adrian College. While teaching school he took up law studies, and became a member of the Law Firm of Beaman, Beecher and Howel. He graduated from Chicago University Law School in July 1861. He began practicing law at Fort Wayne, Indiana associated with the mayor of that city, F.P. Randal. In August 1862 he received the commission of 1st Lieutenant of Company C, 74th Indiana Volunteers. He was held as a POW at Munfordsville, KY in September 1862. He was exchanged in November of the same year, and went back to the battle front. On the first of the year 1863 he was promoted to Captain, and in September of that year he was wounded in the battle of Chickamunga. As soon as he partially recovered, he was assigned and reported for duty as the chief military conductor of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad with headquarters at Nashville. He was promoted to the rank of major, and was given charge of the railroads except the Nashville and Chattanooga wiithin the limits of the army of the Cumberland. In September 1864 he resigned and began prosecuting claims against the government for the taking of cotton and other property during the war. He had much contact with the exective offciers at Washington, DC, and he spent much time prosecuting claims through 1899 when he retired after a very long and prosperous career. Less than a year after he married his wife in 1865, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and then in 1872 to Cincinnati where he lived the rest of his life. He lived in the richest area of Cincinnati on Mooney Avenue unil his death. He is buried in Spring grove Cemetery in Cincinnati with his wife who passed away 7 years before him.
-Wife Sarah was the daughter of James Walker and Jane McBride. She died June 6, 1910.
Sources:
-Birth Source: "The Queen City Book", 1908
-Marriage Source: "The Queen City Cook", 1908
-Death Source:
-Civil War Pension Record, Civil War Service Record
-1910 US Census : Mooney Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio
-1900 US Census : Cincinnati, Ohio with wife and the family of his daughter Martha and her husband the governor of Ohio.
-1870 US Census : Living in Kansas City, MO
-1850 US Census : Cambridge, Michigan


E-mail Joe C. for any additions/questions!