The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1881-02-11
INCIDENTS
0f the Life. Character and Times Of
Hon. John Kinoaid. Of Lincoln.
ny Quo VINO * ncwI,lmwcn.

Of the lite, character, and times o
Hon. John Kincaid, deceased, one O
the leading lawyers Of the Lincolr
County Bar thiriy-fve years ago.
by bis modesiy, dignity. viriuci
and great professional ability, he re
iiecied honor on the county Of Lin
coin. the profession Of which he wa
member, and the times in which h,
lived. There are hearihstones IN
Central Kentucky and hearts in the
bosoms Of many Of her elder children
now scattered over The Republic,
where these short memoirs will kin.
kle q spark or revive a recollection OF
tradition Of that great Heniuckian.
To relieve from oblivion 90 much
true ability and to revive fecollcctions
Of hcroism and energy such as bis,
is certainly the duty Of some son Of
the county Of Lincoln. Il Is due to
the young men Of the country, in
their growing ambitions and energetic
struggles. that the fruits Of such in.
dustry and energy ns Kincaid exer.
cised should not be lost to their oh.
scrvalion as a siimulant 10 like virtues.
John kinoaid commenced the study
Of law in Lincoln county about the
years 1918 or 1914, without the adj.
vaniages Of a collegiate education,
and with only such as could be nc.
quired at the ordinary schools OF the
country. Ills legal noyitiate was
passed with Judge Thomas Monigom-
cry, then Commonwealth Attorney
for this Judicial District, subsequent.
ly Circuit Judge and later still, q
member Of Congress. Montgomery
was an able and profound jurisi, as
the records Of the Lincoln county
Clerks Office and the reports Of the
decisions Of the Supreme Court will
show 10 their allirmance Of his judg.
mcnis. Aher passing the usual ex.
kincaid was admitted to
to the bar. and settled in Stanford to
practice his profession. lie was ex-
reedingly modest, dis,rustiul of his
ability, and arrived very slowly at
conclusions-in fact, | have never
known any other man Of so much
and iimidiiy. His rise at the
bar on this account was slow, but
what he acquired he held, and he
continually grew in public confidence
and favor, About the year 1920, he
vas appointed Commonwealth At
Iorney for this District. And, &c.
,ording 10 the concurrent testimony
If all the old citizens, he performed
he duties Of this position with a de-
gree Of ability unequaled by any 9TH
n attorney for the Commonwealth
before or since his day. lie was an OBJ.
ect Of terror to all the evil doors in
biz district. This success was the re-
'ult Of his great industry and supe.
rior mental endowmenls and legal ac.
luirements. lie praciiced no evil
habits injurious to his mind or body;
was sober, prudent, industrious and
economical, both Of time and his earn.
Ings; was kind, pleasant and congo
nial as companion, and firm, re-
'peciiul and courteous at the bar.
There was nothing over-bearing or
iyrannical in his make up, indeed he
was kind.hearted and aneclionale,
,onfding where his confidence was won
10 n degree often injurious to himself.
lie was Of fine physical manhood, be-
ing over six feet in height, with a full
round bone and muscle. lie had
sandy hair, grayish brown eyes, and
very fair skin, interpreted with a few
His hair, which he usually
wore rather short, was still and thick,
each hair standing erect and to itself,
lie walked, thought and spoke slowly,
aud with deliberation. lie was Of
fine physical courage, but owing to
bis want Of selfconfdence, had less
moral courage, until he had invostiga.
tel a question than any man | have
ever known. After investigation and
conviction, however, he became a
moral hero. His mind acted, as said
above, slowly; but in bis inyestiga-
tons Of questions, either Of law or
fact, no fact, circumstance or princi-
pie escaped rigid scrutiny. The
weight, value and force, as well as
the bearing and place of each, were
assigned with a degree Of strength and
fairness which seemed wonderful.
false in fact, circumstance
or principle was revealed, stamped
and thrown overheard. Nothing was
permitted in the structure Of his argu-
ment but principle aud truth. His
arguments were simple to a degree
truly wonderful. II he discussed a
principle of law upon demurrer, no
matter how difficult, il became Sc
simple that the uuprolessional mind
was as competent to pass judgment
thereon as the Court, unless il was
purely technical When be discussed