The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-09-02
The Kinney Reunion.

Wednesday, August 10, was a red-letter
day for the Kinney family. Upon that day,
beneath cloudleSS sky, the descendants of
Rev. Jonathan Kinney and of his brothers
and sisters assembled at the place in Plain
field where, nearly one hundred years ago.
he opened way in the wilderness and es-
tabished home for his household.
Jonathan, son of Joseph and - New
comb Kinney, was born in Connecticut in
1852. Coming to Vermont, he married in
1855, Lydia Kendrick of Hanover, n. H.
He lived short time in Thetford, and
afterwards in Bethel. Coming to Plaintield
in 1893 or 1874, he built the first framed
house in town, and here made his perma-
nent home. He gathered at his house, for
Sabbath worship the people of the new
town; and, in 1799 the Congregational
Church of Plainfeld was organized at his
house, he being for many years its acting
pastor,
The farm has always remained in the
Kinney name, the present occupants being
Mrs. Charles Kinney and her sons, Fred p
and j. Royal Kinney. No one could fail to
appreciate the fact that everything possible
had been done by the hosts to insure the
comfort of their guests, and the evergreen
Welcome which greeted all as they ap-
preached the broad, low farmhouse was
but the outward expression of the kindly
feeling which reigned within. The morn
ing was mostly spent in social greetings
but the loved ones gone before We're not
forgotten, and Gods Acre "-orignally a
part of the home farm-the burial. place of
five generations of the family, was visited
by nearly all of the company.
AT twelve o'clock the company sat down
TO plentiful repast, graced with fruit and
flowers and served in tent near the house.
Registration of names showed one hundred
twenty-five persons present, representing
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York,
Pennsylvania, Illinois and various towns in
Vermont. The literary exercises which
followed We're very pleasantly conducted
by the president of the day, Rev. j. A.
Sherburne of Barre. After singing Home,
Sweet Home" prayer was offered by Rev.
E. l.. Walbridge, acting pastor of Painfeld
Congregational church. f. p. Kinney
assured the guests of hearty welcome to
the old homestead, and was followed by
Rev. j. o. Sherburne of Cabot, who gave
an able address upon Family Reunions"
\ genealogical sketch of the family, and
personal recollections of his grandfather
and grandmother, Rev. Jonathan and
Lydia (\endrick) Kinney, were given by
Hon. a. K. Kinney Of Corinth. The au-
dience was further entertained by the per-
sonal recolections of Dea. j. \. Perrin of
Berlin as he discussed " Kinney Character
istics." Professor III. w. Thurston of La
Grange, ILL.,, responded to the sentiment,
" Blood is thicker than water" and Pro-
fessor &. o. Thurston of Kingston, Penn,
spoke of the " Future of the Family" The
exercises were interspersed with music fur
nished under the direction of j. Il. Kinney.
Rev. j. y. Perrin, Jr., being unable TO be
present, his article on Why We are Here"
was read by Miss Alice E. Kinney of
Georgetown, Mass. She also read letters
from these absent relatives: O. b. Crum,
Denver, Col; Rev. l.. W. Cheney, Medford,
Mimi; f. II. Kinney, Thetford, Vt. Jona-
than Kendrick Kinney, Madison, Wis; r.
ID. Kinney, Royalton, Mimi; Mr.. and Mrs.
George Kinney Perrin, Plttsford, VT. Hon.
pprtnr p.arriu IDbna Mich Hon
w. b. Perrin, Nashua, Ia; William r.
Perrin, Chicago, ILL.,; Mrs, Lucy Kinney
Winrode, James Creek Penn, Mrs. Flora
II. Wntrode, Winterset, Ia X. ID. Kin
ney of Minnesota sent the following poem
TO KINDRED GATHERED AT PLAINFIELD,
VERMONT.
Up pamoag the We dant hill.tops,
Near Si5 where re mountains s,mItt pierce the blue
Old and young our friends most true,
our dear friends, we greet you, greet you
AS you now in Plainheld rest,
From this land of rpened haryests,
From these plain fields of the West.
We are glad that you have gathered
At the call of loving hearts
Where the Kinney tribe gained foothold-
Where the solid mountain starts.
And now wen not unmindful be
of our Godlike sire, who stood
Upon those lofty. verdant heights,
Toiltng in the cause of good.
Let's remember his example,
Through all this, our earthly stay
Talking with our Holy Father
AS he talked, while ON the way
After an expression of thanks to the resi-
dent members of the family, and closing
remarks by the president of the day, all
joined in singing God be with you till we
meet again" and the exercises were closed
with prayer by Rev j. A. Sherburne. Sew
eral pictures of the company were taken by
f. w. Sherburne of Barre, and the remain
der of the day was spent in social way un-
til the departing guests and the shades of
approaching twilight told that the first
Kinney reunion was a thing of the past
and the past holds a pleasant memory.