The Kinney Family Reunions

1896 and 1897

FIRST REUNION - Annin Creek, Saturday, September 10, 1896: The different branches of the Kinney family held a reunion at Annin Creek, Saturday, September 10, 1896. The intention was to have a picnic in the grove on the old Niles Kinney Place, but heavy thunderstorms of Friday night prevented that feature from being carried out. The old stock of Kinneys, heads of the different branches or families of the present generation were: Five brothers: Alanson, Niles, Luther, Ira, and Levi Three sisters: Hannah, wife of Darius Simpson, Charlotte, wife of H C. Simpson, and Melinda, wife of C D.C. Winship.

All of the above are now dead. The only representatives of the older stock now alive who were present were: Lucinda, widow of Niles Kinney, aged eighty three years, Caroline, wife of Luther, aged seventy nine, and D.C. Winship, husband of Melinda, aged seventy four. The old stock was a family of large stature and weight, the brothers ranging from one hundred and eighty pounds to two hundred and seventy pounds, and one of the sisters at one time weighed three hundred and sixty seven pounds..... All the branches of the family were represented, except those of Ira, of whom Adam Kinney of Jasper, NY is a representative and that of Captain Levi H Kinney, of whom Captain Lance Kinney is the only living child, and Mrs Lester Ward of Port Allegany is a grand daughter, and Ide and Bryce Kinney are grandsons....... There are at this time about one hundred and seventy members of the family.

SECOND REUNION TurtlePoint, PA Sept. 11, 1897: A reunion was held at Turtle Point today, at which were present about one hundred and fifty people, about one hundred and twenty of whom were immediate descendents of Barnabas and Naamah Kinney. The Kinney family is of Scotch Irish descent, having emigrated from Scotland to Ireland, From whence three brother came to New York. The name was originally MacKinney, but after coming to this country, two of the brothers threw off the Mac from their name and called themselves Kinney. One of these brothers moved south, where descendents still reside, and one remained in New York, where our grandfather, Barnabas Kinney, Jr. was born ten days after the Declaration of Independence. His wife was Naamah Holcomb, daughter of Return Holcomb, a Revolutionary soldier who served during the entire War of Independence.

One wing of the Kinney Family is at present divided into seven branches, Barnabas Kinney, Jr., having had nine children, of whom seven became heads of present branches of the family, the names of whom were: Alanson, Niles, Luther, Ira, Levi H, the sons, and Charlotte K Simpson and Melinda K Winship the daughters, all of whom are now dead, Captain Levi H. Kinney having been the last to pass away, some two years since. Most of these lived in this section for many years and are still remembered.

Since our last reunion, three of our number have passed over to join the great reunion on the other side: Aunt Lucinda Kinney, Widow of Niles Kinney; Mary, wife of J.B. Kinney, and Reuben F. Miller, Husband of Eva B. Kinney; and we are sure that there we will find them ....It was by unanimous consent agreed to hold our next reunion at Barney Kinney's in Woodhull, Steuben County, New York.