Is a native of Hamilton county, Indiana, He was born, Oct. 27, 1835. His father Ira KINGSBURY, was a native of Vermont. He came west to Ohio in 1805, when he was but three years old. He there grew to manhood and married Hannah PIERCE, a native of that state. In 1832 he removed to Indiana, and in 1841, came to Illinois, and settled in Wabash county, where his wife and the mother of Darius died in the month of November, 1843. In 1844 he removed to Bond county, Illinois, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1872. He was a civil engineer by profession, and was county surveyor for several terms. He was also engaged in faming. The subject of this sketch is the fourth in a family of seven children. He was reared upon the farm, and was educated in the common schools and in the academy at Greenville. He also received private instruction in the languages and higher mathematics under Prof. S. W. MARSTON. In Oct., 1858, he entered the law-office of Judge DALE, of Edwardsville, Ill., and commenced the study of law, and after making suitable progress he applied for admission to the bar. He was admitted at the November term, 1860, of the Supreme Court held at Mt. Vernon, Illinois. He returned to Greenville, and in 1861 commenced the practice. He remained there until May, 1863, when he came to Carlyle and formed a law-partnership with Hon. W. A. J. SPARKS, present member of Congress from this district.
The law firm of SPARKS & KINSBURY continued until 1865. From that time to the present, Mr. KINGSBURY continued alone in the practice. On the 3d of July, 1862, he was appointed Master in Chancery by Hon. Silas BRYAN, judge of the Circuit Court. He held the office for three years. In 1872, he was appointed to fill the office of States-Attorney for the county, which had been created by the new constitution.
In the summer of the same year, he was regularly nominated by the democratic party for the same office, and elected in November of the same year. In 1876, he became his own successor in the office, and was public prosecutor until December of 1880. In May, 1881, he was elected Mayor of the city of Carlyle. He had been clerk and city-attorney for several terms. Politically he has been a democrat since 1856 when he cast his first presidential vote for James Buchanan for President. The same year he was the candidate of the democratic party of Bond county for the office of circuit clerk, but was defeated, notwithstanding he ran two hundred votes ahead of the ticket.
On the first of December, 1864, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. HAZARD, a native of Rhode Island. Two children, both sons, are the fruits of that union. Their names are Ira Dale, and Hazard Hume KINGSBURY. Both he and his wife are members of the Episcopal Church. He is a member of the order of A. F. & A. M., and belongs to Scott Lodge No. 79.
Source: History of Marion and Clinton Counties, Illinois, 1881, Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia
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