David Kingery

                KINGERY, David (deceased).-- One by one the old pioneers of Illinois are passing to their final rest, their work well done and their memory preserved in the hearts and minds of those who are following in the smooth paths from which they removed the ruggedness. David Kingery, for many years an honored resident of Mt. Carroll, was born in Washington county, Md., October 30, 1822, and died at his comfortable home in Mt. Carroll early in the fall of 1895. He came from people in very moderate circumstances and early began to take care of himself, first as a farm boy and later as assistant to his brother, Daniel Kingery, in the latter's cooper shop.

David Kingery was twenty-two years of age when he joined a wagon train then starting for the Illinois frontier. On reaching Ogle county he engaged to work for a time for his board for Henry Thomas, but shortly afterward moved on to Carroll county and there joined his mother and brother, who had settled there in the previous spring, finding employment with the proprietor of the old Stone Tavern. His next engagement was the driving of a six-mule team transporting flour to Savanna, and afterward he engaged in the industry which had provided for the wants of Illinois' most illustrious citizen, Abraham Lincoln, this being splitting rails. His first land, a tract of eighty acres, he secured for $100 and a horse, saddle and bridle, which he had brought from Pennsylvania. He settled on his newly purchased land, which was situated one mile north of Mt. Carroll, in Woodland township, put up a primitive house and began the clearing and improving of a place which later became .exceedingly valuable therefrom. In the course of years he sold his first farm and bought other property, which he sold advantageously In turn, and then bought the improved farm of 186 acres, situated in Salem township, on which he spent fourteen years, when he retired to Mt. Carroll, purchasing a handsome residence there. He owned 300 acres of some of the finest land in Carroll county. Although for many years practically the most representative man in his neighborhood, he had no political ambition and declined every proffered office, except that of school director. He was public-spirited and interested In the public welfare and was exceedingly charitable. He was affiliated with the Republican party.

Mr. Kingery was married (first) on September 9, 1847, to Miss Barbara Emmert and they had four children. One son, Benjamin, now owns and operates a farm of 102 acres lying south of Lanark, Ill., which was a gift from his father. Anna, a daughter now deceased, was the wife of Albert Kinney, and Mr. Kingery gave to her an improved farm of seventy-five acres. Sophia, a second daughter, is Mrs. John Lowe and resides at Sac City, la.; Katie, the youngest, died at Mt. Carroll, in 1890. Mrs. Barbara Kingery was born near Lapham's Cross Roads, Md., and died in 1864, in Mt. Carroll township. On August 17, 1865, Mr. Kingery was married (second) to Mrs. Elizabeth (Boyer) Smith, widow of Joseph Smith, to whom she was married in 1850. She was born In Washington county, Md., January 20, 1829, a daughter of Jacob and Susan (Shamel) Boyer. They reared a family of twelve children and Mrs. Kingery was sixteen years old when they moved to Mt. Carroll township. The father died in 1866 and the mother in 1885. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Smith resided on a farm northeast of Mt. Carroll, where his death occurred February 20, 1857, leaving four children: Mary, who is the wife of John S. Grove; Susan, who is the wife of James Petty, residing in Mt. Carroll township, with whom Mrs. Kingery makes her home; Augustus, who is a retired farmer at Mt. Carroll; and Albert, who is a resident of Cour d'Aleue, Idaho. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kingery and two survive: Andrew and Charles, the former carrying on the old farm in Salem township and the latter residing at Chadwick. Mr. Kingery was a sincere member of the German Baptist church, to which Mrs. Kingery also belongs.