William Thomas Kinnersley

1860 Census – Baltimore Ward 7 419(785)26
1870 Census – Baltimore Ward 6 263(421)24
1880 Census – Baltimore – 5/53/19/14 – 132 Jefferson St
1900 Census – Baltimore Ward 8 ED104 p129(14B) - 1624 Jefferson St
1910 Census – Baltimore Ward 8 ED104 p154(4A) - 2632 E Hoffman St

TBK's second child was William Thomas Kinnersley, and he is my great-grandfather. WTK was baptized 24 Jan 1834 at St Mark's Church in New York City. I have the original letter from TBK in New York to Capt Wm Bryden in Baltimore, dated 20 Oct 1833, announcing the birth. After the death of both of his parents, WTK was raised by his stepparents, Mary and Philip Verlander.

He continued to live in New York until about 1858, when he moved to Baltimore. According to Viva Dow from notes taken by Douglas Dow in 1936, when WTK first arrived in Baltimore, he boarded with a Mrs Cooper.

His marriage took place in the Exeter ME Church in Baltimore. His wife Allie was the daughter of Aaron and Martha Moore of Baltimore. At first they both continued to live with Mrs. Cooper. Later they lived in a house on Jefferson Street which was built by Allie's brother Samuel Moore and paid for by Allie herself.

WTK's occupation was bookbinding. He is listed in the Baltimore City Directories beginning in 1859 at various addresses: 58 Jefferson Street, 135 N Bethel Street, 132 Jefferson Street (renumbered in 1888 to 1624 Jefferson Street), and finally from 1908 to 1911 in a row house at 2632 E. Hoffman Street.

William Thomas Kinnersley fought for the Union in the Civil War, serving from 4 Sep 1861 to 13 Sep 1864 as a Corporal in Company C, First Regiment of the Potomac Home Brigade of Maryland Infantry, under Capt William T. Faithful. According to military records he was 5'-5" tall with dark hair. His unit was responsible for the defense of Western Maryland, including Frederick. Outnumbered, his unit surrendered at the Battle of Harper's Ferry, West Virginia on 15 Sep 1862. WTK was taken prisoner, then released the same day. The Vogt family has his Civil War discharge papers. In 1908 at the age of 75 he applied for and received a military pension, Certificates 972221, 9522210, and 952247.

We have several photographs of WTK. One tintype of a Union soldier is likely a picture of him. Pictures taken in his old age show a thin man with a mustache and a long beard. Some of these were taken at his Jefferson Street residence with his fox terrier Friskie. The family was especially fond of a picture of "Pap reading his Bible" and Aunt Viva had copies made of it for everyone, tinted and framed. It was always on display in my grandfather's living room. We have a picture of his wife Allie in her 20's, and many of her taken when she was older. William and Alabama died within a few months of one another, and are buried together in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Lot 120 Section E.