John S. Kinkaid, one of the highly respected farmers of Camas prairie, was born in Indiana, September 9, 1833, and is a representative of an old Kentucky family. His grandfather, Joseph Kinkaid, was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was an early settler of Kentucky. His son, Andrew Kinkaid, was born, reared and educated in Kentucky and became a minister of the Christian church. In 1841 he removed to Missouri and was a prominent preacher of the gospel in that state. He married Miss Elizabeth Landis, a native of Tennessee, who is still living and has celebrated her ninetieth birthday, her home being with a daughter in Kansas. The father died in the fifty-fifth year of his age, but his memory remains as a blessed benediction to all who knew him. Two of the sons loyally served their country in the Union army during the civil war, and one of them lost his life in the great struggle to maintain the Union. In the family were seven children, five of whom yet survive.
Rev. John S. Kinkaid was educated in Cass County, Missouri, in a little log schoolhouse such as was common at that time. In his early youth he had accompanied his parents from Indiana to that state, and in 1861 went with them to Kansas, locating in Franklin County. He had been married, however, in Missouri, in 1859, to Miss Caroline Frazier, and they made their home upon a farm in Kansas from 1861 until 1883, when they came to Camas prairie and took up a tract of land, whereon Mr. Kinkaid has since engaged in stock-raising, making a specialty of graded Durham cattle and graded Percheron horses. He has one hundred and fourteen acres of land and a most hospitable home, the latchstring always being out to those who come this way.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kinkaid have been born ten children, all of whom reached years of maturity, while four sons and four daughters are yet living, namely: Denver, who is engaged in farming near his father; Ulysses S., who is engaged in the butchering business at Elk City; Annie, wife of William Perkins; Alice, wife of Robert Farris; Marion and William, who follow farming; Maude, who is engaged in schoolteaching; and Myrtle, wife of Charles S. Jacobson. The parents are valued members of the Christian church, in which Elder Kinkaid is an ordained minister. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles, a faithful follower of the Teacher of Nazareth, and gladly embraces every opportunity of proclaiming the gospel of peace on earth, good will to men. His political support is given the Republican Party. His noble life is unclouded by shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, and all who know him have for him the kindliest regard.