Page:One of a thousand.djvu/374

 }6o KINGSLEY. KINSLEY. being wholly to his taste, and seeking to better his condition, he accepted the posi- tion of messenger in the old Bank of Brighton, in which position he remained two years. He was subsequently teller in the same bank three years. In 1S51 he became cashier of the Cam- bridge Market Hank, remaining five years. In 1856 he went into the wholesale provis- ion business in Boston, and retired from that in 1865. Since that time he has been treasurer of an anthracite coal mining company, and during the time was for eight years president of the National Bank of Brighton, which was the successor to the old bank where he besjan business life. CHESTER W. KINGSLEY. Mr. Kingsley was married in Boston, by Dr. G. W. Blagden, May, 1846, to Mary Jane, the daughter of lianiel and Hannah Todd, of Brighton. Of this union were seven children, four of whom are living : Ella lane (Mrs. M. Clinton Bacon), Addie May (Mrs. D. Frank Ellis), Luceba Dorr (Mrs. Parker F. Soule), and C. Willard Kingsley. Mr. Kingsley has been alderman of Cambridge, member of the school board, has been a prominent member of the water board since 1S65, and president of the same for many years past. He was a mem- ber of the House of Representatives 18S2, '83, and '84, and senator from the 3d Mid- dlesex district 1888 and '89. He is one of the trustees of Colby University, Newton Theological Institution, the Worcester Academy, and Massachusetts Baptist State Convention, and president of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society. He has been one of the executive committee of the American Baptist Missionary Union, and president of the Boston Baptist So- cial Union and is a member of the Cam- bridge and Massachusetts clubs. He is a life-long Prohibitionist and Re- publican. KINSLEY, Edward Wilkinson, son of Rhodolphus and Lucinda (Howard) Kinsley, was born in Nashua, Hillsborough county, N. H., May 24, 1829. He attended the public schools in Spring- field, where his parents had moved when he was some two years of age. While a boy he entered the clothing store of Palmer & Clark of that city, where, by his industry, tact, and adaptation to the business, he was transferred to a more important posi- tion in their branch store at Norwich, Conn. In 1848 he came to Boston and was em- ployed as salesman in the house of Blake, Patterson & Co., importers of woolens. After becoming an expert in this business he was made a partner in a firm in the same line. 1 luring the civil war he was entrusted by his friend, Governor Andrew, who appreci- ated his enthusiasm and had confidence in his ability, with many a delicate and im- portant mission to the government at Washington, and with errands of encour- agement to the men at the front and the wounded in the hospitals. Mr. Kinsley never sought public office, and never accepted a position by election or appointment until he was appointed by Governor Washburn, in 1873, a state director of the New York & New Eng- land Railroad Company ; in 1878 he was appointed by Governor Rice a member of the board of railroad commissioners, in which capacity he has earnestly and suc- cessfully advocated improvements in rail- road construction and equipment, designed to secure the safety and accommodation of the traveling public. Mr. Kinsley is probably as well, if not better, known among the railroad managers, not only of Massachusetts, but of some of the most important roads of the country, than many who have large pecuniary interests therein. Mr. Kinsley was married April 16, 1856, to Calista Adelaide, daughter of Jarvis and Sarah (Spaulding) Billings, of Canton.