Alonzo Kingsley

Alonzo Kingsley, son of John and Hannah (Russell) Kingsley, was born in Peoria county in 1839. His father was born at Brattleboro, Vt., in 1815, learned the mason's trade there, and at the age of twenty-one years married Miss Russell, and both came to the wilds of Peoria county, where their family was raised and educated, and themselves have resided. Of their four children three are among the best citizens of the state, and one crossed over the river of time. John Kingsley, the father, was an ardent politician until his sudden death in November, 1878. His widow resides on the old home. In 1861 Alonzo married Miss Hannah, daughter of James and Mary A. Dewhurst, native of Heywood, Eng. This lady was born there in 1811, and followed her father, who came in 1848. In 1850, with other members of the family, all settled at Peoria, and five or six years later settled in Valley, section 29. There the Dewhursts resided for sixteen years, when they moved to Wyoming. Mrs. Dewhurst, while visiting Mrs. Kingsley in 1880, died. Her husband moved to Oswell, Burton county, Ind., where he died, in 1885. He was a soldier of the late war. Alonzo Kingsley enlisted in Company K, Seventy-seventh Illinois Infantry August 6, 1862, but suffered so terribly on the march that his weight reduced to ninety pounds, so that he was left sick at Ft. Pickering; was honorably discharged, and is now a United States pensioner. His son, James L. Kingsley, resides at home. Two years after his return from the war the family moved to the Dewhurst home. In politics he is Republican, and in works of benevolence and charity always foremost. Mr. Kingsley, Jr., twenty-two years of age, was the first member of the Sons of. Veterans in Stark county, was first in the move to organize the Sons of Veterans Camp at Wyoming, and is the commander. He is also connected in Sunday-school work, being superintendent of the Stark Sunday-school. He is also a Republican.