Samuel A. Kingman

Kingman, Samuel A., chief justice of the Kansas supreme court from 1867 to 1876, was born in Worthington, Mass., June 26, 1818. His parents, Isaiah and Lucy Kingman, each lived to more than "the three score years and ten." Samuel was educated in the public schools and Mountain Academy of his native town, and began teaching in his seventeenth year. Two years later he went to Kentucky where he taught school and studied law. After being admitted to the bar he began practice at Carrollton, Ky., then changed to Smithland, Livingston county.

Here he was county clerk and district attorney for three years from 1849 to 1851; represented the county in the state legislature; and took part in framing a new constitution for Kentucky. In 1857 he removed with his family to Knoxville, Marion county, Iowa, and about a year later became a resident of Kansas. For six months he was located in Leavenworth, then took up a claim in Brown county, near the site of Horton. Subsequently he removed to Hiawatha and opened a law office. In 1859 he was a member of the Wyandotte constitutional convention and the same year was one of the three commissioners appointed by the legislature to adjust the territorial claims. When Kansas became a state Mr. Kingman was nominated for associate justice on the Union Republican ticket, but was defeated. Two years later he was elected chief justice and reelected in 1872.

He resigned from the bench in 1876 because of ill health. Subsequently he was appointed state librarian, but was compelled to give up this position for the same reason.  He was the .first president of the Kansas State Historical Societj- and a director of it until his death. He was also president of the State Judicial association, the State Bar association, and was the president of the Ananias club to the time of his death. Judge Kingman was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party, when he became one of its stanch supporters. On Oct. 29, 1844, he married Matilda Willets of Terre Haute, Ind., and they had two children. Judge Kingman died at Topeka, Sept. 9, 1904. Kingman county was named in his honor.