Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 449

COL.G. W. KINCAID, deceased, was numbered among the pioneer settlers of Muscatine County of 1839. He was born in West Union, Adams County, Ohio, April 24, 1812, and was a son of Thomas and Margaret ( Hanna ) Kincaid, whose family numbered four daughters and four sons, namely : William M., John, Harriet Amanda, G. W., Maria, Almira J., Thomas Jefferson and Mary Ann.

Our subject spent his early days in the log school-houses of his native State. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-seven years of age, when he left his native State and removed to Tippecanoe County, Ind., spending one year near the famous battle-grounds, engaged in building bridges, working on public roads, etc. In 1839 he first came to Iowa, and entered land in Seventy-Six Township, where he made his home until the spring of 1849. At that time he removed to the farm in Bloomington Township, which at his death comprised 500 acres, and is still the property of his widow. He was married on the 18th day of January, 1838, his union being with Miss levisa Steenbergen, a daughter of Charles and Levisa ( Lucas ) Steenbergen. Her mother was a sister of Gov. Lucas, Iowa's first Governor. That gentleman was a native of Virginia, but removed to Ohio prior to the War of 1812, in which he served as a Brigadier General. He was twice elected Governor of the Buckeye State, and there resided until 1838, when he continued his journey westward to what is now Iowa. After its organization as a Territory he received the appointment as its Governor, and took an active part in the dispute and trouble which occurred between Missouri and this State, thereby earning the title of " the fighting Governor." He was living in Iowa City at the time of his death, which occurred some years ago.

The parents of Mrs. Kincaid, Mr. and Mrs. Steenbergen, were natives of Virginia, but emigrated to Ohio at an early day, and in that State the father engaged in farming and stock-raising, frequently driving his cattle over the mountains to Baltimore. His death occurred in the Buckeye State in 1824, and his wife departed this life forty-one years later, her death occurring in 1865, about the time of the close of the Civil War. Their children were as follows : Elizabeth, married George Porter, a native of Ohio, who died in Muscatine in January, 1867, and to them were born six children ; Rebecca S. became the wife of William H. Miller, and to them were born three sons and three daughters ; her death occurred in 1880, and he died in 1885. Mary B., who married H. Q. Jamison, a native of Vermont, by whom she had four children, died in 1885, in Colorado, where her husband's death also occurred ; Susan died in Ohio, in infancy ; Joanna L., is the wife of David R. Warfield, whose sketch appears on another page of this work.

Mrs. Kincaid was the youngest of that family, and was born in November, 1819, in Pike County, Ohio. She received the best educational advantages to be secured during those early days, and she is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Muscatine. In 1838, as before stated, she became the wife of Mr. Kincaid, and by their union five children were born : Joanna E., born in February, 1839, married George D. Magoon, whose sketch is found elsewhere in this work ; Margaret L., born in September, 1842, is the wife of J. A. Bishop, a grocer of Muscatine, and their union has been graced by the birth of one daughter ; Charles S., born in November, 1843, married Miss Rebecca Haywood, of St. Louis, daughter of Thomas Haywood, a native of England, and they have eight chldren, five boys and three girls ; he resides on the home farm in Bloomington Township. William M., born Jan. 24, 1846, married Agnes Gordon, a daughter of William Gordon, but in 1885 her death occurred, leaving two children ; Warren E., who was born in June, 1861, was united in marriage with Miss Mary Sheldon, of Fairbury, Neb., and is a resident of Cheyenne County, Kan.

Mr. Kincaid was one of the honored pioneers of this county, and during his life was numbered among its prominent and leading citizens. His occupation was that of farming, and his business interests were great, yet he found time to devote to the interests of others. When the war broke out, although too old to enter the regular service, he obtained permission from the Governor to organize a regiment of old men, which he did, the regiment being the famous 37th Greybeard. This band of loyal men, although they could not fight upon the field, did effective service on guard duty. Mr. Kincaid was their chosen leader, and was commissioned Colonel in 1862. They were first stationed at St. Louis, but after some time they were ordered to Alton, Ill., where they remained until February, 1863, were then stationed at Rock Island until June, after which they did duty at Memphis, Tenn. While they were engaged in a fierce skirmish with the enemy, who was trying to capture the fort. Leaving Memphis they were stationed at Cincinnati, and in that city remained until the close of the war. In May, 1865, Col. Kincaid returned to his home and resumed his life occupation. He was appointed by Gov. Kirkwood one of the Trustees of the State Asylum at Mt Pleasant, at the time of its construction, and served for several years after it was built. He was a member of the Old Settlers' Society, and was a stanch supporter of the Republican party, one who always stood firm in defense of its principles. For two years he served as Commissioner of the school fund. He was an earnest worker for the temperance cause, did all in his power to advance the interests of the community, and was ever ready to lend a helping hand. His death occurred Oct. 19, 1876, at his home in Bloomington Township, and his remains were buried in Muscatine Cemetery. Thus ended the life of one of Iowa's noble pioneers and citizens.


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