HON. JAMES N. KINGSBURY

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES
PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 528

HON. JAMES N. KINGSBURY, of Thomspon, Windham county, is one of the leading citizens of this part of Connecticut, and for many years has been intimately connected with its business and political life. He was born May 24, 1835, in Webster, Mass., a son of Elisha and Lucy (Pierce) Kingsbury, and a descendant in the eighth generation from Joseph Kingsbury, of Dedham, Mass.

Joseph Kingsbury, with his wife Milicent, is on record at Dedham in 1637, and probably reared a numerous family, the names of five of these being: Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, John, and Eleazer.

From this immigrant ancestor, James N. Kingsbury’s lineage is through Eleazer, Josiah, Theodore, Jacob, Ephraim and Elisha Kingsbury.

Eleazer Kingsbury, born May 17, 1645, married Oct. 30, 1677, at Dedham, Esther Judson, and was of that town in 1677.

Josiah Kingsbury, son of Eleazer, born Dec. 26, 1678, at Dedham, married Jan. 16, 1705, Susannah Morey, of Roxbury. Mr. Kingsbury settled early in Needham, and was licensed as an innkeeper in 1719; was selectman, and represented his town in the General Court. He died April 20, 1739. His home was near the north end of Chaubunagungamaug Lake.

Theodore Kingsbury, son of Josiah, born Dec. 17, 1707, married Jan. 31, 1731-32, Mary, daughter of Israel Towne, and settled in the vicinity of his father on a farm of 250 acres of land near Sucker brook. His death occurred Feb. 11, 1787, and his widow died in January, 1810, aged one hundred years and two months.

Jacob Kingsbury, son of Theodore, born May 16, 1743, married (first) March 10, 1766, Hannah Parker, of Douglass, Mass., and settled on a part of his father’s farm north of the homestead. Mrs. Kingsbury died Feb. 25, 1803, and he married (second) April 28, 1804, Mary, widow of James H. Davis. Mr. Kingsbury died Nov. 3, 1836, his wife passing away Nov. 30, 1829.

Ephraim Kingsbury, son of Jacob, born June 27, 1770, married (first) Nov. 15, 1797, Rachel, daughter of Reuben Robinson. She died Feb. 1, 1810, and he married (second), June 26, 1814, Abigail Taft, of Uxbridge, Mass. He resided near the homestead, where he died April 17, 1823.

Elisha Kingsbury, son of Ephraim, born Sept. 7, 1803, married Feb. 15, 1824, Lucy Pierce, of Holden, Mass., and lived near the mill on Sucker brook. Their children were: Rachel, born in 1828, died in 1832; Darius, born Sept. 5, 1830, settled in Victoria, B.C.; Laura, born Oct. 7, 1833, married William Carpenter, of Thompson, Conn., and died childless Feb. 15, 1883; James N., born May 24, 1835; George, born Oct.29, 1838, lived on the homestead, and married Oct. 31, 1857, Harriet S. Hall, of Dudley, Mass., by whom he had two daughters, Emma and Mable.

James N. Kingsbury, at about the age of eight years, was taken to Thompson, Conn., where he acquired his education, and some years later, upon his return to his native State, located in Oxford and began work in the manufacture of shoes. This business he later successfully followed in Oxford and Webster and later he carried on the manufacture of shoes in Putnam. In 1865, he located in the town of Thompson, and continued the manufacture of shoes for three years. At the end of that time he engaged in the grocery business, so continuing until 1891, when he sold out. Since that time he has been engaged in the coal business, winning a high reputation for reliability. He has been called upon by his fellow-citizens to fill many offices of trust and responsibility. In 1869 he was made postmaster, and very efficiently conducted the affairs of that office until 1885. In 1872 he was made town clerk, a position he still capably fills, and for fourteen years he was Republican town committeeman. In 1889 and 1891 he was honored by election as representative in the State Assembly, making an excellent record as a member of the Judiciary committee. For twenty-five years he has been justice of the peace, and during this period has performed more than one hundred marriages. Mr. Kingsbury has been a director and for three years president of the Thompson National Bank, vice-president of the Thompson Savings Bank, and trustee of the Putnam Savings Bank. His character is one of sterling integrity and worth, and he has long been held in high esteem in the community.

Mr. Kingsbury was married (first) to Harriet F., daughter of Danforth and Jane (Holmes) Kinney; she died in 1884. In 1885 Mr. Kingsbury was united in marriage with Miss Anna Towne, daughter of Joseph and Luan (Robbins) Towne. Three children were born to the first marriage, viz.: (1) Charles N., who was educated in the district schools of Thompson, and took a commercial course at the Worcester (Mass.) Commercial College, is now filling the position of freight agent for the N.Y., N.H. & H.R.R. at Darlington Station, Pawtucket, R.I.; he married Miss Emma Tripp, of Plainfield, Conn., and they had one son, Newton, who died at the age of eight years. (2) Alice, who acquired her education in the district schools of Thompson and graduated from the High School, in Putnam, later becoming a teacher for some four years, married E.C. Franklin, of Putnam, and they have one son, Raymond Kingsbury, born Sept. 5, 1896. (3) Myrtice, who was educated in Thompson and Danielson, graduating at the latter place, and also from the State Normal School at Willimantic, in 1896, is now one of the popular teachers in the public school in Putnam, a lady of culture and high attainment.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel

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