John F. Kinney

Who was John F. Kinney?

John Fitch Kinney was a prominent American attorney, judge, and Democratic politician. He served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa, twice as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah and one term as the Territory of Utah's Delegate in the House of Representatives of the 38th Congress.

He was born in New Haven, New York, the fourth child and second son of Stephen Fitch Kinney and Abby Brockway. Having completed public school and a more select school, he entered the Oswego Academy at age 16. After two years of higher learning there, he entered the law office of Orville Robinson, with whom he studied law for two and half years. He then removed to Marysville, Ohio, where he resumed his law studies. He was admitted to the bar in 1837 and began the practice of law in Marysville.

On December 29, 1838, Kinney and Hannah Hall were married in Mount Vernon, Ohio. He lived there and practiced successfully until the summer of 1844, when he moved to Lee County, Iowa. He was twice elected secretary of the Territorial Legislative Council, in 1845 and 1846, and was prosecuting attorney for Lee County in 1846 and 1847.