Lenoir County, NC - Obituaries

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Deborah Taylor <hortensegainey@hotmail.com>

January 14, 1929

Joseph Kinsey Passes at L'Grange; Beloved Schoolmaster No More

  Joseph Kinsey, 85, superintendent emeritus of the Lenoir County schools
and the county's grand old man, died shortly before midnight Saturday
night at his LaGrange home.

  "Prof. Joe" Kinsey taught three generations of Lenoir and Jones County
children.  His career as an educator terminated some years ago when, after
he has served a number of years as superintendent of Lenoir's rural
schools, he began to get feeble and a grateful people had the Legislature
establish the office of superintendent emeritus so he could fill it.
A salary accompanying the office was a rather comfortable pension.

  The public school at LaGrange is a consolidated institution--the Joseph
Kinsey School.  It was a happy coincidence that it was erected, in the
midst of scores of great oaks, directly in front of the Kinsey home.
From the front porch of his big, pleasant home Joseph Kinsey could see the
school, a memorial to his service to his people, a scant 150 years away.

  There have been few such characters.  Joseph Kinsey was a small, energetic
man.  His step was as springy as a boy's until his last years.  He was
very religious but he was very broad, and friends say they cannot recall
harsh criticism of any man from his lips.  He called the teachers and
children in the schools "Blessed."  "Blessed" was his nickname for every
one of them.  Literally, thousands loved the man.

  During the Civil War Prof. Kinsey was a lieutenant of Confederate
infantry.  At Fort Fisher he was taken prisoner.  A burly federal
private engaged him in hand-to-hand combat and vanquished him.  He
would not kill the stripling, who had opposed him.  The last years
of the war saw Kinsey a prisoner in an island fortress off the Ohio
shore.

  He taught U.S. Sen. Furnifold M. Simmons who was one of Prof. Kinsey's 
pupils in Jones County many years ago.  The statesman often spoke in 
terms of deep affection of the schoolmaster.

  Prof. Kinsey is survived by an aged widow and the following sons and
daughters: James H. Kinsey, Carrolton, Ky.; J.B. Kinsey, Mamaroneck,
N.Y.; Mrs. B.H. Melton, Washington, D.C.; Mrs. W.H. Taylor, LaGrange,
and Miss Elizabeth Kinsey, LaGrange.

  The funeral was held this afternoon.  The services were largely attended.
Most of his home community turned out to see the town's most popular
citizen laid to rest.  Many were present from Kinston and other places.

  Prof. Kinsey had not been in very good health for several years.  His
ailments and his years combined to cause his death.

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