BIOGRAPHY: David L. Kidd; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

R. DAVID L. KIDD is a member of the firm of D. L. Kidd & Son, wholesale and
retail dealers in stationery, cigars and tobacco. They cater to the best
trade, and have the finest and largest establishment of the kind in New-burgh.
The Doctor is a dentist by profession, but was obliged to give up the work on
account of ill health, the effects of his army life.

The genealogical tree of the Kidd family indicates that they are of Irish
descent. A branch of the family sailed for American shores from the North of
Ireland before the War of the Revolution. Among them was Alexander, the
great-grandfather of John, the Doctor's father, and the
great-great-grandfather of our subject. He be-came the proprietor of a large
tract of land in Montgomery Town, Orange County, during the year 1736, a
portion of which passed into the hands of Andrew. the Doctor's grandfather,
and finally to John, his father. This tract of land was known as Kiddtown.

John was born on this farm near Walden, and there he passed his entire life,
dying at the good old age of eighty-three years. Andrew, John's father, was
also born on the same farm, and there his death also occurred. The farm is
still in the Kidd name, having passed to the fourth generation. John Kidd, who
was a Town Commissioner for eighteen years, was a member of the Dutch Reformed
Church, and politically was a Republican, and a strong supporter of the war
for the Union. He was a Director of the Walden Nation-al Bank, and
Vice-President of the Walden Sav-ings Bank. His wife, Cornelia, a native of
the town of Montgomery, was a daughter of Charles Haines, who was of Scotch
descent, and who settled on a farm in Montgomery Town. Mrs. Kidd, who lived to
reach her seventy-fifth year, was also a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Of the six children born to John and Cornelia Kidd, five are still living,
those beside our subject being Andrew, Mirza W., John E. and Margaret J. John
E. was in the same regiment as was our subject during the war, and was wounded
at Gettysburg.

The birth of Dr. Kidd occurred near Walden, March 20, 1843, his boyhood being
passed on the farm. In September, 1861, he came to Newburgh and took up the
study of dentistry with Dr. P. M. Stansbrough. When he was about nineteen
years of age he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth New York
Regiment, the "Orange Blossoms," being mustered into the Union service for
three years at Goshen, August 6, 1862. He participated in the battles of
Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. On the forced march to the latter
engagement he met with an accident. He was marked for a discharge from
service, but was transferred to the veteran reserve corps, and remained on
duty at Washing-ton until the close of the war, taking an active part in the
last scenes of the great rebellion. He participated in the Grand Review, and
also heard Lincoln make his last public address. He was sent in pursuit of
Booth immediately after the President's assassination, assisting in the
capture. He was acquainted with both Booth and Spangler, and was one of the
assassins' guards in the penitentiary during their trial. His lecture on "The
Scenes and Incidents of the Assassination of Lincoln, and the Capture and
Trial of the Assassins" has been highly spoken of by the press. He was
honorably discharged from the service July 28, 1865, and returned home to
resume his profession. In 1867 he opened an office at No. 74 Water Street, and
for two summers spent one day a week at Walden, his old home. In 1879, on
account of poor health, he moved his office to his home, and for a short time
did work for his friends and old clients at his residence.

For several winters he attended special courses in clinics in New York City.
He was able to compete with any one in his line, being an expert in the
transplanting of teeth and in correcting irregularities. In the fall of 1891,
his health not improving any, he was compelled to give up dentistry entirely,
and with his son opened the store at No. 76 Broadway. He has been a mem-ber of
Ellis Post No. 52, G. A. R. (of which he is Past Commander), for twenty-five
years; also Newburgh Lodge No. 309, F. & A. M., and the Newburgh Veteran
Masonic Association. He was initiated into the order in Washington, D. C.,
while a soldier, and was demitted to Newburgh Lodge on his return from the
army. He has attended the Grand Army national encampments at Washington, D.
C., and New York City, being aide on the staff of Commander-in-Chief Maj.
William Warner, of Kansas City, besides attending a great number of state
encampments. He has also been on the department staff of New York State, and
always takes a great interest in all soldiers' and Grand Army gatherings. In
the Republican party he has been active, serving as a delegate to the
conventions of the county, state and city. His first vote was cast for Lincoln
(second term), and he has never missed a vote since. The Doctor has always
been a temperance man, and in May, 1867, was instrumental in starting Newburgh
Lodge of Good Templars, which is still in existence. He was District Deputy,
State Deputy, and the first County Chief Templar of Orange County.

At Vails Gate, Orange County, in 1867, Dr. Kidd was married to Sarah, daughter
of Henry McCormick, who was of Scotch descent and the owner of a cooperage.
Mrs. Kidd was born in Highland Mills, and by her marriage has become the
mother of two children: Cora E., who graduated from the Newburgh Academy, and
is now the wife of Edwin H. Harrison; and John Hampton, who is in business
with his father, and whose wife was formerly Carolyn Terwilliger, of
New-burgh. Mrs. Kidd's brother, Dewitt, was also in the army. The Doctor and
his wife have been members of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church for
twenty-seven years. He was Class-Leaderfor a number of years, and has always
taken great interest in the welfare of the church. In no order or society
outside of his church does he feel more in touch than with the Grand Army of
the Republic.