Cambria County, Part 2 of 8: Edward Kinkead

In 1986 -- the final year of his life –- Chester Edward Kinkead of Monaca, Pennsylvania, sat down and wrote out his earliest memories.
His father Charles had met his mother Katherine while working as a coal miner in West Virginia. They married in 1898, and had a daughter named Frances the following year. Edward himself (he preferred his middle name) was born in the last hour of the last day of the 19th century – December 31st, 1900 – but by that point he was an only child. Frances had died from cholera three months before.

Edward’s family moved around frequently as his father took different coal mining jobs. His younger brother Charles was born in Coalport, Clearfield County, in 1902. Thomas was born in Garrett, Somerset County, in 1904. After the family moved to Llanfair, Cambria County, their final child was born.

Edward writes, “Their fifth child named Jennie was born June 2, 1906. My mother developed bad, bad heart trouble and died June 22, 1906, leaving four children. Edward – 5, Charles – 3, Thomas – 1, and Jennie – 20 days.”

But “bad, bad heart trouble” was the explanation a father could a five-year-old. Katherine’s death certificate listed puerperal hemorrhage and anemia as the causes of death. It wasn't heart trouble -- Edward's mother died of complications from childbirth.
Edward continues, “I can barely remember my father taking us children to kiss our mother goodbye. Everybody wondered what our father would do with the children.” Indeed, the loss of his wife put Charles in a difficult position. He could not both work and take care of all his children.

Extended family members offered to take in a child, but Charles would only part with his newborn. His brother Herb and sister-in-law Delila wren't able to have children of their own, so they “arranged to take Jennie and raise her without adoption which they did for the rest of their lives.”

Edward, Charles, and Thomas stayed with their father and moved to Barnesboro. There, he could find work while also staying close to Katherine’s family. During that period, Charles (Sr.) worked in different places around Barnesboro – Spangler, West Branch, Cymbria, and Greenwich. For church, they traveled to nearby Germantown.

Edward went to elementary school in Greenwich until sixth grade, when he walked to Barnesboro. He writes that “for two winters I lived with Uncle Herb, Aunt Delila, and Jennie, who thought I was her cousin.” It is unclear if Edward ever corrected the misperception.

In April 1917, while Edward was 16 years-old, the United States declared war on Germany. On May 29th, 1918, he enlisted as a private and was assigned to the 315th Cavalry Regiment. I suspect Edward lied about his age. When he filled out his Veteran’s Compensation paperwork in 1934, he listed 1899 as his birth year because -- I think -- that's what he put on his enlistment paperwork when he was 17. His grave marker shows his true birth year.

Edward’s time in the Army was brief. In August 1918, he went into the 71st Field Artillery, but the war ended before he could deploy overseas. He mustered out of the Army at Fort Knox in January 1919 and went back to civilian life in Monaca, an hour northwest of Pittsburgh.

Soldiers and sailors from Monaca who had deployed returned throughout that year, and on August 9th participated in a parade. Apparently, the spectacle convinced Edward that he’d missed out on the experience of a lifetime; on August 17th, he enlisted in the Navy for two years.
Edward’s first assignment was on the armored cruiser USS South Dakota (ACR-9), followed by a storeship, the USS Pompey. Both ships were part of the Far East Squadron that was based in the Philippines and China, so Edward spent his years as an apprentice seaman travelling across the East China Sea.
When Edward finished his enlistment, he received a ticket aboard the USS transport ship Logan from Manila to San Francisco, and once state-side received his second military discharge.

Edward returned to Monaca, and found work as an electrician at a steel mill. He married Margaret B. Henry in 1924, and had three children: John (1926-2014), Norma (1929-2001), and Richard (1931-2019).

Edward’s life seems to have brought him a great deal of satisfaction. His obituary stated that he retired as a foreman at Teledyne Vasco, and was active in the local chapter of the American Legion, having held every office. In recognition of his contributions to Monaca’s Allaire Park, there’s a park shelter named for him. He also served as president and chief of the Monaca Volunteer Fire Department for 14 years.

Edward was survived by his wife, his three children, 12 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren, many of which appeared in this family picture.
Rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky said, "The earth is the cradle of the mind, but one cannot live in a cradle forever.” Edward Kinkead showed the same is true of western Pennsylvania.

It was where he grew up, where chose to spend most of his life, and where he died. But I think Edward's time away from Pennsylvania was what allowed him to truly appreciate the family he had there. [Grave location]