University of Virginia Library

KINKEAD.

The Kinkeads were early settlers in the western part of
the county. As far as can be made out, there were three
brothers of the name, David, Joseph and James. In 1746
David patented nearly eight hundred acres on the north fork
of Rockfish, and the next year four hundred more on Stockton's
Creek. By entry and purchase together, the family
connection became the owners of not far from three thousand
acres in that vicinity. Joseph, James and John, probably
the son of Joseph, appear as subscribers to the call of Rev.
Samuel Black in 1747. The homes of Joseph and James
were situated about half a mile west of Immanuel Church,
on the place now owned by Rev. Dabney Davis. An old
graveyard, a few hundred yards south of Mr. Davis's house,
is still known in the neighborhood as the Kinkead burying
ground; a broken down wall, and a few rough stones, are all
that mark the spot. James died in 1762, leaving three sons,
Thomas, John and James, and probably two more, Matthew
and Andrew, and a daughter, the wife of Ninian Clyde.
Joseph died in 1774. His children were Jean, the wife of
Hugh Alexander, John, and Ruth, the wife of Andrew Grier.

Hugh Alexander had a mill, which at one time was a noted
centre in that section; roads were made to it from every quarter.
It was built on Stockton's Creek, not far from the foot of

the hill west of Hillsboro. In subsequent years it was known
as Keyes's, and still later as Humphrey's Mill. It is supposed
Andrew Grier was one of the early merchants of that vicinity.
He was the owner of nearly six hundred acres adjoining Yellow
Mountain, which, likely in liquidation of his debts, he
conveyed in 1766 to Jeremiah Parker and Richard Warden,
merchants of Philadelphia. In the course of years part of
this land passed into the hands of John Lobban Jr., and part
into the hands of Dr. Peter B. Bowen. A grandson of Joseph
Kinkead married a daughter of Adam Dean, another early
settler on Stockton's Creek, and in December 1898, there died
in Greenbrier County, Adam Dean Kinkead, doubtless their
son, at the age of ninety-two. All of the kindred bearing
the name, seem to have removed from the county before
the close of the last century. Its latest appearance on the
records occurs in 1784, when Jean, the widow of James, sold
to Abner Wood a parcel of land in what is known as the
Piper and Patrick neighborhood. She was at that time a resident
of Rockbridge County. In the Black call the name is
spelled Kincaid.