Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Kinney, John Fitch

KINNEY, John Fitch, jurist, b. in New Haven, Oswego co., N. Y., 2 April, 1816. After receiving an academic education, he studied law and settled in Marysville, Ohio, where he was admitted to the bar in 1837. In 1839 he removed to Mount Vernon, Ohio, practising law there till 1844, and then removed to Lee county, Iowa. He became secretary of the legislative council for Iowa territory, and also district attorney, and on the admission of Iowa as a state was appointed a judge of the supreme court, holding this office two years, after which he was elected to the same office by the legislature for a term of six years. In 1853 he was appointed by President Pierce chief justice of the supreme court of Utah, to which office he was again appointed in 1860. He was elected a delegate to congress as a Democrat, and served from 7 Dec., 1863, till 3 March, 1865.