Kinsman Township is part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. It is more reflective of this connection than many communities because John Kinsman, one of 35 men who formed the Connecticut Land Company in 1795 to purchase the land and have it surveyed into five-mile-square townships, actually made this his home and encouraged his Connecticut neighbors to do likewise. Kinsman first saw his land in 1799, traveling via horseback with his brother-in-law Simon Perkins, an agent for the land company who would become the most prominent settler of nearby Warren. Their small entourage entered the area that would become Kinsman and built a cabin near the southeast corner of the current square. The Lakeshore and Southern Michigan Railway came through the area in 1873, leading to a flurry of entrepreneurial activity. A fire dramatically altered the face of the original square, but many new fashionable homes rose out of the ashes. The Kinsman Fair also became a major event in the area, drawing thousands to its commodious facilities. This book commemorates the rich history of Kinsman through vintage photographs.
About the Author :
The members of the Kinsman Historical Society collaborated on this project, drawing from the society's archives and from local private collections to compile this photographic history for the residents of Kinsman.
Review :
Title: Book on Kinsman history compiled Author: Staff Writer
Publisher: Tribune Chronicle
Date: 1/31/2010
KINSMAN - The Kinsman Historical Society has compiled a photographic history book on the township.
Historical society member Donna Carmichael said members took part in the community effort to put the book together and used archival photographs with distinctive stories from the past.
Chapter introductions were written by local historian and committee president Richard Webb, with research work done by Carmichael, Charlotte Meloni and Carol Karr. Composition and editing was by Emily Love.
Photos for the book were mainly from the historical society's collection and others borrowed from members of the community. Community members were also tapped for family stories, reminiscences and old documents.
Society members said the book is being presented as a gift to the citizens of Kinsman.
The book contains more than 200 vintage photographs of Kinsman, which is part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. John Kinsman, who was one of 35 men who formed the Connecticut Land Committee in 1795 to purchase the land and have it surveyed into five-mile square townships, made it his home.
Kinsman and his brother-in-law, Simon Perkins, an agent for the land company who would become the most prominent settler of nearby Warren, traveled to the area which would become Kinsman.
In 1873, the Lakeshore and Southern Michigan Railway came through the area leading entrepreneurial activity. Many fashionable homes were built in the square. The Kinsman Fair also became a major event in the area, drawing thousands.
The book is published by Arcadia Publishing, known for its ''Images of America'' series on local and regional history.
It will be available Feb. 8 for $21.99 at local bookstores or online at www.arcadiapublishing. com.
For orders, call Carmichael at 330-876-7866 or Webb at 330-876-3175.
