IRA KINNINGHAM was born in Gloscester County, in the State of Virginia, on the 4th day of June, 1796. His father, William Kinningham, was of English descent. His mother, whose maiden name was Catharine Killagrew, was a native of Scotland. It is thought to be the same name now known as Killabrew. There were nine children, four sons and five daughters. Ira was the sixth. Of this number there is now but one living, besides himself: William, who resides in the State of Mississippi, and who, although in his 87th year, is quite active, and being a zealous Methodist, his seat is seldom vacant at church, and it is worthy of remark, that he and the wife of his early youth are still living happily together, each able to attend regularly to their household affairs, though sixty long years have passed away since their marriage.
When Ira was about nine years old, his father died, leaving his mother the heavy burden of a large family, consisting of seven children--two having died. Although at this early age deprived of a father's counsel, yet the early impressions made upon his mind by the constant and deep toned piety of his father while living, warmly seconded by the mother in all the work of family training, were deep and lasting.
The father and mother were strict members of the Methodist Church; the father a class-leader. We here give the language of the son: "With strange commingling of joy and sorrow do I call up the scenes which occurred around the family altar, which was regularly attended by my parents. Preparatory to offering up prayer, my father would read a lesson from the dear, blessed, old family Bible. Then would all the family engage in singing one of the old hymns that used to gladden the hearts of God's spiritual Israel. Well do I remember the sweet melodious voice of my now sainted mother, her love of sacred song, and the heart often overflowing with true Christian love, thus rendering it wonderfully impressive. After the death of my father, the family altar was not forgotten nor neglected. My mother encouraged my brother and myself to take up the cross. Her mind being burdened with the care of her family and her afflictions and bereavements, only had the tendency to draw her nearer the Savior. Can I forget the lessons thus taught and impressed? Surely never, not in this life, nor in the life to come."
At the age of sixteen, our subject became a soldier in the late war with England. He served in this capacity for two and a half years. Through the whole of this period, notwithstanding the tendency of camp-life to obliterate from the mind and heart all religious impressions; yet so deep were the impressions made in his early training, that they followed him through all the corrupting scenes, as well as all the horrors of war.
Soon after the close of the war, his mother died. Having now nothing specially to detain or employ him in Virginia, his attention was directed to the then new and interesting State of Tennessee. In the year 1817, he removed to Tennessee and settled, sometime afterward, in Franklin County, near what is now Decherd Station, on the Nashville and Chattanooga Rail Road. The country was new and thinly settled, few churches and a great scarcity of preachers; consequently there was, comparatively, little religious interest.
Not very long after he settled in Tennessee, some of the preachers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, began to visit Franklin County, and he occasionally heard them preach. Among these were Rev. Messrs. Robt. Donnell, J. B. Porter, Robert Bell and Samuel King. The earnestness with which these men preached the gospel, their searching appeals to sinners, brought vividly to the mind of our subject the lessons he had learned in childhood and early youth. He was still irreligious; but was religiously inclined. As the result of his early training he was entirely free from all the grosser vices, by which a large majority of the youths of that day were overcome, especially those left as he was without a father to watch over them. He was truly moral. He never swore an oath in his life, never attended a ball or dancing party, nor played a game of cards, or any game of hazard, nor engaged in any kindred vices.
The remaining portion of this sketch is given in the language of the subject himself:
In the year 1820, a camp-meeting was held at Mt. Carmel, on Bean's Creek, in Franklin County, near where the village called Salem now stands. Among the preachers at this meeting were J. B. Porter, M. B. Feemster and Aaron Alexander. On Sabbath evening of this meeting, a request was made of all parents to unite in urging their irreligious children to turn from their sins and at once become the servants of God. I had gone up into the stand to witness the scene, and, beholding parents interested, children coming forward at the earnest solicitations of parents, the thought occurred to me that I had no parents on earth to be interested for me: no near relatives or friends to invite me forward. The thought almost overwhelmed me, remembering my parents and their interest in me while living. I at once gave vent to my feelings, and commenced in earnest to seek the Savior. That very night, after a hard struggle, I trust and believe, I committed myself, soul, body and spirit, into the hands of the Lord, and realized the gracious truth "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life," and "He that is born of God, hath the witness in himself."
Soon after this, I united with the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Goshen. This church is extensively known. Its location is near the town of Winchester, the county seat of Franklin County. The bench of elders at that time were Major John Cowan, James Kieth, Esq., Geo. Davidson and Benjamin Wear. I have lived in the communion of this church ever since, though now a citizen of Manchester, in Coffee County: still my membership is at Goshen.
On the 17th day of January, 1822, I was married to Miss Sallie Cowan, daughter of Robert and Nancy Cowan, with whom I lived happily until the 3d day of July, 1855, a little over thirty-three years. We raised eight sons and one daughter. Three sons have passed away: the other five and daughter are still living. All these except one who died in infancy, were and are members at Goshen. These with their children and grand-children, about fifty in number, make up a large portion of Goshen church.
About the year 1836 I was made a Ruling Elder in said congregation. In this capacity I served them while in their bounds. I have attended 55 annual communion meetings at Goshen, the 56th (1876,) comes off the last of this week, and I am preparing to go. I have attended many meetings, and assisted in my humble way, in advancing the good cause in the surrounding counties and in the northern part of Alabama. I was at the first prayer-meeting held by Cumberland Presbyterians in the town of Winchester. I was at the revival under Rev. George Donnell, which resulted in the organization of the church in that town.
I was married to my second wife, Mrs. Sallie Shaw, in the year 1860. We lived happily together for something over five years, when by the fell hand of the monster Death, I was again left a widower. I was married to my present wife, Mrs. M. M. Roads, in 1873, since which time I have resided in the town of Manchester, where I have church privileges and Sabbath School.
I have good health for one of my age. I am generally able to attend church, in which I find my highest enjoyment. Truly I can say, the Lord has been gracious to me, and can fully adopt the language of David "I once was young, but now am old, but I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread."
The author of this little book would do violence to his own feelings were he to let this occasion pass, unimproved, to give his testimony to the worth of this old and faithful servant of the Lord. My opportunities for knowing him well have been good. He was associated as a church member and neighbor with my grand-parents--was an associate of my father from early manhood until the death of the latter when an old man. He witnessed the conversion of my mother, and was present when she joined the church fifty years ago. Was an acquaintance and friend to the day of her triumphant death. Personally I have known him from my earliest recollection to the present date. I have never known a more earnest and consistent Christian, nor one more generally respected. He had the confidence of every body. I never heard any one, or heard of any one, speaking evil of him, or in any way doubting his motives. He will have many stars of rejoicing in his crown.
During the fifty-seven years he has been a member and elder of Goshen, a great many have been converted, who have gone forth into various parts of the country as leading christians in their various communities, very many of them ministers of the gospel. Some of these last are: Joseph Pinkney Morrison, now a very old minister at Glennville, Cal.; Samuel Montgomery Cowan, now living at Tullahoma, Tenn., but superannuated, after a life of great activity and usefulness; Oliver D. Street, who died in early life; John Calvin Wear, who lived to be an old and useful minister in South Alabama, and died only a few years ago; and others of the early ministers of our Church, besides quite a number of the more recent ministers.
[Source: Crisman, E. B. Biographical Sketches of Living Old Men, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in Six Volumes. Vol. I. St. Louis, Mo.: Perrin and Smith, Steam Book and Job Printers, 1877, pages 116-124]