PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (KMTV) — Born in Ohio, Benton C. Kinkead fought within the Union Military through the Civil Battle, collaborating in iconic occasions just like the Battle of Shiloh. In the course of the Battle, he acquired shot, injured and captured.
“He returned to Marietta, Ohio,” American Legion Publish 56 member Michael Pauly mentioned. “And in 1864, and by 1871, had met and married his spouse, Cynthia. Cynthia Vest.”
Kinkead and his spouse had two daughters and moved to Plattsmouth.
“He had a profession in home portray, his spouse died and instantly, in 1910, he immigrated to Seattle to dwell together with his grown youngsters and by 1916 had succumbed to low-bar pneumonia,” Pauly mentioned.
For causes unknown to anybody his cremated stays stayed in Washington at a funeral residence. They have been by no means collected or despatched again to Plattsmouth for burial since his spouse was laid to relaxation at Oak Hill Cemetery.
“It wasn’t till the Lacking in America group discovered his ashes, came upon the resting place for his spouse, they usually returned the ashes right here to Plattsmouth,” Pauly mentioned.
American Legion members like Pauly and Kermit Reisdorph felt compelled to honor a hero who was devoted to maintaining this nation collectively.
“When his stays confirmed up right here after 105 years of sitting on a shelf, as veterans, we felt compelled to discover a remaining resting place for him,” Pauly mentioned.
For Pauly this procession offers us a telescope into our personal historical past.
“Historical past would not cease or start with one specific individual, it is solely a benchmark of the place we’re, and we will have a look at these benchmarks and decide who we change into based mostly on the place these benchmarks are,” Pauly mentioned.
Reisdorph feels a correct burial for Kinkead is the least a neighborhood can do to say “thanks” and to lastly “relaxation in peace.”
“Makes me really feel full gratitude that he’s buried, not solely as a veteran, however he is truly reunited together with his spouse after 111 years,” Reisdorph mentioned.
Here’s a link to the Missing in America project.
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