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From: Peter A. Kincaid< >
Subject: [KINCAID-L] Rev. Joseph Kinkead
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 21:19:19 -0400

The following is research relating to Rev. Joseph Kinkead, a Presbyterian
Minister in Ireland in the mid 1700s. He is an interesting fellow!

*****
568. Kinkead, Joseph: b. Drumbuoy, nr. Newtowncunningham: lic. Letterkenny
Pres. 1743: ord.
Stranorlar, 4 Sept. 1745: res. 1755: officiated at Killinchy without any
formal appointment, 1755-
63: ins. Killinchy, 28 Apl. 1763: d. 20 July 1782.

Rev. Joseph Hay, Donoughmore, Co. Down, was a son-in-law.

[Ref.: Belf. News Letter, 26 July, 1782.]

Source:Research conducted for Peter Kincaid by Robert H. Bonar of The
Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, dated November 27, 1995. A note
written by Robert Bonar indicated that the above was photocopied from the
"Fasti Of The Irish Presbyterian Church."
*****

*****
Kinkead
/Horizontal stone on the ground. The Rev. Joseph Kinkead was Minister of
Killinchy 1744-1782/.
Time how short. Eternity how long. Here rest the remains of the Rev.
Joseph Kinkead, Protestant Dissenting Minister of Killinchy, died the 20th
of July 1782 in the 58th year of his age. Also Francis Kinkead otherwise
COCHRANE, the wife of the Rev. Joseph Kinkead, and a person of great worth,
who died Feb. the 18th 1769 aged 42 years. Also Joseph Kinkead, M.D. who
died Oct the 26 1769 aged 20 years. Also the body of Mrs. Catharine
Kinkead, widow of the above named Rev. Joseph Kinkead, who departed this
life the 15th March 1810 aged (7)1 years.

Source:Research conducted for Peter Kincaid by Robert H. Bonar of The
Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, dated November 27, 1995. The
above gravestone transcription was photocopied from what appears to be
titled "Killinchy Graveyard" and was found on page 23.
*****

*****
Rev. Joseph Kinkead

The Rev. Reid was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Kinkead. He was born at
Drumboy near Lifford, Co. Donegal, was licensed by the Presbytery in
Stanorlar on the 4th September 1745. He came to Killinchy in 1755.

He has been described as "a tall fair haired handsome man of somewhat hasty
temper".

Whatever his looks and temper may have been there is no doubt that he was a
most forceful and colourful character. Arrived at Killinchy he refused to
accept installation at the hands of the Presbytery of Killyleagh. The
refusal caused very considerable dissention in the congregation and led to a
protracted case in the courts of the church which culminated in the Synod of
Ulster at a meeting in Lurgan in 1760 annexing the congregation to the
Presbytery of Bangor.

On the 28th April 1763 the Rev. Kinkead was installed by the Presbytery of
Bangor as minister of Killinchy. Thus he is in the unique position among
the ministers of this church in that he was for eight years resident in
Killinchy and exercising pastoral oversight of the congregation before being
installed as minister.

Under his leadership the congregation went from strength to strength. In
1764 all the pews were let. Back pews were let for one shilling and
sevenpence, front pews for two shillings and eightpence. We can only
conjecture why there should be this difference in pew rents. It is unlikely
that the front pews were more popular and in greater demand. Present day
Presbyterians at any rate are not distinguished by any excessive urge to
occupy front pews. It may well be that back seats being cheaper were
intended to accommodate the poorer members
of the congregation who on account of being less expensively dressed sought
to be as inconspicuous as possible.

The church aisles today known as session room, road, Blackwater, and Calhame
were then known as Balloo, Kilmood, Tullynakill and Ladyland. The Ladyland
aisle received its name from the fact that the building of this aisle was
financed by Mr. William Hamilton of Ladyland (now Ashville). A separate
door gave access to the Ladyland pew from outside.

It was customary in those days to set up stalls on the roadside, opposite
the church to provide refreshments for those who had travelled some distance
to church. This practice which seems so strange to us, is perfectly natural
when we remember that people walked to church leaving home in many instances
shortly after breakfast. The church service was much longer then than now,
and did not conclude until mid or even late afternoon, therefore it was
necessary to provide
a light meal at the church, either during an interval in the service, or
before the congregation started out on the long walk home. No objection to
this practice was therefore raised until spirits from a nearby public house
appear on the stalls. For a few Sundays Mr. Kinkead preached against it and
warned the people to desist. When this proved ineffective the following Sunday
he took a stick, broke all the liquor bottles, demolished the stalls and
thus settled the question of roadside liquor traffic for the time being at
any rate.

Towards the end of his ministry Mr. Kinkead seems to have relinquished
pastoral visitation and the congregation began to show signs of dwindling.

In 1774 he was one of a group of ministers in the Presbytery of Bangor, who
refused to ordain Mr. Samuel Martin Stephenson to the charge of Greyabbey,
because of Mr. Stephenson's refusal to subscribe to the Westminister
confession of faith. About this time the congregation of Killinchy was
transferred from the Presbytery of Bangor to the Presbytery of Belfast.

He lived at Roseval, Ballyminstra, He died on 20th July 1782 aged 58 years.
There is a story that after his death "his body was arrested by two of his
creditors" presumably being returned only after his debts had been paid.
However "those men did not prosper, one of them immediately lost the use of
his hands, and the other when he got the money due by Mr. Kinkead lost it at
horseracing".

Mr Kinkead is interred in the churchyard, Killinchy.

Source:Research conducted for Peter Kincaid by Robert H. Bonar of The
Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, dated November 27, 1995. The
above biography was photocopied from "Killinchy: A brief history of
Christianity in the District, with special references to Presbyterianism" by
Rev. C.W. McKinney, B.A. and was found on page 42-44.
*****

See ya!

Peter A. Kincaid
Fredericton, NB, Canada

Editor of the Clan Kincaid Web Page at:
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~kincai

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