The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
-
In reply to:
David Kyne in Austin, Texas - Museum
David Kyne 12/15/00
BETWEEN:
DAVID A. KYNE, bac., (hon), maitrise
-and-
DAVID KYNE, Esq., etc.,
_______________________
IN THE MATTER OF:
The "Kyne House Museum," Lincoln, Kansas, etc.,
Sir:
My name is David A. Kyne. I live in Québec. I assume that I am an relation to you in some respect.
You state that you are seeking information regarding the "Kyne House Museum" in Lincoln, Kansas. I corresponded with Museum staff earlier this year, with regard to the provenance of the name and it's former inhabitants.
In the first instance, the Kyne House is named for the family who lived in (but who did not build) this residence.The house itself was built by an Scandinavian who wanted the contract to build the county courthouse in Lincoln; but the local "elite" wanted him to show them what he could do. Therefore, he built this rather small (by our standards), but very strongly made two story stone house. And he won the contract to build the courts.
The house was actually purchased and lived in by one Timothy P. Kyne. An relative of mine (and yours). Timothy emigrated from Ireland c. 1858. He was from Oughterard, on the western shore of Lough Corrib, County Galway, Province of Connaught. He apparently lived in Washington, DC during the Civil War. At war's end he joined a track laying crew working across the Great Plains. He "jumped off" when he had made enough money to purchase and homestead an tract of land in Kansas. It was not unusual for Irish and other recent imigrants, earning their way in America (unlike today), to do this sort of thing.
According to museum staff, Timothy's wife was caught in one of the last "skirmishes" between encroaching White settlers and the dispossessed and expropriated Indians. Apparently she and their child made it safely across an river in the neighbourhood.But an neighbour,s wife and family were not so fortunate. Timothy's whereabouts are not elucidated;perhaps he continued to work on the railroad as an seasonal labourer until the farm began to pay.
Timothy's family lived in the house into the 20th century. His last living relative was an daughter or grand-daughter who deeded the house to the town. C. the 1970's or 1980's the house was floated into town (or nearer to town) and made an tourist attraction.
It contains some items of furniture made by Timothy himself. And the house is rather badly decorated on the exterior by wagon wheels and old farm implements. Which add nothing to the structure external esthetics.
Timothy was an Catholic, but as so often happened in "the Old West" his descendents lost their faith and lapsed to whatever denomination of Protestantism was dominant in the area.His great-great niece (I suppose) an Ms. Tracee Hamilton has some unremunerated consultative role in the place. She is apparently an teacher and an local journalist who writes articles for the local newspaper.
Incidentally, during the Second World War, the USNavy built and commissioned the USSKYNE, an Cannon Class Destroyer, sold to the breaker's yard (sadly) in 1973. She was built and named in honour of one Elden Francis Kyne, Machinist (First Class) KIA, (killed in Action) aboard USSAstoria, 1942, at Savo Island, Phillippines. He was from Ringgold, Nebraska, just north of Kansas, on the same railway line which passes thru Lincoln, Kansas to the south. He may have been an nephew/grand-nephew of Timothy.
If Timothy had any other living relatives who followed him out to America, or anticipated his arrival, the museum staff have no answers; they know only his immediate family around Lincoln. But he did spend some time in St. Louis, before coming out to Kansas; he might have had an relative there who housed him and assisted him till he found work on the railroad. Who knows. I note that I found an one page site listing an Charles Kyne who married an Agnes Robertson in 1865. The place of marriage was not noted; I assume the guy who put it up was a Mormon seeking long-lost relatives to post-humously "baptize." But the server was out of the state of Illinois, I think. Perhaps Charles was an brother or cousin of Timothy.
If you have any questions about the Kyne family in the United States, or "canada," you can reply to my mail, supra.
Sincerly Yours,
_____________
David A. Kyne, bac., (hon), maitrise
janvier 01, 01
Happy New Year.
My father is from Galway City, and his father was from Headford Village, County Galway. My father attended "UCG" (Engineering, Class of '55).Some of my cousins attended UCD in the 70's and 80's.Their names were Evelyn and Karen Kyne, from Roscommon.
More Replies:
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
11/02/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
12/08/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
1/20/02
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
Peggy Young 8/04/05
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
1/15/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
2/01/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
3/02/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
Peggy Wider 1/18/02
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
9/27/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
1/15/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
2/25/01
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
Peggy Wider 1/18/02
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas
-
Re: The Kyne House Museum in Lincoln, Kansas