Traveling Through Nebraska's Historic Figures: Moses Kinkaid
Moses Kinkaid was a prominent figure in Nebraska's early history, best known for his advocacy of the federal land law in 1904, commonly referred to as the Kinkaid Act. As a congressman representing Nebraska's 6th congressional district from 1903 to 1913, Kinkaid saw an opportunity to provide relief to the state's agricultural sector, particularly for settlers in the Sandhills region.
Kinkaid, born on January 24, 1856, in Morgantown, West Virginia, arrived in O'Neill, which is a small town in central Nebraska near the North Loup River, in 1880. Prior to this, he worked as an educator and later studied law. As a young lawyer, he practiced in O'Neill, allowing him to develop ties with local farmers and ranchers and fostering a deep understanding of their challenges.
In 1901, Nebraska was hit by severe drought and, consequently, saw large-scale abandonment of homesteads by settlers. Seeing the opportunity to implement legislation that would mitigate the impact of this drought on farmers and incentivize settlers to remain, Kinkaid advocated for an expansion of the Homestead Act. This advocacy led to the eventual passage of the Kinkaid Act on April 28, 1904. This law allowed for an increase in the size of land available to settlers from 160 to 640 acres, as well as requiring settlers to demonstrate the ability to irrigate 40% of their claimed lands, making it a unique land-entry provision under U.S. law.
Kinkaid also sought to demonstrate the potential and feasibility of the new legislation through personal involvement. He filed on a 640-acre claim in Rock Creek Township, Arthur County, where he farmed for an extended period. Other notable landholders of the area include a band of settlers who established themselves in Lake McConaughy, a site located about 20 miles north of present-day Ogallala, and established various agricultural communities.
Kinkaid also invested a significant amount of money in his advocacy efforts. By utilizing pamphlets, print media, and mail distribution, he sought to alert settlers of the opportunities the new legislation presented. With his aggressive advertising techniques, individuals were drawn from across the United States to move to the Sandhills region and establish settlements. Some examples of the success of the Kinkaid Act include large tracts of improved lands around Thomas County, such as Cody and Wood Lake.
Kinkaid was also pivotal in various other pioneering endeavors in the region, including a partnership that promoted and capitalized funds for an irrigation canal system within the Sandhills, thereby offering settlers adequate incentives for coming to the U.S. western frontier. With the introduction of agricultural extension to several growing communities and enhanced land development with state and private resources, settlers that flocked to the area eventually formed close-knit groups, learning to create functional uses for their area's limited resources.
Kinkaid retired from Congress in 1913 and practiced law until his death on July 6, 1922. Throughout his lifetime, Kinkaid persisted in increasing the agricultural wealth and security for inhabitants of the American Heartland, promoting Nebraskan land legislation that eventually created growth and transformation in the state.
Kinkaid, born on January 24, 1856, in Morgantown, West Virginia, arrived in O'Neill, which is a small town in central Nebraska near the North Loup River, in 1880. Prior to this, he worked as an educator and later studied law. As a young lawyer, he practiced in O'Neill, allowing him to develop ties with local farmers and ranchers and fostering a deep understanding of their challenges.
In 1901, Nebraska was hit by severe drought and, consequently, saw large-scale abandonment of homesteads by settlers. Seeing the opportunity to implement legislation that would mitigate the impact of this drought on farmers and incentivize settlers to remain, Kinkaid advocated for an expansion of the Homestead Act. This advocacy led to the eventual passage of the Kinkaid Act on April 28, 1904. This law allowed for an increase in the size of land available to settlers from 160 to 640 acres, as well as requiring settlers to demonstrate the ability to irrigate 40% of their claimed lands, making it a unique land-entry provision under U.S. law.
Kinkaid also sought to demonstrate the potential and feasibility of the new legislation through personal involvement. He filed on a 640-acre claim in Rock Creek Township, Arthur County, where he farmed for an extended period. Other notable landholders of the area include a band of settlers who established themselves in Lake McConaughy, a site located about 20 miles north of present-day Ogallala, and established various agricultural communities.
Kinkaid also invested a significant amount of money in his advocacy efforts. By utilizing pamphlets, print media, and mail distribution, he sought to alert settlers of the opportunities the new legislation presented. With his aggressive advertising techniques, individuals were drawn from across the United States to move to the Sandhills region and establish settlements. Some examples of the success of the Kinkaid Act include large tracts of improved lands around Thomas County, such as Cody and Wood Lake.
Kinkaid was also pivotal in various other pioneering endeavors in the region, including a partnership that promoted and capitalized funds for an irrigation canal system within the Sandhills, thereby offering settlers adequate incentives for coming to the U.S. western frontier. With the introduction of agricultural extension to several growing communities and enhanced land development with state and private resources, settlers that flocked to the area eventually formed close-knit groups, learning to create functional uses for their area's limited resources.
Kinkaid retired from Congress in 1913 and practiced law until his death on July 6, 1922. Throughout his lifetime, Kinkaid persisted in increasing the agricultural wealth and security for inhabitants of the American Heartland, promoting Nebraskan land legislation that eventually created growth and transformation in the state.
