EDWARD VanSCHOONHOVEN KINSLEY

Edward Van Schoonhoven Kinsley, the son of Zebina James 

Duncan Kinsley and Eliza (Van Schoonhoven) Kinsley, was 

born at West Point, N.Y., July 11, 1825.  He fitted for college 

with Hon. A.N. Skinner, at New Haven, and his own father at 

West Point.  He entered with the class as a freshman.  

After receiving his diploma, he studied law, and was 

admitted to the bar at the November General Term of the 

Supreme Court at New York, Nov., 1848.  After the death 

of his father, whom he had aided in teaching, he succeeded 

him as principal of the Classical and Mathematical School 

at West Point in 1849.  Some years later, he made a visit of 

nearly a year to Europe, and had a narrow escape from 

drowning by falling overboard as he was returning.  The death of his father and four sisters was 

sudden.  Two of his sisters were lost in the burning of the Henry Clay on the Hudson River, 1851.  

For several years, he suffered much from ill health.  In the autumn of 1867, he sailed for Europe, 

and, visiting London, Paris and Madrid, was so much pleased with his reception at the United States 

Legation in the latter city, that he prolonged his stay until March 7, 1868, when, by the aid of the 

chaplain of the British Embassy, he was united in marriage to Lizzie L., daughter of Hon. John P. 

Hale, American Minister at Madrid.  After nine months of journeying through Spain, Switzerland, 

Belgium and France, they returned to Madrid, where he became private secretary to the U.S. 

Minister, and afterwards for several months Acting Secretary of Legation.  

Later, in 1869, he spent several months in Paris, where a son, John Parker Hale Kinsley, was born, 

October 2, baptized by Rev. Dr. Robinson, of the American Chapel, and not long after buried in the 

cemetery of Antenie.  The next winter he visited Italy, and returning through Germany reached home 

at West Point in June, 1870.  

He attends church at the Chapel of the Military Academy. P.O. address, West Point, N.Y.

 From the 1910 DKE Catalogue

B.A., M.A., Yale College

Founder, DKE