(Circa 1988)

THE VINCENT KINKEAD HOUSE

     The VINCENT KINKEAD HOUSE is located on Hillsboro Road near its intersection with Highway "O" out of Esther, Missouri.   The original owner of the home was William R. Taylor.  The two-story house is "L" shaped with a limestone block foundation.  According to Vincent Kinkead, the construction of this home was commenced by Mr. Taylor with slave labor in the 1860's.   The story goes that during construction the slaves were freed and Mr. Taylor supposedly had to borrow money to finish the home.  The roof is of steel, painted white. The original roof was of cedar shakes. The back section was believed to have housed the slaves because the front or main part of the house has a staircase and the back has its own staircase. At one time, neither section could be reached by the same stairs because a solid wall separated the two sections.   Mr. Kinkead advises that about 45 years ago a door was cut between the two sections.  Walls are over one- foot thick made up of bricks. There are three fireplaces – one on each end of the front of the house, and one for the back. The Kinkead family have subsequently added a front porch held up by six white pillars of wood.  

    This home has now been in the Kinkead family for over 100 years.  In fact, Vincent Kinkead advises that he was born in the very same room that his father and grandfather were born in!  Vincent Kinkead is the son of Gladden Kinkead and Frances (Ashburn) Kinkead.  His grandfather was Nicholas Kinkead who was a descendant of Samuel Kinkead who is thought to have come to the Libertyville area of St. Francois County about 1810. 

    The Kinkead farm is one of the few "Century Farms" still existing in St. Francois County (meaning the farm has been in the same family for over 100 years).   The Kinkead family have raised Hereford Cattle for many, many years and is one of only a few families in the entire United States (and possibly the only one in Missouri)  which has been in the business of raising Hereford cattle for over 100 years on the same farm. 

        We thank Vincent Kinkead for contacting us and graciously providing us with most of the information above.  

      [Click HERE to view article concerning "Century Farm" presentation which contains  more history and pictures concerning the Kinkead Hereford Farm.]