President Tyler’s Favorite
John Dafforne Kinsman was born in 1805 at Portland, Maine. His father was Nathan Kinsman, a respected lawyer who was considered one of Portland’s elites. It is likely that he grew up acquainted with the Edward Preble, Frederic Mellen and the Longfellow brothers, who were also the scions of prestigious Portlanders. Before entering college, Kinsman studied under Bowdoin professor Nehemiah Cleaveland between 1816 and 1817. Cleaveland had fond recollections of his student, calling Kinsman “bright and amiable.” Around 16 years of age, Kinsman matriculated at Bowdoin. There he joined the Peucinian Society and spent a year boarding with Horatio Bridge and William Hale at Mr. A. Dunning’s. Junior and Senior year Kinsman lived in the same room in Winthrop hall, and he spent his final semesters there with James Ware Bradbury. Kinsman was regarded as one of the better students in his class. He only received one fine for misbehavior and it was under unusual circumstances. Kinsman was also invited to speak some declamations and exhibitions starting in his Junior Year. In 1824, he was part of a Conference about “Printing in its Effect on Learning, Liberty and Religion.” At Commencement, Kinsman received the class rank of sixteen and gave a Conference about “The Writings of Byron, Scott, and Irving” along with John Abbott and Seward Wyman. He was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was acknowledged for taking courses at the Maine Medical School.
After graduating from Bowdoin, Kinsman followed in his father’s footsteps. He first obtained a Master’s degree in 1828 and then returned to Portland to start practicing law. Kinsman was regarded as one of the most successful lawyers in Maine. Cleaveland recounts how, “He could speak with ease and effect; his manners were affable, his talents popular.” By 1836, Kinsman was believed to have the largest practice of any lawyer in Portland. Beyond law, Kinsman’s interests extended to the military and politics. He actively campaigned for the Whigs in the election of 1840 and, when they won, President John Tyler appointed Kinsman as the United States Marshal for Maine. Kinsman served in this role until James Polk became President in 1845. The attorney then decided to take leave of Maine and move to Wisconsin. He lived in the Midwest for a few years and then returned to Maine, settling in Belfast. This would be his final move, as Kinsman died in Belfast in 1850, at the age of 44. He left behind his wife, Angela Cutter Kinsman, and one son.