LORANZEY D. KIMZEY. The farming districts of Illinois have produced some
of its most able business men, and many of those who are now following
business careers in the cities and villages 'received their training as
agriculturists and entered mercantile pursuits only after years of tilling
the soil. Jackson county has many such men, and they may be counted among
their most representative citizens. Prominent among them in his community is
Loranzey D. Kimzey, the proprietor of a large grocery and meat market at
Fordyce, who in addition to being a valuable addition to those who have
charge of the commercial interests of his section, has proven himself an
able and conscientious public official. Mr. Kimzey was born on a farm in
Hard in county, Illinois, October 22, 1868, and is a son of Ephraim and Mary
(Schumacher) Kimzey.
Ephraim H. Kimzey was a native of Kentucky, but
was a stanch Union man, and at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war he
left his native state to come to Illinois, and here enlisted as a member of
Company E, Forty-eighth Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, and served three
years and six months, or until he was badly wounded and received his
honorable discharge on account of disability. At the age of twenty-five
years he was married in Hardin county to Miss Mary Schumacher, of that
locality, and three children were born to this union: Loranzey D., Milo and
C. A. After his marriage Mr. Kimzey engaged in farming in Hardin county, but
eventually sold that land and came to Jackson county, and until his death,
in 1888, was engaged in farming near Murphysboro. His widow is still living,
on a farm near Sand Ridge. Mr. Kimzey was a stanch Republican in his
politics, and was a popular comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic.
L. D. Kimzey received his education in the public schools of Hardin
county, and was engaged in farming with his father until seventeen years of
age in that locality. At that time the family came to Jackson county, and he
remained in association with his father until the latter 's death, at which
time he purchased a farm of his own. Reared to agricultural pursuits, and
taught scientific methods of farming, Mr. Kimzey was successfully pursuing
that vocation, but decided to try his ability in the mercantile field, and
during the early months of 1911 rented his land, moved to Fordyce. and there
purchased the grocery and meat market of R. Grain. As a business man he has
shown himself to be enterprising, progressive and capable, as well as
possessed of the attributes which enable a man to successfully follow more
than one vocation. He has built up his business considerably, added needed
reforms, and established himself firmly in the confidence and esteem of the
people of his adopted locality. Like his father a stalwart Republican, Mr.
Kimzey has served as highway commissioner of Sand Ridge township, was school
director several years, and is at present acting as township treasurer.
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr.
Kimzey was married at the age of twenty-five years, to Miss Celesta C.
Porter, of Jackson county, daughter of L. D. Porter, a farmer of Sand Ridge
township, and to this union there have been born four children: Walter,
Helen, Lucevia and Ida. Mr. and Mrs. Kimzey are well and favorably known in
their locality, and have numerous warm, personal friends.
Extracted 15 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 922-923.