David Kinsey Home / David Kinsey Home

David Kinsey, the founder of Caledonia village, settled on this site on April 13, 1856. He replaced his temporary lodging, a board shanty, with a plank house shortly after he arrived. Occasionally, Indians would be found sleeping on the first floor wrapped in blankets. In 1872-73 Kinsey built a brick house, which stood here until a fire in 1976 gutted it. The owners completed the restoration and reconstruction of the building in 1988, which included the addition of a summer kitchen built from parts of an old barn. David Kinsey was born in Dumfries, Ontario, Canada, on August 22, 1830. In 1855 he came with his brother Isaac to Gaines Township. Kinsey laid out and platted the village of Caledonia, where he settled. Kinsey started a farm on this site, which was crossed by the Grand Valley Railroad in 1870. He offered two village lots to the man who would build the first house in Caledonia. He also offered two lots for the site of the United Brethren Church. He died on his farm in May 1892.