Andrew Wallace Kinross the son of John Kinross, a farmer, is believed to have been born on June 6, 1844 at Alva Parrish, Sterling County, in west-midland Scotland. The parish and barony of Alva is a part of the county of Sterling, although it happens to be totally disjoined from every part of it. The parish is locally situated in Clackmannanshire, and formerly belonged to that county, by which it is bounded on all sides except the north, where it touches Perthshire. Some say Alva was located in Clackmannanshire, the smallest in area of the historic counties of Scotland, but during most of the 19th Century, Clackmannanshire consisted of the four parishes of Alloa, Clackmannan, Dollar and Tillicoultry and the administrative County also included parts of Logie and Stirling parishes. In 1891 the parish of Alva was transferred in to the County, taking in one of the Clackmannanshire parts of Logie parish, the other parts of Logie and Stirling parishes, formerly in the County for administrative purposes, were transferred away. This historic situation and the changes which took place in ‘1891’ can sometimes be confusing for genealogists and lead to wrong assumptions regarding the birthplace of Kinross. For instance, someone born in Menstrie may have said correctly that they were born in Clackmannanshire, but the record of their birth would actually be found in Logie parish; as was the case of Kinross.

But there is no birth record for an Andrew Wallace Kinross anywhere in Scotland, nor are there any other births of siblings to him and his wife.  John Kinross and Jane Wallace were married in Alva, though, on December 30, 1843, but neither were born in Alva. One can only assume that Andrew adopted the Scots birthplace.  By the 1840's   most births were recorded, but of course there is always the exception. The mandatory recording of births was not compulsory until 1855 and there also are no Kinross names on the 1851 census for Alva Parrish.

The 1851 census of England records the family, John and Jane, their daughter, Elizabeth, and sons Andrew and William, had moved to Staunton, in Worcestershire, England; and were living with Andrew Kinross, a 56 year old laborer. They continued living there until their departure from England aboard the ship ‘Oliver’; arriving in New York City on July 20, 1855.

After migrating to America he worked as a farmer in his early years before entering military service, enlisting on July 26, 1861 at age seventeen as a private into what was to become the 21st Missouri Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company A, at Springfield, Missouri. Some have confused his enlistment date and company with that of ‘Andrew Kinross’ of Company “I”; but his enlistment in Co. “I” did not occur until 1864.

At the beginning of the war, Missourians had hoped to sit out the fighting and remain neutral, but clashes between Union and Confederate forces, and bands of secessionist Missourians, made that impossible. As a result, U.S. Congressman Frank Blair and Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon began organizing Union state guard regiments for Missouri counties. William Bishop and others were authorized to "enlist as many as is thought advisable to serve the government for as long a period as will be necessary." Bishop was told by Lyon to return to Clark County and "organize, equip and swear into service home guardsmen." Bishop quickly turned to former Ohioan and Mexican War veteran David Moore of Wrightsville, and on June 24, 1861, took the oath of loyalty to the Union; returning to duty as a captain of volunteers. On that same day, handbills were printed inviting "all who are willing to fight for their homes, their county, and the flag of our glorious Union" to join him, "bringing their arms and ammunition."

Moore's small band soon grew to 54 and by the end of the month some 3.000 men had been formed into a state home guard. Troops raised by Moore and others were assembled at Kahoka, in the heart of Clark County, on July 4, 1861, and formed into the 1st Northeast Missouri Home Guards with Moore as colonel of the regiment. In nearby Lewis County on July 15, 1861, the Lewis County Home Guard of four companies, with 300 men, raised by Stephen W. Carnegy, were turned over to its commander, Colonel Humphrey Marshall Woodyard. Woodyard's command later became the 2nd Northeast Missouri Home Guard.

The 1st Northeast Missouri unionists fought two small battles with Missouri Confederate units in late July 1861 at Warsaw and Athens and established Moore as a fearless commander. The 2nd Northeast Missouri fought at Clapp's Ford in mid-August 1861 and then joined with Moore's troops at Fairmont, Mo., on August 18. The two regiments pursued Rebel forces commanded by Confederate Colonel Martin E. Greene until September 11, while Moore and Woodyard were sent to Canton, Mo., against enemy units in northeastern Missouri; from September through November 1861.

By December 1861, neither Moore nor Woodyard could find enough recruits to bring their regiments back up to full strength. So the commander of all Union forces in Missouri, Maj. Gen. Henry Wager Halleck, ordered the state units to be re-formed as regiments of Missouri volunteers. On December 31, 1861, Missouri Governor Hamilton R. Gamble issued “Special Order 15”, directing that the "battalion of Missouri volunteers, heretofore known as the 1st Northeast Missouri Regiment... and the battalion of Missouri volunteers heretofore known as the 2nd Northeast Missouri Regiment" be consolidated into a single regiment "to be hereafter known and designated as the 21st Regiment of Missouri Volunteers." Moore was given command of the new regiment, with Woodyard as his Lieutenant Colonel. The 21st Missouri, 10 companies with a total of 962 men, was mustered into the Union army at Canton on February 12, 1862 under Captain Charles Yust.

On March 18, 1862, the 21st Missouri boarded the steamer “Die Vernon” and sailed to St. Louis, arriving on March 19th.  They then boarded the steamer “T.C. Swan” on the afternoon of March 21st and proceeded to Fort Henry in northwestern Tennessee, then downriver to Pittsburg Landing, arriving on Tuesday, March 25th. At Pittsburg Landing, the regiment joined Brig. Gen. Benjamin Prentiss's 6th Division, attached to the 1st Brigade of Colonel Everett Peabody.

On September 19th, the regiment took part in the Battle of Iuka, and later fought at Corinth on October 3rd & 4th, 1862. After a brief return to Missouri to recruit new men for the regiment, the 21st returned to La Grange, Tennessee and took part in Grant's first attempt to take Vicksburg, Mississippi in December 1862. Following that failure, the 21st was placed on garrison duty at Columbus, Kentucky, then at Union City and Clinton, and finally at Memphis, Tennessee. The 21st remained for eight months guarding the crucial river and railway town.

Records reveal that by July 1863 Kinross was serving as both an infantryman and as a company cook, becoming company clerk for the regimental Adjutant in August 1863 and serving as a brigade hospital nurse in November 1863. Kinross was officially discharged on December 1, 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi and promptly reenlisted as a Veteran Volunteer on the same day; being mustered in on December 2nd by Lieutenant Fetterman. Kinross was discharged once again at the age of 19 at Alexandria, Louisiana, on April 27, 1864. Between March 10th and May 22, 1864 his regiment was involved in the Red River campaign, in Louisiana, and participated in the battle of Pleasant Hill, on April 9th; the battle during which an Australian Confederate, John Fearn Francis, died as a hero saving both Confederate and Union wounded from a burning hospital in nearby Mansfield, Louisiana.  

Kinross apparently again reenlisted in the U.S. Army, in Company I, 24th Missouri Infantry, because on June 24, 1864 he took a 30 days veterans furlough and upon his return was transferred to Company H, 24th Missouri Infantry; due to Company I being mustered out of service.

Kinross was then assigned detached duty with the 3rd Indiana Light Artillery Battery from September 21st 1864 through January 18th 1865. From September 20th through October 1st they left on an expedition to Do Soto marched through Missouri in pursuit of Confederate General Price from October 2nd through November 19th, moved to Nashville, Tenn. and participated in the Battle of Nashville on December 15th & 16th, Pursued General John Hood to the Tennessee River from December 17th through the 28th, moved to Eastport, Mississippi until February 1865 and moved from Eastport to Iuka on January 9, 1865.

On February 2, 1865 he was again transferred, to Company A of the 21st Missouri Infantry, where he remained until he was mustered out on April 19, 1866. He was finally discharged with honor, again, on April 28, 1866 at Mobile, Alabama.

After the war, and still not tired of military duty, Kinross reenlisted yet again and served on the western frontier with Company G, 2nd U.S. Cavalry for three years, before being discharged yet again at Cheyenne, Wyoming; with the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant; in 1869.

He served yet a second tour of duty with the Cavalry, but did not stay out his full term; for reasons for leaving unknown. After finally leaving the service for good, Kinross continued living in Wyoming for two more years, then moved to Puget Sound in the state of Washington, where he lived for about a year, before leaving the states for Australia. In 1879 Kinross was involved in a mishap in which he accidentally cut off four fingers of his right hand and had to have the middle finger of his left hand amputated due to blood poisoning. He received sick pay compensation from the Sydney Courts, until 1895, in the amount of five pounds an eleven shillings.

After arriving in New South Wales, Kinross applied for a military pension on June 4, 1891. It was finally granted, under certification No. 947534, in 1895. In the meantime, Kinross met and married Mary Ann Smallwood (Baird) at Marrickville, today the vicinity of Sydney, on December 24, 1892 at the age of forty-four. Having reached the age of 66 and having served more than three years in the military, when Kinross’s pension was granted a sum was allocated at $19 (US) per month. His pension was granted largely due to the testimony of two eyewitnesses’ to a mishap in which he was involved while in the employment of Messrs. Hudson Brothers at Redfern, in 1879.  At that time he accidentally cut off four of his fingers on his right hand and the middle finger of his left hand had to be amputated due to blood poisoning. The Court in Sydney also awarded him 5 pounds and 11 shillings in sick pay; up to 1895.

Andrew Wallace Kinross died at the age of 70 at the St. George Cottage Hospital in Kogarah, New South Wales, on August 2, 1914 and was buried in the Woronora General Cemetery.

Birth, Marriage and Death Records, NSW

History of Alva and Sterlingshire County, Scotland

History of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry

Mary McIntyre, Alva Parrish, Scotland

National archives, Washington, D.C.

Regimental Histories, 21st Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Regimental Histories, 24th Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Report of the Adjutant General of Missouri, 1864

Report of the Adjutant General of Missouri, 1865

“The 24th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, "Lyon Legion"”, J. Randall Houp

U.S. Consular Record Files

U.S. Pension Records, Washington, D.C., Andrew W. Kinross

Woronora General Cemetery Records