William Burnet Kinney

William Burnet Kinney (September 4, 1799 – October 21, 1880) was an American politician and diplomat.

Early life and education His grandfather, Sir Thomas Kinney, came to the United States from England before the Revolution to explore the mineral resources of New Jersey. Kinney was born to Abraham Kinney and Hannah Burnet on September 4, 1799, in the Speedwell section of Morristown, New Jersey. He was raised there and lived there in later life. In 1850, he was appointed by President Zachary Taylor as the U. S. minister to Sardinia. They had two children: Thomas Talmadge Kinney three of whom survived to adulthood: Elizabeth Clementine Kip (married Guy L. Eddie of the U.S. Army); Lawrence Kip; and Mary Burnet Kip (married to Dr. Ernest Franklin Robertson of Kansas City, KS). Mary Burnet Kinney.

He was a personal friend of Henry Clay. His great-great-grandsons are businesspeople Frederick R. Koch, Charles Koch, David Koch, and Bill Koch.

Later life Kinney lived in Florence until 1864 and returned to Morristown to live in retirement. He died on October 21, 1880, in New York City.