James A. Kilday was born around 1835 in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, to Daniel Kilday and Sarah Zarley. His father was a farmer who owned $2,000 of real estate in 1850. Kilday grew up and attended school in Crawford County before beginning work as a farmer. He married Sarah Ann Dickson around 1858, and they had at least three children: Sarah, born around 1859; Wanda, born around 1862; and James, born around 1865.

 

By 1860, Kilday owned $450 of personal property. Kilday enlisted in the Union army on October 16, 1862, and mustered in as a corporal in Company H of the 169^th Pennsylvania Infantry later that day. He mustered out in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1863, and returned home to Crawford County. Sarah died around 1867, and he married Viola Johnson around 1870. They had at least three children: Maude, born around 1871; Oscar, born around 1873; and Laura, born around 1884. By 1870, Kilday owned $3,000 of real estate and $600 of personal property. He applied for a federal pension in June 1880 and eventually secured one. He remained in Crawford County for the rest of his life, and he died there on May 21, 1906.

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