• Born: 13 Sep 1831, Newington CT
• Marriage (1): Harriet Merriam on 23 Oct 1861 in Springfield MA
• Died: 9 Mar 1871, Springfield MA

  General notes:

Silversmith, jeweler, watchmaker, and silverplate designer

  Events in his life were:

• He worked circa 1855-1865 as a silversmith, jeweler, and watchmaker in Springfield MA

• He appeared on the 1855 census taken at Springfield MA, listed as a jeweler living in the home of Henry Sargeant

• He appeared on the 1860 census taken at Springfield MA, listed as a jeweler.

• Advertised in the Bangor Daily Whig and Courier (Bangor ME), 18 May 1861, as part of a group endorsement of the Waltham Watch Company.

• He was a partner in 1865 with Eugene B. Floyd in Burlington VT as E. B. FLOYD & Co. at 154 Church Street, having bought the business of Charles William Wingate. ⁸

• Advertised in the Burlington Times (Burlington VT), 9 Sep 1865, calling attention to the "splendid assortment of goods" offered by E. B. FLOYD & Company, especially to the full stock of ". . . coin silver goods mostly of our own make." ⁸

• He worked circa 1866-1871 as a silverplater in Springfield MA

• He appeared on the 1870 census taken at Springfield MA, listed as a jeweler and watch dealer.

• He was issued design patent number 4,554 on 3 Jan 1871
  
  WILLIAM KIRKHAM, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.
  
  Design No. 4,554, dated January 3, 1871.
  
  DESIGN FOR AN EGG-STEAMER.
  
  I, WILLIAM KIRKHAM, of Springfield, Hampden county, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented and produced a new and original Design for an "Egg-Steamer," of which the following is a specification.
  The nature of my design is fully represented in the accompanying drawing, to which, reference is made, and consists of a steamer for eggs, of the shape, and, as near as possible, the size, of an ostrich egg, surmounted by an ostrich standing upon a field frosted or otherwise made to represent a plain of sand.
  Claim.
  I claim as my invention—
  The design for an egg-steamer, as shown.
  
  William Kirkham
  
  Witnesses:
  R. F. Hyde
  E. Dudley Chapin

William married Harriet Merriam, daughter of Charles Merriam and Sophia Eleanor Warriner, on 23 Oct 1861 in Springfield MA. (Harriet Merriam was born on 30 May 1842 in Springfield MA.)