Background
Kilbourne was born in Vermont in 1856 and was raised in Aurora, Illinois.
Kilbourne was born in Vermont in 1856 and was raised in Aurora, Illinois.
Kilbourne was trained as a dentist but became active in numerous other fields of endeavor. He was a pioneer in urban mass transit having founded a horse trolley line. After it was acquired by the city Kilbourne became superintendent of the Seattle Lighting Department, a municipal electricity system, later Seattle City Light.