Robert A. Kinzie was born at Fort Independence, Massachusetts on January 15, 1870. He attended the University of California from 1893-1897, graduating with a degree in civil engineering. From 1897-1899 he was an assistant to Ross E. Brown and F.W. Bradley and in 1899-1900 served as general manager of the Jesus Maria Mines in Mexico. In 1900-1905 he was assistant superintendent of the Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Company; 1905-1914, general superintendent of the Treadwell, Alaska Mexican Gold Mining Co., Alaska United Gold Mining Company, and Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company.

He married Veronica Kennedy of San Francisco in 1901 and they had five children: Robert A. Kinzie, Jr., David Hunter Kinzie, Veronica K. Kinzie, Eugenia K. Kinzie Moore, and Elizabeth Kinzie Buckley.

After leaving Alaska, Mr. Kinzie worked as a consulting engineer in Mexico, and for several mining firms in California, including Engels Copper Company, Virginia Mines Corporation, Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company, and others.

Mr. Kinzie and his family mostly resided in San Francisco. From 1930-1955, Mr. Kinzie served on the Council of the Northern California District, American Society for Testing and Materials, of which he was a founder. In 1950 he was honored by the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and was advanced to the Legion of Honor of that organization in recognition of his fifty years of service. He died October 22, 1955, in California.