Charles Edmond Kearney

As printed in 1901

Kearney, Charles Esmonde, one of the most prominent of the early Santa Fe traders, and conspicuously identified with the upbuilding of Kansas City and the establishment of its railway enterprises, was born March 8, 1820, in County Galway, Ireland. When sixteen years of age he came to America, a friendless lad, but with a good education and blessed with native talent, untiring industry and indomitable resolution, qualities which peculiarly fitted him for the conditions of the day, and led to his accomplishment of great purposes, which brought fortune to himself and vast advantages to a region dependent upon resourceful men for its development. For some time after coming to this country he was engaged in a grocery house in New York City, and afterward in a similar establishment in Mobile, Alabama, and then in New Orleans, Louisiana. During the Mexican War he served in Walker's company of Texas Rangers, operating under General Zachary Taylor, and participated in several of the severest battles fought by that commander. After the restoration of peace he remained for a time on the Rio Grande River, in Mexico, engaged in mercantile business on a small scale. He was afterward in New Orleans, whence he went to St. Louis, where he became associated in business with H. J. Cunnifle in a manner which was profitable to both. With funds supplied by his partner he set out from Independence for Santa Fe with seven wagons loaded with goods. He was fortunate in making an early start and in meeting on the road traders whose supplies were exhausted, to whom he sold advantageously on the spot. In 1852 he formed a partnership with W. R. Bernard, and the new firm concentrated all the Santa Fe trade at Westport. At times their trains numbered thirty to thirty-five wagons, which went into New Mexico. They also maintained stores in Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Las Cruces. Cplonel Kearney discontinued this business in 1854, disposing of his store stocks to resident Mexicans, who purchased after the then prevailing method, at an agreed sum per pound or per yard, sugar, salt, coffee or other such goods classing alike by weight, and silk, ducking or calico alike by measurement. In 1856 he made a voyage to Europe, returning the same year and locating in Kansas City. There he established a wholesale grocery trade which soon became the largest in the State outside of St. Louis, amounting annually to considerable more than $1,000,000. The unsettled conditions immediately preceding the Civil War period moved him to sell out, and he went to New York City, where he dealt largely and profitably on the gold board and in various securities. In 1865 he returned to Kansas City, where he met cordial greeting as one whose effort could not fail of rescuinjj the embryo city from its paralyzed condition and placing it on the highway to development

Google and prosperity. Its former Southern and Western trade had disappeared, and a large part of its population had been dispersed, while rival towns were making herculean effort to attain such commercial pre-eminence as would leave it in obscurity. At the earnest solicitation of a few men who had faith in the destiny of Kansas City, he consented to afford his assistance to supply the immediate need of a railway, of which the place was then destitute. The Kansas City & Cameron Railway Company was organized, and he became its president. He at once called a public meeting and secured subscriptions amounting to $23,000 to the building fund; four days later this sum was increased to $52,000. There was yet needed $25,000, and a proposition for county subscription of this amount was defeated, notwithstanding the vote of Kansas City was almost unanimously in its favor. The work of construction was pushed rapidly forward, however, means being procured elsewhere, and November 22, 1867, Colonel Kearney drove the last spike which marked the completion of the first railway reaching Kansas City. He was retained in the presidency of the company for five years until it was absorbed by the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railway Company. In 1869 he became a director in the company which constructed the local part of what was afterward the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railway. In both these enterprises, great for the time, there were immense difficulties to overcome, perhaps the least of which was securing the necessary means. The weak-hearted scouted every plan, and there were those who through jealousy and moral turpitude questioned every motive and denounced every act, by spoken word and through public press. At one time, in 1867, it seemed as though the effort would utterly fail. When the building of the Cameron road was begun. Congress was asked to authorize the construction of a railway bridge at Kansas City, and the Leavenworth interests sought its defeat. The conditions were critical, but success was finally attained by the Kansas City projectors, chief among whom was Colonel Kearney, whose most willing and efficient allies were Colonel R. T. Van Horn and Colonel Kersey Coates, and the cornerstone of the bridge was laid August 21 of the same year, the act assuring the commercial supremacy of the young city. Upon the completion of these geat enterprises Colonel Kearney devoted himself during the remainder of his active life to personal business, largely in caring for his real estate interests. For some years succeeding 1876 he was a member of the grain firm of Kearney & Piper. That business was then in its infancy, and it has been recorded as a matter of great interest that in April and a part of March, 1877, the corn shipments of the firm amounted to 2,000 cars, where but three years before the entire market would not afford more than one carload in the same time. During this period Colonel Kearney was a principal agent in the organization of the Call Board, and he was elected vice president of the Board of Trade. From 1882 to 1890 he was a member of the real estate firm of Kearney & Madden. His death occurred January 3, 1898. His character, unique and symmetrical, seemed to have been molded for the times and scenes wherein he was so conspicuous an actor, rather than to have been a product of them. From the very beginning of his business life until the completion of the momentous tasks he laid updn himself, he was constantly confronted with conditions without precedent, wherein he could find no guide from the experiences of others. He was not only equal to all circumstances, but he seemed to discern them in advance, with preparedness for every emergency. He overcame obstacles which would have defeated one of less heroic mold, and he never dignified opposition by interpreting it as a personal affront, but minimized it by resolutely pursuing his purpose, regardless of censure or opposition. His strong personality was recognized by men of affairs, and commanded their confidence almost from the first. There was in him no assumption of importance, yet there was that in his carriage and converse which carried conviction of his confidence in his plans, of his determination to prosecute them to success, and of his entire fidelity to any trust and to the discharge of every obligation. During his entire life and in all its relations, his conduct was actuated by high principle and unflinching integrity. A charming train in his character was his native gentility of manner, a pleasing union of a modesty which was not diffidence, with an old school courtliness which was neither austerity nor self-importance. Reared a Catholic, late in life he connected himself with the Westport Baptist Church, which he assisted in building. Colonel Kearney was married to Miss Josephine Harris, who survives him, making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Frank Wornall. Mrs. Kearney was a daughter of John Harris, an old and highly respected resident of Westport in the early days. Their living children are Mary, who lives with her mother and sister; Julia, wife of Frank C. Wornall, president of the International Loan and Trust Company; Lizzie, wife of Joseph L. Nofsinger, and Charles E., employed in the office department of the Armour Packing Company.

Kearny, Stephen Watts, one of the most illustrious of American soldiers, was born August 30, 1793, in Newark, New Jersey, and died in St. Louis, October 31, 1848. He was reared in New Jersey and was a student at Princeton College at the beginning of the second war with Great Britain. Leaving college, he entered the army, being commissioned a lieutenant in the Thirteenth Regiment of Infantry, with which he received "the baptism of fire" at the battle of Queenstown, and he was a leader in a brilliant assault upon the Heights. The Americans were finally compelled to surrender to the British, and Lieutenant Kearny, with other prisoners, was marched to Niagara. He was sent with the other prisoners to Quebec. Finally an exchange of prisoners was effected, and Lieutenant Kearny served to the close of the war, attaining the rank of captain. He was retained in the service, and in 1823 was breveted major. The same year he assumed command of four companies of the First United States Infantry Regiment, stationed at Fort Bellefontaine. With that command he accompanied Brigadier Greneral Atkinson on his expedition to the upper Missouri. On his return he was commissioned major of the Third Infantry Regiment, and sent to the southern extremity of the Indian Territory, where he established Fort Towson, on Red River. When Congress authorized the levy of a cavalry corps, to be called dragoons, Major Kearny was appointed lieutenant colonel of the First Dragoons, and organized the regiment. In 1834 he accompanied Colonel Dodge on his campaign against the Comanches of the 'Red River country. In 1835, in command of four companies. Colonel Kearny visited the Sioux Indians of the upper Missouri and brought about a reconciliation between those Indians and their neighbors, the Sacs and Foxes, between whom a warfare had been going on for many years. In 1836 he succeeded Colonel Dodge as colonel of the First Dragoons, and until 1842 was stationed at Fort Leavenworth. During this time, with less than half a regiment under his command, he protected the entire Missouri frontier from Indian depredations, making frequent expeditions into the Indian country. In 1842 he was assigned to the command of the Third Military Department, with headquarters at St. Louis, and retained this position until 1846. In 1845, with five companies of dragoons, he made one. of the most remarkable marches on record, extending as far as the south pass of the Rocky Mountains.and returning by way of Bent's Fort, on the Arkansas, to Fort Leavenworth. When the war with Mexico began he was made a brigadier general and assigned to the command of the Army of the West. In an incredibly short time he organized his forces, collected his supplies, made the long march across the plains and over the mountains, and almost before the New Mexicans were aware that there was a state of war between this country and Mexico, General Kearny was in possession of the old city of Santa Fe. There he demonstrated that he was a statesman as well as a soldier. At Santa Fe he established a civil government and promulgated a code of laws which have constituted the foundation of the jurisprudence of New Mexico. He departed for California at a season of the year when such an expedition was deemed most hazardous. An express which he received from California some days after he left Santa Fe leading him to believe that the conquest of that territory was practically complete, he ordered all but one hundred of his men to return to Santa Fe, and with this small force proceeded on his way. He reached the borders of California to discover that the enemy was by no means subdued. The native population had arisen, and he learned that Andreas Pico, with a force much superior to his own, was near San Diego. Notwithstanding his troops were exhausted by their long march and in poor condition to engage an enemy, he pushed on to San Pasqual and routed Pico's forces. Pushing

As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.