James Kennedy

As printed in 1914

JAMES KENNEDY.

Agriculture is the leading industry of Iowa and James Kennedy, a well known farmer and stock raiser residing on section 29, Cedar township, this county, is one of the up-to-date and progressive men engaged in the production of crops. He owns three hundred acres of fine land, which his father entered from the government and which is now a finely improved place.

Mr. Kennedy was born in Marion township, April 12, 1844, a son of josiah and Julia (Scott) Kennedy, the former born in Casey county, Kentucky, in January, 1817. His parents were John and Mary (Vandever) Kennedy, the former a native of Virginia and a son of a Revolutionary soldier. In 181 2 when a young man of about twenty-two John Kennedv was united in marriage in Kentucky to Miss Vandever, who was born in 1790 in Surry county. North Carolina. They remained in the Bluegrass state until 1828, when a removal was made to Morgan county, Illinois, where John Kennedy died. In 1842 his widow and children came to this county, which remained her home until her death, which occurred January 16, 1864. She was buried in a private cemetery near her home. In her youth she was a member of the Baptist church, but united with the Christian denomination after her arrival in this county. Her son Josiah was the third in order of birth in the family of five children, the two eldest being daughters and the two younger ones sons. All have now passed away.

Josiah Kennedy and Miss Julia Scott were married in Scott county, Illinois, about 1838, the license for their wedding being the first one issued in that county. The bride and her twin sister, who were born en route while her parents were removing from Adair county, Kentuckv, to Morgan county, Illinois, lived to be over seventy years of age. The family were members of the Christian church. Of the nine children born to Josiah Kennedy and wife, five passed away in infancy and the three living besides the subject of this review are: Mrs. Welch, the widow of the Rev. James Welch, who resides at

Argonia, Kansas; Mrs. Jewell, a widow living at Bonaparte, Jowa; and Mrs. William J. Dinsmore, of Cedar township. The father passed away July 26, 1891, upon the home farm and his demise was regretted by a host of friends.

James Kennedy was reared in this county and has always made it his home. He secured his education at Howe's school in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and after putting aside his te.xt-books devoted himself to the cultivation of the fields. After his father's death he bought out the other heirs to the homestead which he now owns. It is a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of fertile land and produces excellent crops. He has bought other land and now owns altogether three hundred acres. In addition to his farming operations, he is identified with "the other business interests as president of the Farmers & Traders Savings Bank at Hillsboro, Iowa, one of the substantial and reliable financial institutions of Henry county.

Mr. Kennedy was married July 4, 1872, to Miss Eliza Dawson, who was born in Lee county in 1841, a daughter of Peyton and Ellen (Stoddard) Dawson. Her parents were married in 1842 in Lee county, her father having come here in 1840 from Shelby county, Kentucky. Mrs. Kennedy has three brothers and three sisters living as follows: Linza, of Kansas City; Lucinda, of Mount Pleasant; Commodore, of La Crew; Mrs. Isadore Newsam, residing near Mount Hamill; Sherman, living on the old homestead where his parents passed away and where they lived for over sixty years; and Mrs. Minnie Belle Druse, of Revere, Missouri. Wesley B. died in June, 1914, at the Graham Hospital in Keokuk. Five others died in infancy. Mrs. Kennedy has always lived in this county and has witnessed many changes which have made for the prosperity and welfare of the locality. She has become the mother of eight children, all of whom were born in the log house upon the home farm. They are as follows: May, who was born May 30, 1873, is now the wife of E. C. Mahler, formerly of Bonaparte, Iowa, but now a resident of Poison, Montana, and a carpenter by trade, by whom she has four children, two sons and two daughters. Bessie, born April 28, 18715. is now the wife of J. C. Beach, a farmer residing in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and they have two sons and two daughters. Jess9, born May 21, 1876, died of disease while a member of Company G, Fiftieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish-American war. Viola Belle, born March 30, 1878, is the wife of Tyler Hixson, a farmer residing near Hillsboro and they have three sons and two daughters. William, born May 16, 1879, is a veteran of the Spanish-American war, having been a member of Company I, Fourteenth United States Infantry, and participating in the battle of Manila, where he was wounded. He married Julia Sullivan, of Butte, Montana, by whom he has a son and daughter. James B., born February 2, 1881, is a farmer of Primrose, Iowa. He married Miss Ruth Frarv, by whom he has a daughter and two sons. Edgar Dwight, born December 7, 1883, is a farmer residing near Hillsboro. He married Miss Martie Ranson, by wh(Mn he has two sons and one daughter. Katie Ellen, born March 12, 1887, is the wife of Archie Holmes and the mother of a son.

Mrs. Kennedy is a consistent member of the Christian church. Mr. Kennedy gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has served for thirty-one years as township assessor, as county surveyor for two terms and for a time as township clerk. He was elected justice of the peace but did not qualify. Fraternally he belongs to John R. Jordan Post, G. A. R., at Hillsboro, thus keeping up the associations of the Civil war. He was a member of Company E, Forty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served with honor, being mustered out with his regiment with the rank of orderly sergeant. In times of peace he manifests the same patriotism that compelled him to offer his life if need be for the defense of the Union, and his example as a citizen is one well worthy of emulation.

As printed in Story of Lee County, Iowa; (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.