Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Kennedy, James A.  November 28, 1852 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Orr jessicanorr@gmail.com September 28, 2011, 8:38 pm

Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders. Published by the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Territory of Hawaii, 1925
Author: Edited by George F. Nellist

JAMES A. KENNEDY, Retired. The Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., operating a 
large fleet of steamers, giving transportation service to all islands of the 
Hawaiian group, drydocks, coal bunkers and terminals, one of the large 
corporations in the Territory, is, in a sense, a monument to the business 
ability of James A. Kennedy, for more than a quarter of a century its 
president and manager.
  When Mr. Kennedy joined the Inter-Island in 1900 it was in an early stage of 
its development, and it had become a corporation with a capital stock of 
$5,000,000 when he retired from the presidency and general managership in 
1924. He remains a member of the board of directors.
  Born in Scotland, Nov. 28, 1852, the son of James and Jessie (Clark) 
Kennedy, Mr. Kennedy went to work at the age of 15 as an apprentice in an 
Edinburgh business house. He had attended public schools and, becoming well 
grounded in commercial procedure during his apprenticeship, left his native 
land and went to San Francisco, where for about eight years he was office 
manager for the Main Street Iron Works.
  A brother, the late C. C. Kennedy of Hilo, had previously located in Hawaii, 
and James A. Kennedy came to the islands in 1878, the year of his marriage to 
Minnie C. Kirkland. Shortly after his arrival in Honolulu, Mr. Kennedy became 
office manager for the Honolulu Iron Works, a position he held for twenty 
years, until he became the executive head of the Inter-Island Steam Navigation 
Co.
  During the last year of Mr. Kennedy’s active executive direction of the 
Inter-Island, his career was crowned by the addition to its fleet of the fine 
new passenger liner “Haleakala.” The construction of a splendid new tourist 
hotel at Kilauea volcano, Island of Hawaii, by the steamship company was 
another achievement of late years.’  In 1907, under Mr. Kennedy’s direction, 
the first large coaling plant with automatic conveyors was built in Hawaii by 
the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co. This was dismantled in 1916 and was 
replaced by a larger and more modern electrically operated coaling plant.
  Another important deal directed by Mr. Kennedy was the purchase of the 
marine railway and waterfront property of Sorenson & Lyle, and the 
construction there of two large drydocks for the accommodation of Honolulu’s 
shipping.
  Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are the parents of three children, Stanley C., 
secretary of the Inter-Island S.N. Co.; James D., secretary of the Parr 
Terminals, San Francisco, and Mrs. Robert Menary of Honolulu. Mr. Kennedy is a 
member of the Oahu Country Club and a keen golfer.


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