Bio of Kennedy, John (b.1836) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Kennedy, John, one of Watopa's representative farmers, has gained that
position by his energy and enterprise. He was born in the parish of
Drumailey, County Leitrim, Ireland, April 30, 1836. He received a fair
common-school education, and assisted his father in the management of a
farm and store. When only eighteen years old he left home and kindred and
set out for the poor man's asylum, America. The first vessel on which he
took passage from Liverpool, the Guiding Star, was wrecked on the Irish
coast and drifted into the harbor of Belfast. He then went on board the
American and landed at New York three months after the first outset from
Liverpool, January 16, 1854. For some time he was employed in a brickyard
near New York city, and subsequently took charge of a farm at Fall River,
Massachusetts, several years. He visited Minnesota in the summer of 1856
and returned to Fall River. On October 20, this year, he was married to
Miss Ann Flanagan, who was born in County Monahan, Ireland, and is about
her husband's age. In July, 1860, he took up permanent residence in
Minnesota, having already acquired landed interests in Watopa. He took up
the northwest quarter of section 7, where he still resides, and also
purchased an adjoining claim. He now has three hundred and sixty acres, of
which one hundred and eighty acres have been cleared by him of grub and
trees. In 1883 his crops were: wheat, fifteen hundred bushels; barley, six
hundred and thirty-three; oats, nine hundred and eighteen. Mr. Kennedy's
executive ability was soon recognized by his fellow citizens, and nearly
every year since his residence here he has been chosen to fill some town
office. He was supervisor in 1867-8-9, and was chairman of the board in
1872-3-4-5, and in 1879-80-81. He has also served as justice of the peace,
and has been clerk of his school district nearly ever since its
organization. He is recognized as one of the leading democratic
politicians of the county. The Roman Catholic church claims the whole
family. There are seven children. The eldest, John F., is preparing for
the priesthood in St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee. The next two, James
Edward and Constantine, are in mercantile business at Durban, Dakota. The
rest, at home are christened, in order of birth, Sarah M., William Joseph,
Matthias and Ellen Elizabeth. Mr. Kennedy served a year in the United
States army, entering Co. D, 3d Minn. regt., in October 1864. He served in
Sherman's march to the sea, but was in no active engagements.