Biographical Sketch of John Kenmuir, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
**********************************************************************

John kenmuir was born in Lisburn, County Atrim, Ireland, of Scotch-
Irish parentage, February 14, 1831. His father, William Kenmuir, was
a watchmaker and manufacturing jeweler, and bred his sons to that bus-
iness. In 1827, W. K. established himself in Ballynahinch, County
Down, Ireland. The firm name was Kenmuir & Sons. The reputation of
the house was soon established, and a vast flow of patronage followed.
This firm is yet extant, and the venerable William Kenmuir, now in his
eighty third year, still continues to give personal attention to the
supervision of the concern. John Kenmuir, the subject of this sketch,
is one of a family of seven children, four of whom were boys, all bred
to the trade of watchmaking. James Kenmuir, a brother, is a represen-
tative watchmaker and jeweler of Kansas City. On August 17, 1850,
after having served his seven years' apprenticeship, John left his
native home for the West. Landing in the city of New York, he immed-
iately established himself there as a manufacturing jeweler and watch
maker. His marked ability and strict attention to business soon
achieved for him a reputation which commanded for him an immense bus-
iness. Seized with a desire of visiting the West, in 1863, he deter-
mined to leave New York, and finally landed in Leavenworth, Kansas
where he established, on Delaware Street between Third and Fourth, a
retail business in clocks and watches, which at one time amounted to
$80,000 a year. In 1873, he moved to St. Joseph, where he established
himself on Felix, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, moving from Leaven-
worth City to that point his immense stock of goods and fixtures. He
also established in St. Joseph the Bell telephone, a full history of
which enterprise will be found in the body of this work under its
proper head. Mr. Kenmuir sustained serious loss by the unauthorized
compromise, on the part of his attorneys, of a law suit in which he
was engaged. The effect of this compromise was to temporarily cripple
his resources. He is, however, again established in business on Felix
Street, three doors above his former stand, where he is rapidly re-
covering his losses. At every fair and mechanical exposition at which
his work has been displayed, his ability has received substantial re-
cognition in the way of diplomas, medals and premiums. At one Kansas
State Fair he was presented with a gold medal valued at fifty dollars,
and at another a silver pitcher of similar value. Other associations
in Canada and New York have recognized and similarly honored his skill.

====================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
free information on the Internet, data may be used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message
remains on all copied material. These electronic
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
written consent of the file contributor.

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by: Penny Harrell

====================================================================