Bios: Alexander Kennedy: Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Stan Cornelius. cheeka@email.msn.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ ALEXANDER KENNEDY, an enterprising and well-known citizen of CenterTownship, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, has resided on a farm in Section One since 1880. He was born in Huntington County, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1819. Hisfather, GILBERT KENNEDY, was born in Belfast, County Down, Ireland, son of JOHN KENNEDY. GILBERT KENNEDY was only two years of age when his parents came to America and settled in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. JOHN KENNEDY was a soldier in the Revolutionary Was, and fought bravely all through that struggle for his adopted country. GILBERT KENNEDY married Jane Applebee, who was born on the ocean of Scotch-Irish parents. They reared six sons and three daughters, ALEXANDER being the youngest son. The father died at Shade Gap, Huntington County, Pennsylvania, at the age of eighty-five years; and the mother died in Pike County, Illinois, when past eighty. Mr. Kennedy followed the vocation of a farmer all his life. He was in politics a Whig and in religion a Presbyterian. ALEXANDER grew to manhood on a farm in Pennsylvania, receiving a somewhat limited education. Arriving at the age of manhood, he was married, November 3, 1852 to JANE GILLIS, who was born in Bedford County, near the Fulton County line, Pennsylvania. Her father, Daniel Gillis, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and when a young man he came to America and settled inPennsylvania. JANE GILLISŐ mother was also a native of Scotland, her maiden name being Margaret Carlisle. DANIEL GILLIS and wife passed the remainder of their lives in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, the former passing away at age seventy and the latter reaching the age of eighty-eight. They reared nine children, three sons and six daughters. Two of the sons, David Andrew and John McCoy, were soldiers in the late war, the latter dying of disease contracted while in service. Daniel Gillis was a farmer all his life, a Whig and a Presbyterian. ALEXANDER KENNEDY resided in Pennsylvania until 1856, when the family moved to Pike County, Illinois, where they lived six years. He also spent some time in other parts of Illinois. In 1874, they took up their abode in Chariton County, Missouri, where they remained until 1880. In 1880, he came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa and settled on his present farm. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have eight children: JOHN CALVIN at the homestead; MARY REBECCA, wife of J. L. Phillips, Center Township, Pottawattamie County, has seven childrenŐ SARAH EMMA, wife of Thomas B. Phillips of Wright Township, same county, also has seven children; MARGARET JANE at home; JAMES CHALMERS, married to Mary M. Smith, has two children and resides in Layton Township, in the county; NEWTON DANIEL, married to Laura Albright, has one child and lives in Wright Township; VIRGINIA ADELINE, wife of Daniel P. McLain; LUELLA P., wife of S. J. Smith, has two children and lives in Lincoln Township, Pottawattamie County. Our subject, ALEXANDER KENNEDY, was rocked in an abolitionist cradle and is now a Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as also is his wife. They have reared their children in such a manner that they are fitted to occupy worthy and respected positions in society. Although Mr. Kennedy is over seventy years of age, he is well preserved. He has traveled extensively, is well informed on general topics, and is one of those frank and cordial gentlemen with whom it is a pleasure to meet. By all who know him, he is an honored and esteemed citizen. Published 1891 by The Lewis Publishing Company