Biography of Chas. B. Kennedy

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Page 266.

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 


HON. CHAS. B. KENNEDY. There are two things that Mr. Kennedy did for 
Lake county in the early days which will make him prominent while he 
lives, and cause his name to be remembered after death. One was the 
founding of Madison upon its present site, while the other consists in 
the aid, both moral and financial, which he gave to the State Normal 
school, being virtually its organizer. Mr. Kennedy's history is closely 
linked with that of Lake county, and as a local paragrapher aptly put 
it: “If you want to know about Lake county, look up Kennedy; and if you
want Kennedy, just look up Lake county." Mr. Kennedy was born in 
Somerset county, Maine, March 28, 1850. His father, B. C. Kennedy, was 
also a native of the Pine Tree State, and a farmer by occupation. He is 
now seventy-eight years old, and lives in Madison. His father, William 
Kennedy, born in Massachusetts, went to Maine in the early days and 
settled there. He was of Scotch descent. Our subject's mother, whose 
maiden name was Olive Smith, was of English descent, and a native of 
Maine. Her ancestors were early settlers of that state. Mrs. Kennedy, 
who is now in her seventy-eighth year ear, resides in Madison. There 
were five children in the family, our subject teeing the second. He 
attended the common schools of his native State, and the Maine Central 
institute, at Pittsfield, besides taking a course in the State college, 
at Orono. He then became a teacher, and finally superintendent of 
schools of a part of Penobscot county. In 1872 he went to Le Roy, 
Minnesota, where he taught school for a year. Soon after he was 
selected as principal of the village schools, and deputy county 
superintendent. In 1873 Mr. Kennedy embarked in the real estate 
business, and at the same time purchased the Le Roy “Independent," 
which he published for the succeeding four years. He then decided to go 
further west, and in 1878 came to Lake county. He secured a half 
section of land there. This land now constitutes the heart of the 
business district of Madison. Mr. Kennedy first established a stock 
farm, but soon after, perceiving the unrivaled location of his land, 
and the advantages which the immediate vicinity offered for a town 
site, platted a large part of this territory and decided to - put it on 
the market. He thus became the real founder of Madison, for at that 
time the present town site was rolling prairie, unrelieved for miles by 
anything more pretentious than an occasional "dugout" and now and then 
a bit of land which some pioneer had ventured to cultivate. The only 
buildings upon the spot where Madison now stands were those put up by 
Mr. Kennedy himself. The town site was located in 1880, and the first 
evidence of the coming city appeared when one of the settlers removed 
his small house to the new location, from a hamlet four miles away, 
which was also called Madison. As the city began to grow Mr. Kennedy 
prospered in proportion, and soon began to erect a number of dwelling 
houses, which he sold. He also platted two other additions in the 
northern part of the town, and in many other ways "boomed" the new 
city. He was wonderfully successful in his efforts, and Madison soon 
boasted a population of several hundred, due almost entirely to the 
enterprise and energy of Mr. Kennedy. He soon added insurance and 
banking to his real estate business, and in 1884 helped to organize the 
first national bank in Lake county, of which he became president. The 
year following he established the "Kennedy Brothers' Bank", which 
continued in business until 1889, when it was absorbed by the Madison 
State bank, Mr. Kennedy becoming president of the latter. Another of 
the ventures which Mr. Kennedy successfully launched was the 
Northwestern Loan and Banking Company, organized in 1889. This company, 
of which Mr. Kennedy is also president, and into which he merged his 
real estate business, conducts a bank, and deals very largely in 
realty, mortgages, etc. It is one of the largest concerns of its kind 
in that part of the state. Mr. Kennedy is also a large stock-raiser and 
shipper. He carries on this business in partnership with Mr. H. B. 
Williamson, the firm being known as Kennedy & Williamson. They brought 
the first large lot of sheep, about 2,000, into the state of South 
Dakota, and for years have had the reputation of being among the 
largest cattlemen in the state. They own about sixty ranges, each one 
comprising a quarter section, in Lake and surrounding counties, and are 
supposed to be the most extensive landowners in that part of South 
Dakota. The Madison State Bank is capitalized for $25,000, and its 
officers are: President, Mr. Kennedy; vice-president, J. H. Williamson; 
assistant cashier, S. J. Jones. In 1881 Mr. Kennedy gave lasting 
evidence of his interest in the cause of education and his liberality 
by giving twenty acres of land to the state, that the Normal school 
might be located at Madison. He made no display in the matter, and no 
one knew of his splendid gift until after it had been accepted. The 
Normal school now has several fine buildings, many of the best known 
teachers and professors in the state, and altogether over $100,000 has 
been expended upon it, exclusive of the land. It is now one of the 
great institutions of Lake county. Had it not been for Mr. Kennedy, 
however, it might never have been located there, hence through his 
generosity and public spirit Madison now has one of the finest 
educational institutions in South Dakota. For eight years after the 
Normal school was located at Madison he was one of its trustees and 
aided in the disbursement of about $75,000 for buildings, equipment, 
etc. Mr. Kennedy was also an organizer of the Sioux City, Madison & 
Northern railroad, which, unfortunately, was affected by the prevailing 
depression, and has not been built. The delay, however, is only 
temporary. Mr. Kennedy is a Republican politically. He served for two 
years as mayor of Madison, and has been a councilman. In 1880 he was 
elected as a representative in the territorial legislature, and served 
one term. He is a very prominent Mason, being a member of the blue 
lodge, chapter and commandery, shrine and Eastern Star, and also of the 
I. O. O. F.

	Mr. Kennedy married Miss May E. Williamson, a native of Maine, 
and a daughter of Honorable Henry and Mary D. (Fisher) Williamson, on 
the 21st of May, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are parents of two children 
now living: C. Leroy and Dean M.

	A portrait of Mr. Kennedy appears on another page.