Kennington, L. S.

KENNINGTON, SLAUGHTER, ASHBY, DAVIS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/13/2009 at 07:05:00

L. S. Kennington, editor and proprietor of the Iowa State Democrat, of Newton, was born six miles west of this city, in Sherman Township, June 13, 1858, and is a son of Henry and Margaret (Slaughter) Kennington. His father was an Irishman by birth and came to America in 1849. Having learned the trade of a machinist in his native land, he followed that occupation at different places in the United States, including a number of towns in Massachusetts, also, at Albany, N. Y., and Dayton, Ohio.

While in Greenville, Ohio, Henry Kennington met and married Margaret Slaughter, who was born in Ohio, her ancestors having been numbered among the F. F. Vs. Her brother, Capt. P. W. Slaughter, was an intimate friend of General Grant, on whose staff he at one time served. In 1855 Mr. Kennington came to Iowa by team from Illinois, and settled on a farm in Sherman Township, Jasper County. For some time he followed agricultural pursuits, until, in his advanced years, he retired from the farm and removed to Newton, where he has since resided.

Of the family of eight children born to Henry and Margaret Kennington, the subject of this sketch was the third. The eldest son, John M., resides at Aspen, Colo., where he is in the mining business; Dora, the wife of J. N. Ashby, lives in Chicago; Howard is a student in the common schools. The others are dead.

Alternating attendance at the common schools with work on the home farm, our subject grew to a sturdy manhood. After completing the studies of the local schools, he attended the academy at Newton, and in 1879 entered the Iowa State University to prepare for the legal profession. In 1880 he was graduated from the law department with the degree of Bachelor of Laws.

Believing, however, that he needed a more thorough collegiate education, Mr. Kennington again entered the State University, from which he was graduated in June 1884, with honors and the degree of B. Ph. He had paid for his tuition and incidental expenses while in college principally by teaching school, which profession he entered at the early age of sixteen years. He never asked his father for any assistance in prosecuting his college course, except the last year he was in school, when, not wishing to lose the time from his studies to earn the money with which to complete his education, he borrowed the amount necessary from his father, to whom he gave a note for the amount.

After completing his education, Mr. Kennington did not have the means to procure a suitable library and provide the necessaries of life while he established a practice in his profession. Having a liking for the newspaper business, and being an able and forcible writer, he purchased on time a half-interest, July 13, 1884, in the Iowa State Democrat, published at Newton, Iowa, and entered upon his duties as editor. In 1887, his partner, J. T. Sherman, received a federal appointment and he purchased his interest, since which time he has been sole proprietor of this educator of Democracy.

While his newspaper enterprise has been most satisfactory and has proved renumerative, Mr. Kennington has never given up the idea that some time, in the not far distant future, he will embark in the legal profession, for which he is so thoroughly equipped, both in natural ability and education. In addition to the management of the paper, he has dealt in real estate and owns a half-interest in a farm consisting of two hundred acres; and a one hundred and twenty acre farm adjoining his father's farm in Sherman Township. He also owns the Baxter News and its plant. His success as a newspaperman commenced when he determined to embark in that business, for whatever he takes hold of must succeed, as he knows no such word as "fail." His property has been accumulated through his personal, unaided exertions. As a shrewd, far-seeing politician, he has few equals, and his influence is felt in the ranks of his party.

In 1890 the friends of Mr. Kennington brought him to the front as a candidate for the nomination for State Auditor, and in the bitter fight in the convention he was second in the list of five candidates, but failed to secure the nomination, although his friends clung to him to the last. In his social affiliations, he is a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight of Pythias, and is a member of tile Independent Order of Odd Fellows. While he is not identified with any religious organization, he is liberal with his means in the support of the different churches of the city. Portrait and Biographical Record, Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, IA Page 493.
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Kennington, L. S.

The record of a life well spent, of triumphs over obstacles, of perseverance under difficulties and steady advancement from a modest beginning to a place of honor and distinction in the industrial world, when imprinted on the pages of a history; present to the youth of the rising generation an example worthy of emulation and may also be studied with profit by those of more mature years whose achievements have not kept pace with their expectations. The success of the well-known and popular firm of Kennington Brothers, real estate dealers of Newton, Jasper County, has been well earned and is worthy of careful consideration by those hesitating at the parting of the ways. They are representatives of a prominent old pioneer family here.

L. S. Kennington was born in Jasper County, Iowa, June 13, 1858, and he is the son of Henry and Margaret (Slaughter) Kennington, the mother being a native of Ohio and the father of Ireland, from which country he emigrated to America in 1849, landing in New York where he began working as a locomotive machinist. Four years later he moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he was married. In 1855 he came to Jasper County alone and purchased eighty acres of land and in the spring of 1856 he returned, bringing his family, and began developing the land. By hard work and good management he soon had an excellent farm and a comfortable home and here he continued farming until 1880 when he moved to his beautiful home in Newton where he has since led a retired life. He has always been a man of public spirit, his greatest interest being in the up-building of the schools and public roads, and during his active years he served as supervisor of roads and as school director many times. To the original tract he added eighty acres, making one hundred and sixty acres in all, which valuable farm is now owned by his son, John M., brother of L. S. Kennington. The elder Kennington is a man of sterling attributes and popular with a wide circle of friends.

At the age of sixteen years L. S. Kennington started in life for himself by canvassing for books. He then entered Hazel Dell Academy for the winter term and the following spring began teaching school. From then on till the fall of 1879 he either attended or taught school. He was a success as a teacher and his services were in great demand, but, believing that the law was his proper sphere, he began studying Blackstone and other standards, and entered the law department of the University of Iowa where he made a splendid record, and was graduated from the law department in 1880. Then he began the collegiate course from which he was graduated in 1884, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws from the law department and the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the college; later he received the degree of Master of Arts.

In July 1884, Mr. Kennington bought a half interest in the Iowa State Democrat at Newton, and he purchased the other half in 1887. This paper he published with singular success for a period of fourteen years, during which time he built up a large circulation and made his paper the equal of any its type in Iowa and rendered the same a moulder of public opinion. In the spring of 1896 he was appointed postmaster of Newton and served two years in a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the entire satisfaction of the department and the citizens of this community. After leaving the newspaper field he began the practice of law, which he has continued ever since in connection with a real estate business. As an attorney he takes high rank in the local bar and is a painstaking, energetic and straightforward advocate and counselor who has long since won the admiration and good will of all classes and he has built up an extensive and ever growing clientele, figuring prominently in all the local courts. He has kept well abreast of the times in all matters of jurisprudence and is a close student.

The domestic life of L. S. Kennington began on June 12, 1895, when he was united in marriage with Myra Davis, the daughter of J. S. Davis and wife, the former deceased. Mrs. Kennington is a lady of many estimable attributes.

At all times L. S. Kennington has taken an active interest in public affairs. In June 1910, he completed a term of twenty-five years in some official capacity within the organization of the Democratic Party. He served several times as county chairman of his party and also upon the congressional committee of his district, being chairman during one of the Weaver campaigns. He has served his party well and his counsels have done much for the success of the same. In all, positions of public trust he has discharged his duties in an able and conscientious manner, to the satisfaction of all, irrespective of party alignment.

Mr. Kennington is a charter member of the Newton Business Men's Association. He belongs to Central Lodge No. 73, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Newton; Newton Lodge No. 59) Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Gebal Chapter No. 12; Royal Arch Masons; Oriental Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar, and the Za-Ga-Zig Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Des Moines. Mrs. Kennington belongs to the Episcopal Church at Newton.

Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912