Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 551
JOSHUA M. KENNEDY

Joshua M KENNEDY first bought land in Harrison County in the spring of 1868, and he now resides on the south west quarter of section 4, of Jefferson Township. He first located on section 3.  His present farm comprises six hundred and seventy-seven acres, all in Jefferson township. The Boyer River runs diagonally through the part of the tract upon which his house is situated. This farm, like most of the farms in this fertile valley is one of much value.

Mr. Kennedy was born in Philadelphia, Pa., October 31, 1835. His father was Charles Kennedy, a native of Ireland, born in Dublin in 1790, and came to America in 1826, locating in Philadelphia. In 1837, he emigrated to Ohio, and in 1854 to Iowa, locating in Crawford County, twelve miles south of Denison. From there he moved to Harrison County in 1868, where he died February 27, 1876.

Our subject attended school in Ohio, and came West with his parents, from Ohio, being five weeks and two days on the road, arriving in Crawford November 15, 1854. The first land they entered was located in J. M.'s name, but was for his gather, who paid 1.25 per acre. There our subject made his home until 1866, when he located at Dunlap, but had been following the carpenter trade for some eight years at Council Bluffs. In the fall of 1869, he removed to his present farm, building a small frame house, in which he lived about seven years and then erected his present large, well arranged farm house on section 4. He has since added to this building, until it is the largest within the township.

He was married April 27, 1867, to Lizzie BEACHTEL, a native of Maryland, born July 14, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are the parents of five children: Charles E., now a farmer in Jefferson Township; Florence M., engaged at teaching; Gertrude B., a teacher, both graduates from Woodbine Normal; Frank W., at home; and Wilburt R., at home.

Every intelligent citizen has his political choice, and our subject believes in the principles of the Republican party. In his religious belief, Mr. Kennedy is a Methodist.

His special feature in farming is stock raising, usually keeping one hundred head of cattle and a large number of horses, and of hogs usually one hundred head. His farm is divided into plow and meadow land; two hundred acres of which is seeded in tame, and one hundred and sixty in wild grass, which grew nine feet high in 1891, the whole tract being finely watered and drained by the Boyer River and Six Mile Creek, which makes a most excellent stock ranch. He also has thirty acres of good timber in Six Mile Grove.

Return to 1891 Biographical K Surnames Index

Back to 1891 Biographies Index