Iowa History Project
Harlan, Edgar Rubey.
A Narrative History of the People of Iowa.
Vol III. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1931
p. 329
CHARLES S. KENNEDY, M.D. The medical profession of
Harrison County has a very able and highly respected representative in Dr.
Charles S. Kennedy, of Logan, a member of one of the old families of the county,
and a man whose personal character is beyond reproach. He was born in Jefferson
Township, Harrison County, Iowa, December 23, 1868, a son of David W. Kennedy
and grandson of Charles Kennedy.
The birth of Charles Kennedy occurred in Ireland, in April,
1800, and about 1821 he came to the United States, locating in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, where he became a maker of hair trunks, for which work he had
prepared by learning the weaver's trade in his native land. In 1829 he was
married to Miss Elizabeth Marshall, a daughter of William and Jennie (Armstrong)
Marshall, natives of Ireland. Mrs. Kennedy was the oldest of the seven children
of her parents and was born in Ireland, February 8, 1795, and came to America
with her parents in 1821, at which time they located in Philadelphia. Her father
soon thereafter returned to Ireland on business, and there he died, leaving the
children full orphans, as the mother had died soon after the family's arrival in
this country. Charles Kennedy and his wife came to Iowa in 1854, first settling
in Crawford County, where they arrived November 15 of that year. In 1868 they
moved to Harrison County, and there they rounded out their useful lives with
their children, he passing away February 27, 1873, and she, March 19, 1883. The
parents of Charles Kennedy were Patrick and Esther (Butler) Kennedy, natives of
Ireland. Patrick Kennedy, under the leadership of Henry Gratton, took sides with
the "patriots" in the Rebellion of 1798, and was not seen or heard of
afterward.
David W. Kennedy, father of Doctor Kennedy, was born in
Athens County, Ohio, April 11, 1838, and came with his parents to Iowa in 1854.
He became a farmer of Jefferson Township, near Logan and he died May 27, 1900.
On January 1, 1868, he married Miss Nellie J. Newman, who was born in New York
State, August 10, 1841, and died in Harrison County, Iowa, April 21, 1929. She
was a daughter of Stephen F. and Lovinia (Klock) Newman, also natives of the
Empire State. Nellie J. Newman came to Illinois in 1861 and four years later
arrived in Crawford County, Iowa, where she met and subsequently married Mr.
Kennedy. Her father was born in New York State, November 1, 1809, a son of
Nathaniel and Esther (Frost) Newman, and was of English descent. David W.
Kennedy and his wife became the parents of the following children: Doctor
Kennedy; George M., who was born August 9, 1870, lives at Culver City,
California, and is connected with the moving picture industry; Merritt, who was
born December 15, 1871, died February 2, 1900; David E., who was born may 13,
1874, died September 2, 1874; Lewis M., who was born February 17, 1876, died
January 22, 1882; Minnie L., who was born November 22, 1878, is the widow of J.E.
Massie and resides in Kansas City, Missouri; Mark B., who was born August 31,
1881, is in the drug business at Logan; and Nellie May, who was born February
28, 1886, is the wife of John Hanneman, a farmer of Harrison County.
Doctor Kennedy was educated in the common and high schools of
Logan and had a commercial course at Omaha, Nebraska, being graduated in the
latter July 16, 1890. He then entered the drug business and became a registered
pharmacist March 3, 1896. In the years that followed he studied medicine and in
1902 was graduated from the John A. Creighton Medical College, of Omaha, and
then located at Logan, where he has since been engaged in a general practice,
and has built up wide and valuable connections all over the county. During the
World war he enlisted in June, 1918, and was commissioned a captain in the
Medical Corps, being assigned to the Medical Officers Training Camp at Fort
Riley, Kansas, where he was later actively engaged in the influenza hospital
wards during the epidemic in 1918. He was at Hoboken, New Jersey, ready to
embark for overseas duty when the armistice was signed. He was then ordered back
and received his honorable discharge at Camp Crane, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
On September 12, 1900, Doctor Charles S. Kennedy married Miss
Esther Hansen, a daughter of Ingvert and Kate (Sorensen) Hansen, natives of
Denmark, and early settlers in Crawford County. Doctor and Mrs. Kennedy have an
adopted daughter, Louise Grace, wife of Glenn McKain of Logan.
Doctor Kennedy has held all of the offices of Harrison County
Medical Society. Very high in Masonry, he belongs to the Commandery, K. T., of
Council Bluffs, Iowa; Abu Bekr Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. of Sioux City, Iowa, and he
holds his Blue Lodge membership at Missouri Valley, and both he and his wife
belong to the Easter Star.
He has billed all of the chairs in the Grand Chapter, O.E.S.,
of Iowa. In 1914-15 he was grand worthy patron of the Eastern Star of Iowa. His
wife was grand treasurer of the Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star for six years,
declining further services at the expiration of her last term. She was grand
chaplain in 1907, served four years as district instructor of the Grand Chapter,
and held various committee appointments. Both are Republicans in politics, and
have been very active and zealous in behalf of their party. In religion they are
Latter Day Saints.
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p. 72
DAVID W. KIMBERLY, state senator from Scott county, has the
distinction of having the longest continuous service of any present member of
the State Legislature. Senator Kimberly, whose home is at 924 East Locust
Street, Davenport, has been a substantial factor in the agricultural and civic
affairs of Scott County for many years.
His birthplace was one of the most turbulent and romantic
mining districts of the great West, Deadwood, South Dakota, where he was born
August 6, 1878, while that was still one of the great mining centers. His
parents, Amos E. and Mary (Wilson) Kimberly, moved back to Iowa in 1884,
settling at West Liberty in Muscatine County. His mother is still living at West
Liberty. David W. Kimberly attended school there, the Springdale High School,
and finished his education with a course in the Bryant and Statton Business
College in Chicago. Most of his life since early manhood has been spent on a
farm.
Senator Kimberly married Elsie King of Chicago. He is
prominent in the Masonic and other fraternities, being a member of the Golden
Rule Lodge No. 24 of Cedar County, is a Knight Templar and thirty-second degree
Scottish Rite Mason at Davenport, member of Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine,
Mohassan Grotto, and Order of the Eastern Star. He also belongs to the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, B. P. O. Elks, Fraternal Order of Eagles, the
Owls, and Turners Society.
Mr. Kimberly was first elected a member of the Legislature
and the House of Representatives in 1914 and reelected in 1916. He was elected
to the Senate in 1918, 1922, 1926,and 1930, and has given the people of Scott
County a record of fourteen years of consecutive service with four more years in
office. He has represented them well, and without any pecuniary profit to
himself.