Edward Kennedy : Short Biography

Edward Kennedy was b.abt.1800 in Tipperary, Ireland, probably near Nenagh, a parish in the Barony of Ormond Lower, Diocese of Killaloe and County of Tipperary. Nenagh, is the largest town in North Tipperary, west of the Nenagh River, which flows into Lough Derg at Dromineer. The Silvermine Mountain range lies to the south of the town.

He was married to Nancy Ryan b.abt.1800 Tipperary, Ireland. They had six sons and two daughters:

Daniel W. Kennedy b.1829 Tipperary, Ire.-d.1905 Redford, Clinton Co., NY, USA, m. to Johanna Mary Delaney b.May1841 Templederry, Tipperary, Ire.-d.16 Aug 1900 Clayburgh, Clinton Co., NY, USA (Found a record of a Daniel Kennedy and a Judith/Johanna Delaney m. by the Rebel Priest John Kenyon in Templederry in June 1857).

Phillip Kennedy b.1830 Tipperary-d.1912 Saranac, Clinton Co., NY, USA, m. Margaret Hayes b.1830 Tipperary-d.1912 Saranac, Clinton Co., NY, USA.

Mary Kennedy, Edward and Nancy's first daughter, b.1827 Tipperary, Ire.-d.25 Mar 1920 Saranac, Clinton Co., NY, USA, m. to William B. Delaney b. May 1830 Templederry, Tipperary, Ireland-d.2 Oct 1897 Saranac, Clinton Co., NY, USA.

Patrick D. Kennedy b.1829 Tipperary, Ire.- d.22 June 1894 Saranac, Clinton Co., NY, USA, m. to Elizabeth Ryan b.1843 Tipperary, Ire.-d.1926 College Point, Queens, NY, USA.

Laurence Kennedy b.abt.1840 Tipperary, Ire.-d.aft.1894 Michigan, USA. Female Kennedy b.abt.1840 Tipperary, Ire.-d.aft.1894 Tipperary, Ire.

Edward Kennedy b.1842 Tipperary, Ire.-d.aft.1894 Colorado, USA (Found a record of an Edward Kennedy born to Edward Kennedy and Nancy Ryan baptised in 1842 Silvermines/Ballinaclough by the Rebel Priest John Kenyon).

Michael Kennedy b.abt.1852 ,Tipperary, Ire.-d.aft.1894 Tipperary, Ire.

Unknown Kennedy Sister b.abt.1840-d.aft1894

Michael and his sister (name unknown) stayed on the family estate in the town of Nenagh, but both traveled to Saranac New York to visit their siblings. The sister made the journey in 1887 and Michael made the journey in 1894. He also may have traveled to Michigan and Colorado to visit his brothers Laurence and Edward who had emigrated to those areas.

Both returned to the family estate in Nenagh according to accounts published in 1894 in Plattsburgh, Clinton Co., NY newspapers:

Patrick Kennedy, while driving home from Plattsburgh, Saturday evening, was thrown from his carriage about 11 o'clock, striking upon his head and braking his neck, causing, no doubt, instant death. The horse went home all right, when a son of Mr. Kennedy went immediately back in search, taking with him young Tobin. The body was found half a mile or so above the Sheldon bridge. He was buried in the Catholic cemetery at Cadyville, June 19th. A large circle of relatives and friends were present at the funeral. Mr. Kennedy was one of five brothers and two sisters, born in Ireland some 65 years since. He and three brothers and one sister came to America a good many years since. He has resided in the town of Saranac about 28 years. His sister, Mrs. Wm. Delaney, and brother, Philip Kennedy, have lived for many years near neighbors. All of them are prosperous and well-to-do farmers. A sister came to this country about seven years since on a visit to her relatives and returned home again. A brother, Michael, came to America on a visit to his sister and brother in January last, and returned home in February. Mr. Kennedy leaves an invalid wife and nine daughters, five of whom are in Burlington, Vt., two of them married, and two boys at home, the eldest about 21 years of age, the youngest some 14 years old. Thus has a kind neighbor, father, brother, and respected citizen, been suddenly taken from our midst.

Mr. Michael Kennedy of Nenagh, county Tipperary, Ireland, surprised his sister, Mrs. Wm. Delaney, of Saranac, and his two brothers, Phillip, of Cadyville, and Patrick, of Saranac, last week, by suddenly dropping in upon them. He is a younger brother, who was only two years old when they came to this country well on towards half a century ago, but who now stands six feet one in his stockings. He lives on the old estate of the family in Nenagh, a town of about 7,000 inhabitants, situated on a tributary of Lough Derg, and bears in his personal appearance all signs of prosperity, a characteristic of the Kennedy's, wherever fortune happens to drop them. He will return to his pleasant home after a good visit to his sister and brothers here, and possibly to his brother Lawrence in Michigan, and Edward in Colorado.

We believe that Laurence and Edward traveled to Michigan and Colorado to work as miners. Mining was also taking place in upstate New York where their brothers Daniel, Phillip, and Patrick, and sister Mary with her husband William Delaney (who we believe was brother to Daniel's wife Johanna Delaney), settled in the 1850's.

We were always told the family came to the US through Canada and they were founders of a Catholic church in Cadyville, Saranac, Clinton County, New York. Philip, Patrick, and Mary are buried in the churchyard there with their respective spouses.

Daniel died at Black Brook, near the hamlet of Clayburg, and is buried at Holy Name Cemetery, Ausable, NY. We know that Daniel worked in the mines of upstate New York.

I am currently working on tying Edward Kennedy b.abt.1800, to Andrew Kennedy b.1815 who married Ellen Gleeson, son of Philip b.1794, and Honora Callahan, son of Long Andrew Kennedy b.1736 - d.1824, and Margaret Cormick, son of Hugh Kennedy b.1696-d.1766.

Also I am working on Edward Kennedy's wife Nancy Ryan's line. I also have several other Ryan's in my tree, with Delaney's, Hayes, Kelly, Buckley, Breen, McMannis/Mannis, Fitzgerald, Fitsimons.

I am a member of the Irish Kennedy's Heritage Group that meets in Rearcross, Tipperary, Ireland in July. We have a DNA study being conducted by Dr. Mark Kennedy of Australia which found that he and I are connected through this line to Long Andrew Kennedy who is buried in Templederry.

If anyone can help me find a record of travel to Saranac, Clinton Co., New York for the unknown Kennedy sister in 1887 and a record of travel for Michael Kennedy to Saranac, Clinton Co., New York in 1894, that would be most helpful!