William Henry Kennedy (1841 - 1884)

Born 29 Aug 1841 in Blount County Tennessee

Ancestors

Husband of Parthenia (Wright) Kennedy — married 8 Oct 1867 in Hopkins Texas

Husband of Cordelia M (Boyd) Franklin — married 12 Jul 1882 (to 21 Jul 1884) in Delta County Texas

Descendants

Died 21 Jul 1884 at age 42 in Delta County, Texas

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Phil Kennedy [send private message]

Biography

William was born 8/29/1841. William Kennedy ... ^[1]

Dates are unknown but as a younger adult man William moved to NE Texas. He was married to Parthenia Wright. They married in Hopkins, Texas 10/08/1867. Parthenia's brother, Layfette Amos Wright, killed William after a dispute over an adjoining property line. Williams eldest son Walter Oleon Kennedy was 5 years old at the time and swore revenge. Some 10 years later, Dec 05, 1895, Walter shot and killed his uncle Layfette (or maybe Amos) Wright. I have read two different accounts of this and one says Layfette and the other says Amos.

Info on William & Cordelia Boyd marriage. https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F6YR-B4F

Regarding Walter Kennedy killing his uncle Lafayette Wright......http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery/Search.cfm?Rec=217872

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?walter,kennedy::kennedy::7405.html

Sources

Info on marriage to Cordelia Boyd https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XL8D-Y88

According to the United States Civil War Soldiers Index, Family Search there are two William H Kennedys serving in the SCA army between 1861 and 1867. I am not sure if either or neither of these are our Wlliam

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FSLH-F26 : accessed 17 Sep 2013), William H. Kennedy, 1861-1865. In 1863 William served with Crump's Cavalry (Lane's Cavalry, First Partisan Rangers); Frontier Battalion, Cavalry; Gano's Squadron, Cavalry of the Confederate army.........https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3AWilliam~%20%2Bsurname%3AKennedy~&collection_id=1910717 Citing this Record

"United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F9K7-LWP : 4 December 2014), William H. Kennedy, Private, Company D, 19th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Biffle's) (9th Regiment), Confederate; citing NARA microfilm publication M231 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 24; FHL microfilm 880,078.

Since his father supported the Union one would think William might also, thus it is surly possible that neither of these are our William.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Kennedy&GSfn=William&GSby=1841&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSst=46&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=30725009&df=all&

"United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFN3-VZP : accessed 30 Oct 2013), W. H. Kennedy, Precinct 1, Delta, Texas, United States; citing sheet 477D, family 0, NARA microfilm publication T9-1300 12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)~ Lamar county Texas Death and Cemetery Records

Kennedy, William 217872 Birth: 08/29/1841 Death: 07/21/1884 Marriage: 10/10/1867 Cemetery: See Notes (NOT PLOTTED) Record Source: Update info Notes

http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery/Search.cfm

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/kennedy/7405/

Taken from the Maryville Times [Blount County, Tennessee], Thursday, December 19, 1895 Page 1: 'AMOS WRIGHT AND WILLIAM KENNEDY SHOT HIM DEAD Walter Kennedy Avenges His Father's Death in Texas

Several years ago, William Kennedy, a son of Alex Kennedy who died several months ago at his home near Rockford at the advanced age of 94, moved to Texas with his family and settled near Paris. He bought some land joining that of a man named Amos Wright. A dispute later arose over the dividing line between the farms. Kennedy had a civil engineer to survey it off. Kennedy and Wright were present when the dispute was decided, the surveyor locating the line several yards over on the ground claimed by Wright. When it was finished, Kennedy was standing near by with his little son, Walter, then six years old. Wright came at him for a fight, but Kennedy only attempted to ward off his blows. Suddenly, Wright drew from his pocket a Bowie knife and plunged it into Kennedy's side. The blood spurted forth and Kennedy only lived a few minutes.

Before he died he called his son to his side and spoke to him, telling him what to do with his mother and little brother and sisters. The lad, though only six years old, took his father's hand, and as the last spark of life left him said: 'I'll be a man some day, father, and when I am I'll kill Amos Wright.'

Nothing more was ever thought of the matter and eleven years had gone quietly by, but the boy's resolution and promise to his dying father were still within him.

On the morning of the 7th of December, he went to the home of Wright and waited for him to come out. As the murderer of eleven years made his appearance, the young man raised his gun and shot him dead. After the tragedy the young man went to his grandfather's home and sent word to the sheriff what he had done.

The affair caused intense excitement but it is not thought that Kennedy will be punished under the circumstances. The boy who did the killing is a grandson of Alex Kennedy, spoken of above and he has several aunts and uncles living in this county. The above facts were learned from a letter to relatives.'

From the Milam Co., TX - Newspapers: Rockdale Messenger 1899, contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lynna Kay Shuffield - http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/milam/newspapers/rock1899.txt:

Trial - Paris, Tex., Jan 21 - Walter Kennedy was convicted in Delta county district court yesterday of second degree murder and give 5-years. Twenty years ago, his uncle, Fayette Wright, a well to do farmer, killed his father in a quarrel over a division line. Young Kennedy, then 5-years old was present. The father with his last breath enjoined his boy to avenge his death when he grew into manhood. Kennedy lived in sight of his uncle, seeing him daily, and 15-years after his father's death went up to his house at daylight shot him to death in his horse lot and rode away in the woods, spending the day hunting.'

Birth and death dates are from the Delta County, TX Cemetery Records. He married Parthenia Wright, daughter of John Calvin Wright and Susannah T. Wynn on 10 Oct 1867.

From the 1880 Delta County, Census, Precinct 1, p. 477D: W. H. KENNEDY, Self, M, Male, W, 38, TN, Farmer, TN, TN; Parthenia KENNEDY, Wife, M, Female, W, 37, TN, Keeping House, TN, VA; Oliva KENNEDY, Dau, S, Female, W, 9, TN, At Home, TN, TN; Walter KENNEDY, Son, S, Male, W, 3, TX, At Home, TN, TN; Frank KENNEDY, Son, S, Male, W, 6M, TX, At Home, TN, TN; John BROWN, Other, S, Male, B, 22, TX, Farme Laborer, TX, TX; Spence STEVENS, Other, S, Male, MU, 20, TX, Farme Laborer, TX, TX. Lafayette Wright, age 30, is listed with his parents, J. C. and Susan Wright two households from William. 12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)12:03, 22 April 2015 (EDT)

W. H. Kennedy, "United States Census, 1880" Name: W. H. Kennedy Event Type: Census Event Date: 1880 Event Place: Precinct 1, Delta, Texas, United States Gender: Male Age: 38 Marital Status: Married Occupation: Farmer Race (Original): W Ethnicity: American Relationship to Head of Household: Self Birthplace: Tennessee, United States Birth Date: 1842 Spouse's Name: Parthenia Kennedy Spouse's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States Father's Name: Father's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States Mother's Name: Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States Page: 477 Page Letter: D Entry Number: 854 Affiliate Film Number: T9-1300 GS Film number: 1255300

Digital Folder Number: 004244720

Image Number: 00036 Household Gender Age Birthplace Self W. H. Kennedy M 38 Tennessee, United States Wife Parthenia Kennedy F 37 Tennessee, United States Daughter Oliva Kennedy F 9 Tennessee, United States Son Walter Kennedy M 3 Texas, United States Son Frank Kennedy M 0 Texas, United States Other John Brown M 22 Texas, United States Other Spence Stevens M 20 Texas, United States

Copied and pasted from Family Search https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFN3-VZP

• Phil Kennedy, firsthand knowledge. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Phil and others.

See January 21, 1899 for this story...... http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/milam/newspapers/rock1899.txt

1. ↑ Entered by Phil Kennedy, Apr 28, 2011