John Knox Kennedy (1811 - 1889)

Born 29 May 1811 in Greene, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (McGuire) Kennedy — married 19 Apr 1849 in Wapello, Iowa, United States

Descendants

Died 26 Jun 1889 at age 78 in Waitsburg, Walla Walla, Washington, United States

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Biography

John was born in 1811. He passed away in 1889.

John Knox Kennedy was Born in Greene Co. TN, the 2nd son of Samuel and Frankey Kennedy. John K.'s infancy and toddler years would have been spent at his Mother's knee and learning from his older siblings. In 1815 when John K. was 4 years of age, his father Samuel and his brothers, John & Robert, sold the last 200 acre portion of their land in Greene Co., and moved across the "creek" to Washington Co. TN and it was in Washington Co., TN that John K. Kennedy spent his childhood and young adult years.

The family is found in the 1830 US census, 1830 WA CO TN with Samuel Kennedy as head of the household on page Page 215 Roll #175 1-3-2-1-1-0-1 // 0-0-0-0-2-1 which would include their daughters, Mary Ann and Jane and the son's, Joseph 20-30, John K. 15-20, , James M., Samuel 15-20 William, Robert A., & Matthew 5-10 and Thomas under 5.

John K.'s childhood was typical of children of the era who were born into pioneer families. There was hard work on the farm, hunting for food for the family, and helping to care for his younger brothers and sisters. He is reported to have been a "good shot" even as a youngster. His Grandfather John had owned at least 1 slave, but we have not found a record of Samuel owning any so this would mean that the family did all the work on the farm and as an older son in the family of 13, John K. would have had many responsibilities at an early age. Because he was also the son of a typical frontiersman, and had 2 Uncles who were exploring new territories, it is probable that John K. went on some of these trips when he was but a young teenager. John K.'s formal schooling is not known. We do know that the inventory of his Gt. Uncle William Kennedy's Estate in Sumner Co., TN included many books and upon occasion William "acted" as Clerk of the Court in the absence of the Clerk Daniel KENNEDY (relationship unknown). All deeds and other legal records for the family that we have found have been "signed rather than marked" prior to 1778, which indicates that the member's of the family had been able to read and write. John K. also signed the request for his Bounty Land and for his Mexican War pension request, but we have no indication whether he attended school orif he was taught at home."

As John K. was nearing adulthood, his older siblings were getting married and starting their own families, Samuel makes a decision that will affect all of his family as well as some of his neighbors. Seeking a better home for his family, he headed west, taking his family to Indiana and Illinois. All of his children traveled with him from TN to IN and IL. Records also show the extended family on their journey west included: Meshack and Jane Kennedy Hale, John and Elizabeth Kennedy McCall. John K's eldest sister Nancys (who had died in childbirth) husband, Robert Eakin, as the KENNEDY'S were helping rasise Nancy's son, Samuel Eakin. They wintered over first in Shelby Co., IN and went on to Hancock Co., IN. John K's father, Samuel died in 1936 and it took for years for the estate to be probated.

In 1839 they again headed west settling in Morgan CO. IL in 1841. In 1845 his 1st wife Sarah (Sally) STEELE died in Morgan Co., Illinois. His Mother Frankey, brother Joseph and nephew Samuel Eakin had previously died there and are buried in Franklin Morgan Co., IL cemetery.

In the spring of 1847, John K. and his oldest son James accompanied is sister Jane and husband Mesack Hale to Missouri where the Hales planned to settle. For reason's unknown by me, rather than returning to IL John K. enlisted in the Army to fight in the Mexican War & his young son James signed on as a contract teamster. He enrolled 26 May, 1847 at Savannah, Missouri. He served in Capt. Rodges Comd., Col. Powell's Battalion of Missouri Mounted. His duty was between Fort Kearney and the head of Grand Island on the Platte River. Fort Kearney was built to facilate the emigrants that were now heading west over the Oregon.

John K. had left the rest of his family with his brother James in Illonois. Family tradition states that Frankey Jane the eldest daughter took care of them with the connected family overseeing their care.

Tradegy struck John's family again when his son James S. Kennedy was killed by Indians near Pony Rock in the fork of Coon Creek on the road to Santa Fe in 1847 while acting as assistant wagon master under assignment of Capt. Evans. There is a lock of his hair among family memento's but when it was obtained, we don't know.

He himself was injured at the Semirone River while acting as teamster, by a falling horse. He also served as the Wagon Master. He was discharged 21 Nov. 1848 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was 36 years of age, 5 ft. 11' tall, fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was issued Bounty Land 2 June 1849 in Wapello Co. Iowa. After his discharge he returned to where his family was in IL and gathered them up for the move to Iowa where his Bounty Land was situated. His brother James with wife Mary Bedwell Kennedy also went to Wapello Co., Iowa with him. John K. KENNEDYS brother's, Robert A., Samuel and William all remained in Morgan Co. IL, where they married and raised their families.

After he moved to his land in Iowa, he met and married a widow Sarah Stotts, mother of 3 daughters. In 1850 he went to the Gold rush in California, wanting see what "The California Gold Rush" was all about. His name can be found carved on Independence Rock, "John K. Kennedy July 26, 1850" alongside his brother James's name. Upon returning to Iowa, he removed to Mahaska Co. Iowa where he served as the Sheriff and Captain of the areas Iowa Miltia.

When he and John McGuire returned to Iowa, the trip had given both John Kennedy and John McGuire an idea of what the possibilities of the Western life could be and they filled the minds and hearts of their family and friends with the desire to seek new fields. They all were enthused over "going West' but it would take several years of planning before the "dream" became a reality. In 1862 practically every member of the Kennedy, Ellis and McGuire families and many of their neighbors made up an Outfit of 9 families which then became a train of over three hundred persons that on 22 Apr 1862 left the fields of Iowa for a unknown land. John K. Kennedy was elected Captain of the Train in Council Bluffs on May 19 and as such led them all on a hard journey over the OREGON TRAIL.

INDEPENDENCE ROCK, also known as "The Register of the Plains," The Great Record of the Desert is located on the Sweetwater River midway between Casper, Wyoming on the north and Rawlins, Wyoming on the south. John K. had inscribed his name on this rock in 1850 and on July 4, 1862, a wagon train headed for Washington and Oregon encamped on this spot. Out of this wagon train approximately 20 Masons, who could mutually vouch for each other, traversed to the top of the Rock to hold the first tyled Masonic Communication in what is now Wyoming. The Worshipful Master was Asa L. Brown, who later became M.W. Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington Territory in 1864. We believe that John K. was part of this group as he was a Mason. A sad note was that the Kennedy Company Wagon train had also brought the body of George Bovee who accedently shot himself to be buried at the foot of Independence Rock.

A more detailed account of the trip across the Oregon Trail is told by Ella Jane Allison McCarley in the Booklet - "John K. KENNEDY - He went West and Lived" The booklet includes information from: The "Reminisces by Margaret Stoots Theil, John K. KENNEDYS step-daughter, The JS McClung Diary, The Hamilton Scott Diary and the Robert Scott Diary. Copies of these publications along with other notes and memoirs by those that traveled with the Kennedy Company. The Diary of Hamilton Scott, includes notes by Alvin ZARING. The Diary and notes were first published in the Power County Press, American Falls, Idaho, July 7,

A skirmish with the indians and incident involving the Wagon train ahead of the Kennedy train at what is is now known as "Massacre Rocks" outside of American Falls, Idaho John K. was so badly wounded by an arrow that his life was despaired but he did recover.

The train arrived in Walla Walla, WA. 29 Sept. 1862. Since it was late in the season, the family decided to winter in the Grande Ronde Valley of OR., and as a result, he first acquired 160 acres near LaGrande, OR. but when their home burned in 1865, he decided to move to Walla Walla, WA where his cousin Robert Porter KENNEDY had settled in 1857.

Robert Porter KENNEDY was the son of John KENNEDY, the brother of John K. KENNEDYS father Samuel. He then acquired property in the area along with other members of his family and spent the rest of his life there until he was retired. At that time he moved to Columbia Co. and lived for a time with his son John H. Kennedy. After John K's death, his wife Sarah moved in with her daughter Susanne Neeley. He and his wife are buried in the old Waits burg Veteran's Cemetery, Waitsburg WA.

Sources

• Birth and Death

John K. Kennedy Family Bible https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38046318/john-knox-kennedy