John Edward Kenna (1848 - 1893)

Born 10 Apr 1848 in Coalsmouth, Kanawha, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 11 Jan 1893 at age 44 in Washington D.C., United States

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Preceded by Henry G. Davis

John E. Kenna US Senator (Class 2) from West Virginia[1] 1883—1893

Succeeded by Johnson N. Camden

Biography

John Kenna is Notable.

John Kenna lived in Appalachia, in West Virginia.

US Senator from West Virginia (possible US President), Orator, Photographer, Soldier, Outdoorsman, Hunter, Fisherman, Farmer and Great Grandson of General Andrew Lewis of the Revolution^[2]

Chronology

• 1848 - Born to Irish Catholic Immigrant & Granddaughter of General Andrew Lewis of the Revolution
  • Birthplace: Valcoulon Mansion at Coalsmouth, Kanawha County, Virginia across the Cole/Coal River from, and west of, Phillipi, Virginia (est. 1832) later Saint Albans, West Virginia (est. 1871) NOTE: Conflicts with State Road marker, which places his birth just north of Drawdy Creek at Peytona.
  • Family Home at Lockmaster's House at Upper Falls (Tornado, WV)
• 1856 - Father murdered by Uncles, "Man of the House" at age 8
• 1858 - To Missouri with Mother and two younger sisters, Worked on Farm
• 1860 - Margery and her children are on the Census in Missouri with Margery's brother James V., a. k. a. John V. Lewis.
• 1864 - Enlisted in Military Service as Private at age 16, Wounded in Battle
• 1865 - Returned to Kanawha County to rejoin Mother already in Charleston, WV
• 1866 - Studying at St. Vincent Academy (Catholic) in Wheeling, WV
• 1868 - Studying law at [law office] in Charleston, WV
• 1870 - Married Rosa Quigg (of Wheeling) and Admitted to the bar at age 22 ^[3]
• 1872 - Elected Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney at age 24
• 1875 - Elected Circuit Judge at age 27
• 1876 - Married Annie Benninghaus (of Wheeling) and Elected to the US House of Representatives at age 28 ^[4]
• 1877 - Son born, Edward Benninghaus Kenna
• 1878 - Re-elected to the US House of Representatives
• 1880 - Re-elected to the US House of Representatives at age 32
• 1881 - Son born, Arthur Lewis Kenna
• 1882 - Re-elected to the US House of Representatives
• 1883 - Elected to US Senate (by WV Legislature), youngest Senator at age 35
• 1889 - Re-elected to US Senate at age 41
• 1894 - Died in Washington, DC at age 45^[5]

(there are other children)^[6]

Census Findings

1850 US Census: ^[7] District 29, Kanawha, Virginia, 15 Aug 1850 p 73 (handwritten), p 39 (stamped); lines 1-4, dwelling #469, family #473:

• Edward Kenna, 34 [there b abt 1816], farmer, b Ireland?
• Margery Kenna, 23, b VA
• John L. Kenna, 2, b VA
• Catharine Kenna, 3 months [therefore b abt May 1850]

No other Kennas in Virginia in 1850.

In 1860, the widowed Margery, and her children Catharine (11), John (13), and 9 year-old Caroline, are living with Margery's brother James V. Lewis (24) & his wife Sarah (22) Lewis in Sugartree Bottom, Carroll, Missouri. ^[8]

In 1870, John Kenna is back in Kenawha Co (specifically Charleston), now West Virginia. He's 22 and it looks like he might be married to 18-year-old Carrie. No kids. He's a lawyer. (Of course he is...) It looks like he might be living in a multi-family building or boarding house.

In 1880, he's maintaining two households-- one still in Charleston, Kanawha County, WV, the other in Washington DC. Of interest is that in WV he's 32, "laywer and M.C.," [member of congress] boarding in the home of R. J. Ashby and wife *Margery*, 52. John's mother, remarried? John's wife is now Annie, 25, b. WV, and there's a son Edward, age 2, b West Virginia. ^[9]

In his Washington DC household, he and Annie and Edward are living on NY Avenue, in what appears to be a multi-family address. He's identified as "member of Congress".^{[10] [11]}

A Memory

From the "Do you Remember" Series, which appeared in the Charleston Gazette and was written by Mrs. Billie Richardson c.irca 1938-40

"When in the early 80's what is now Kanawha City was a farm and quail were plentiful there? At that time Charleston's much beloved citizen, John E. Kenna, was practicing law and shooting quail between times. One day he went up to Kanawha City on the north side of the river and engaged a man to ferry he and his dog 'Mag' across the river. While crossing, the boatman looked at Mr. Kenna and said, "What might be your name"?

Mr. Kenna replied. "My name is Kenna."

The boatman then said," Do you know Mr. John E. Kenna?" The other answered , "Yes, I am John E. Kenna."

The boatman seemed surprised and said, "They tell me that you can make $5 of the day practicing law." Mr. Kenna replied, "Yes, I make $5 a day when I practice law."

The boatman bethought himself a moment and said, "If you can make $5 of the day practicing of the law, don't you think you have mighty little to do acoming up here and shooting these little birds."^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Died in office, vacant January 11, 1893 – March 3, 1893 when successor elected.
2. ↑ Entered by Edward Burgess.
3. ↑ Marriage: "West Virginia Marriages, 1854-1932"
   citing FHL microfilm: 863798;
   FamilySearch Record: XR8H-H8B (accessed 31 July 2022)
   John E Kenna (23) marriage to Rosa A. Quigg on 27 Sep 1870 in Ohio, West Virginia, United States.
4. ↑ Marriage: "West Virginia Marriages, 1854-1932"
   citing FHL microfilm: 863799;
   FamilySearch Record: XR8Q-TTG (accessed 31 July 2022)
   John E Kenna (29) marriage to Anna Benninghaus on 21 Nov 1876 in Ohio, West Virginia, United States.
5. ↑ Entered by Edward Burgess.
6. ↑ Entered by Edward Burgess.
7. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850"
   citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Record: M8DH-QWF (accessed 31 July 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DBB7-Q6P Image number 00077
   John L Kenna (2) in Kanawha, Virginia, United States.
8. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860"
   citing Page: 128; Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Affiliate Film Number: 612; FHL microfilm: 803612; Record number: 8194;
   FamilySearch Record: MHZ9-29Z (accessed 31 July 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9BS7-N1 Image number 00215
   John Kenna (13) in Sugar Tree Bottom Township, Carroll, Missouri, United States. Born in Virginia.
9. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
   FamilySearch Record: M6RR-18S (accessed 31 July 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYB2-9Q7S Image number 00090
   John E Kenna (32), married other, in household of B. J. Ashby (45) in Charleston, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States. Born in West Virginia, United States.
10. ↑ Entered by Jillaine Smith.
11. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
    citing enumeration district ED 40, sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
    FamilySearch Record: M6CW-L5W (accessed 31 July 2022)
    FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYBW-3D5 Image number 00741
    John E Kenna (32), married other, in household of Thomas H. Phillips (54) in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Born in West Virginia, United States.
12. ↑ https://archive.wvculture.org/history/archives/counties/kanawha.html

See also:

• WV Encyclopedia
• Rootsweb
• Find A Grave Memorial# 7618790
• John E. Kenna on Wikipedia
• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Edward Kenna Sawmill location