The Family of John Kennedy

submitted by Rick Gray

John Kennedy
                                AKA                       John Canady
                                Born                        Between 1770 and 1774 North Carolina, USA
                                Died                        16 Oct 1854 Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                Buried                     Jackson College Cemetery, Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                Married                   10 Nov 1790 Madison County, Kentucky, USA
                                Other Spouse           Nancy McDaniel (Abt 1786-1858) 6 Nov 1805 - Garrard County, Kentucky, USA
                                SealS (LDS)

Father                     James Kennedy Sr. (Abt 1735-1825)
Mother                   Elizabeth or Hannah

Events
1.     He is listed with 50 acres, 2 horses, 13 cattle and 1 white male over 21 on the tax list of 1792 in
        Madison County, Kentucky, USA.
2.     He is listed with 1 white male over 21, 3 horses and no land on the tax list of 1797 in Garrard County,
        Kentucky, USA.
3.     He is listed with 1 white male over 21, 4 horses and no land on the tax list of 1799 in Garrard County,
        Kentucky, USA.
4.     He was listed on the Tax List for Madison County, Kentucky in 1800.
5.     He is listed with 75 acres 2nd rate land on Paint Lick in Garrard and 1 white male over 21 on the tax
        list of 1803 in Garrard County, Kentucky, USA. This entry could refer to his "uncle" John as well.
        The listing did not show John Sr. or John Jr. as it had in past years.
6.     He is listed with 75 acres of 2nd rate land on Paint Lick in Garrard and 1 white male over 21 on the
        tax list of 1804 in Garrard County, Kentucky, USA. This entry could refer to his "uncle" John as well.
        The listing did not show John Sr. or John Jr. as it had in past years. There is another John Kenan(?)
        listed between James Kennedy and William Kennedy which is probably this John, the "nephew" of
        John Sr. He is listed with no land and 1 white male over 21.
7.     He is listed with 75 acres 2nd rate land on Paint Lick in Garrard and 2(?) white males over 21 on the
        tax list of 1805 in Garrard County, Kentucky, USA. There are 3 John Kennedy's listed this year - John
        Sr., John Jr. and John Kennedy. The John Jr. is not the son of James Kennedy Sr. as he is under 21
        years of age. The John who is listed as only John Kennedy is most likely James' son and his listing of
        land matches the years of 1803 and 1804, indication that he was the John referred to in those years. I
        am unsure at this point who the John Jr. is as the other John Kennedy's in the James and John lines
        were not old enough to match the age of 16 and above. There is also a John Kenneth (?) listed among
        the Kennedys. Not sure if he was actually a Kennedy or not. He is listed as being over 21.
        I think the second white male over 21 is probably is brother Thomas.
8.     He emigrated about 1807 to Maury County, Tennessee, USA. John was listed as one of the signers of
        the petition that was sent to the state asking them to form Maury County. This petition was signed in
        1807. I know that he was here at that time. I think he possibly came alone and set things up and his
        wife and children joined him later. His two oldest children by Nancy were both listed as being born in
        Kentucky. The last of them was born in 1807.
9.     He was listed on the Tax List for Maury County, Tennessee 1811.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 10.   On 16 May 1817, he purchased 163 acres on east side of Carters Creek in Maury County, Tennessee
         for eight hundred and fifteen dollars.
11.   He appeared on the census in 1820 in Maury County, Tennessee, USA. John Canady's household
        includes 2 males under 10 years of age, 1 male 10 to under 16 years of age, 2 males age 16 to under
        26, 1 male over 45 years of age, 2 females under 10 years of age, 2 females age 10 and under 16, 3
        females age 16 to under 26, and one female age 26 to under 45.
12.   He appeared on the census in 1850 in Maury County, Tennessee, USA. He was listed as dwelling 829
        in the 24th District. His household included John Kennedy, age 76, male, farmer, real estate value
        $2500, born in North Carolina; Nancy Kennedy, age 63, female, born in Tennessee, Amanda Kennedy,
        age 26, female, born in Tennessee; Zurilda Kennedy, age 22, female, born in Tennessee; Eliza
        Kennedy, age 18, female, born in Tennessee; Benjamin L. Kennedy, age 16, male, born in Tennessee.
13.   On 10 September 1853, he purchased 59 acres in Maury County, Tennessee.
14.   He signed a will on 9 Oct 1854 in Maury County, Tennessee, USA. In the name of God, Amen. I,
        John Kennedy, being of sound mind and knowing the uncertainty of life, and wishing to make a
        deposition of my property after my decease, among those I recognize as the proper subjects of my
        bounty, do make and publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. Item 1: It is my
        wish that my Executor herein-after appointed, shall as speedily as it may be done, out of my monies
        on hand, or to be derived from notes, judgement or other evidences of debt in my favor, pay off and
        discharge the expenses of my funeral and all just debts due or owing by me. Item 2: It is my wish
        that my beloved companion and wife Nancy, shall have the use and enjoyments of all the rest and
        chattel property of which I may die seized and possessed, for and during her natural life. Item 3: At
        the death of my wife Nancy, it is my will and wish, that the property, the use of which was given
        above to my wife during her life, be equally divided among all my children, or my grand-children, if
        the parent (my child) be dead - the grandchildren representing the share, their parents would have
        been entitled to - were he or she living - except my son Lawrence or his children. It not being my
        intention in my Estate, hereby intending to exclude him and his children, believing that I have already
        advanced to him as much or more than his share would be in my Estate, and had nothing ever been
        paid to him. Item 4: It is my wish, that my Executor, herein-after appointed shall, after payment of
        funeral expenses and debts as provided for in first clause of this will, loan out at interest any monies
       on hand, or be derived from notes, accounts, judgements or other sources, whatever due and owing
       me and shall keep the same at interest for and during the life of my wife Nancy; and my Executor
       shall collect the interest upon said sum or sums annually, and shall pay the interest over to my wife
       so collected to be used by her, unless my Executor shall deem it advisable, to invest the interest so
       collected as aforesaid in the purchase of a slave or slaves, and if in their judgements and discretion,
       it is advisable to make such a purchase, then it is my wish they shall do so, never encroaching upon
       the principle sum. If said puchase, are so made then it is my wish, that my wife shall have the use of
       said slave or slaves, for and during her life. Item 5: In the event of the purchase of slave or slaves by
       my Executor, in manner appointed out in the fourth clause of this will, it is my wish that at the death
      of my wife Nancy, said slave or slaves with their increase shall be divided as the property left for
      the use of my wife in the second clause, is directed to be divided in the third clause of this will. Item
      6: It is my will and desire that the money remaining on hand, in the hands of my Executor, at the
      death of my wife and which they have been directed to keep in interest during her life, be equally
      divided among all my children, my grand-children representing the parent in the event of death -
      except my son Lawrence and his children, whom it is my desire to exclude. Item 7: I nominate and
      appoint my sons George W. Kennedy and James Kennedy my Executors to carry out and fulfill all
      all the duties herein imposed upon my Executor. His John (X) Kennedy Mark Signed, sealed and
      published in our presence by John Kennedy he declaring the same to be his Last Will and
      Testament; and his request we have hereunto set our names as witnesses thereto, this 9th day of
      Oct. 1854. A.P. Bailey A.M. Bumey
15.  On December 4, 1854, John Kennedy's will was proven and James Kennedy posted bond and was
       sworn in to act as Executor of his estate.
16.  He had an estate probated on 5 Feb 1855 in Maury County, Tennessee, USA.
17.  He was Presbyterian. His grandson Joseph Kennedy Marshall refers to him as being "blue stocking
       Presbyterian".
Birth Notes (Husband)
John was most likely born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. We know from the writings of David
Newton Kennedy that the family lived there before moving to Kentucky. I have estimated the date of his birth
from two sources. The 1850 census indicates a birth date of around 1774. The inscription on his tombstone
indicates he was a little older and was possibly born as early as 1770.
Burial Notes (Husband)
Tombstone inscription: "Though Four Score Years Has Past And Four Years Added Too Time Alone Has
Swept At Last An Age That Is Obtained By Few"
General Notes (Husband)
Joseph Kennedy Marshall states that his grandfather John Kennedy was Scotch-Irish & old blue stocking
Presbyterian. He married 1st Barbara Gordon 2nd Margaret McDonald and had nineteen children. I have
tried to find what the term "blue stocking Presbyterian" was, but have not come across a definite meaning.
The best I can conclude from the references of it made by others, is that it meant a staunch Presbyterian or
true Presbyterian. The people referred to as "blue stocking Presbyterian" were very Puritanical in character
and adhered very strictly to the ways of the Presbyterian church, many times so much so that they did not
have tolerance for those who did not. One man referred to his mother as being "blue stocking Presbyterian"
stating that she even refused to boil water on Sunday.

Wife                                  Barbara Gordon
                                         Born                   Abt 1774 North Carolina, USA
                                         Died                   After 25 Jun 1803 Kentucky, USA

Father                              Samuel Gordon Sr. (Abt 1730-Bef 1808)                                                                                                                                                      Mother                             Barbara Cameron (Abt 1740-Bef 1790)
Death Notes (Wife)
We are not sure where Barbara Gordon Kennedy died or is buried. We know that John remarried on 6
November 1805 and that her last child was born 25 June 1803, so we can estimate she died between those two
events.
Notes (Married)
Bond by Robert Gordon, consent by Samuel Gordon, FB. Ret. date, 10 Nov. 1790.

Children

I.                                       Elizabeth "Betsy" Kennedy
                                         Born                    28 Nov 1792 Kentucky, USA
                                         Died                    16 Feb 1880 Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                         Buried                 Wilkes-Campground Cemetery, Culleoka, Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                         Spouse                John Dunwoody Ramsey (1795-1873) 25 Sep 1822 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA
 

II.                                     John M. Kennedy
                                        Born                     11 Jan 1794 Kentucky, USA
                                        Died                      21 May 1855 Lawrence County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Buried                   Mt. Ararat Cemetery, Ethridge, Lawrence County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Spouse                  Elizabeth Turner
                                        Spouse                  Elizabeth Tom (Abt 1795- ) 14 Jun 1838 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA

III.                                   Evander Kennedy
                                        Born                     Abt 1795 Kentucky, USA
                                        Died                     Abt 1837 Lowndes County, Alabama, USA
                                        Spouse                 Mary Pauline Goff (Abt 1796-Aft 1850) 15 Aug 1816 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA
 

IV.                                   James Kennedy
                                        Born                     Abt 1796 Kentucky, USA
                                        Died                     13 Mar 1863 Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Buried                   Lasting Hope Cemetery, Carters Creek, Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Spouse                 Elizabeth P. Bennett (1800-1853) 1 Sep 1831 - Williamson County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Spouse                 Martha W. Moody (1800-1875) 24 Oct 1854 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA
 

V.                                    Robert Gordon Kennedy
                                        Born                      Abt 1797 Kentucky, USA
                                        Died                      Bef 8 Apr 1873 Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Spouse                  Caroline Frances "Fannie" Moody (Abt 1802-1856)
                                        Spouse                  Susannah English (Abt 1827- ) 6 Nov 1858 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA
 

VI.                                   Hannah Gordon Kennedy
                                        Born                      25 Nov 1800 Kentucky, USA
                                        Died                      2 Mar 1878 Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Buried                   Wilkes-Campground Cemetery, Culleoka, Maury County, Tennessee, USA
                                        Spouse                  Thomas Amis (1803-1867) 12 Oct 1827 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA
 

VII.                                 Mary Ross Kennedy
                                       Born                       25 Jun 1803 Kentucky, USA
                                       Died                       Jan 1881 Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA
                                       Buried                    Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA
                                       Spouse                   Silas Alexander (1796-1869) 16 Oct 1823 - Maury County, Tennessee, USA