William Kennon Jr. Explained

William Kennon Jr.
State:Ohio
Term Start:March 4, 1847
Term End:March 3, 1849
Preceded:Joseph Morris
Succeeded:William F. Hunter
Birth Date:12 June 1802
Birth Place:Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ireland, U.K.
Death Place:St. Clairsville, Ohio, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Alma Mater:Franklin College
Restingplace:Union Cemetery
Relations:William Kennon Sr. (cousin)

William Kennon Jr. (June 12, 1802October 19, 1867) was a lawyer, judge, and a U.S. Representative from Ohio.[1] He served for one term from 1847 to 1849.

Early life

Born in Carrickfergus, County Antrim on the island of Ireland (the entirety of which was then part of the U.K.), Kennon, known locally as 'Kenno', immigrated to the United States in 1816 with his parents, who settled near Barnesville, Ohio. He was a first cousin of fellow U.S. Representative William Kennon Sr.[1]

He attended the common schools and graduated from Franklin College, New Athens, Ohio, in 1826. Kennon studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1830.[1]

Career

He commenced practice in St. Clairsville, Ohio, and served as the prosecuting attorney of Belmont County from 1837 to 1841.[1]

Kennon was elected as a Democrat to the Thirtieth Congress from March 4, 1847, until March 3, 1849. He was not a candidate for renomination, and instead resumed the practice of law. He served as judge of the court of common pleas of the fifteenth judicial district from 1865 to July 1, 1867, when he resigned.[1]

Personal life

Kennon was married to Elizabeth Kirkwood (1818–1899), daughter of Joseph Kirkwood and granddaughter of Revolutionary War hero Robert Kirkwood.[2] [3] Together, they were the parents of:

He died in St. Clairsville on October 19, 1867, and was interred in Union Cemetery.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: KENNON, William, Jr. - Biographical Information. bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. May 15, 2018.
  2. Book: Caldwell. John Alexander. History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio: And Incidentally Historical Collections Pertaining to Border Warfare and the Early Settlement of the Adjacent Portion of the Ohio Valley. 1880. Historical Publishing Company. 244. May 15, 2018. en.
  3. Book: Historical Society of Delaware. Papers of the Historical Society of Delaware. 1896. The Society. 74–75. May 15, 2018. en. Historical Society of Delaware.
  4. Book: The American Bar. 1921. J.C. Fifield Company. 811. May 15, 2018. en.
  5. Book: The Weekly Law Bulletin and Ohio Law Journal. 1886. Capital Print. & Publishing Company. 370. May 15, 2018. en.
  6. Social Calendar. The Index. October 29, 1904. XI. 16. May 15, 2018. en.