  patrick kennedy (bet. january 15, 1823 and february 16, 1823 â november 22, 1858) was an irish farmer who immigrated to east boston, massachusetts. born in dunganstown, county wexford, ireland, he was the father of businessman/politician p. j. kennedy, paternal grandfather of businessman/politician joseph p. kennedy, sr., and patrilineal great-grandfather of world war ii casualty joseph p. kennedy, jr., president john f. kennedy, senator robert f. kennedy, and longtime senator ted kennedy. ==early life== patrick kennedy was the youngest son of farmer james kennedy (1770â1835) and his wife maria (c. 1779 â february 16, 1835). james kennedy was born in dunganstown, (whitechurch, new ross, county wexford) in ireland to john kennedy (1738â1803) and bridget shallow (1744â1774). james inherited a small farm from his father during the penal law times in ireland. patrick had three older siblings: * mary kennedy, who married james molloy * john kennedy ii (1804â1864), who married mary k. gunnip (1816â1881) and was a local farmer. * james kennedy, jr. (1816â1881), who married catherine colfer and was also a local farmer. ==adulthood== by the time patrick reached adulthood, both his parents were apparently dead and the family homestead was controlled by his eldest brother john, who was already married and the father of four children. the eldest son normally inherited whatever claims existed to the family's farm. because of the life-threatening scarcity of food and resources, the rest of the children, such as third son patrick kennedy, usually were expected to leave for the new world. patrick's life as a farmer in dunganstown consisted mainly of 
1823_births 1858_deaths American_Roman_Catholics American_people_of_Irish_descent Irish_emigrants_to_the_United_States_(before_1923) Kennedy_family People_from_County_Wexford People_from_East_Boston,_Boston