The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-16
TnE IArG sNN AVON KENNA.


liant Success.
4 WtARg Contributor n the CdAO!c Mirror.
Whilst the praises of this distin'
guished West Virginian are so lovingly
chanted, and each detail OF his HE is
being recalled with interest, as yet it
has not been told how tho senator and
his sisters came to owe their chances OF
securing u liberal education to the
Catholic Bishop OF Wheeling, West Viz.
ginia. The father OF young Kenna, who
migrated from Dublin, Ireland, brought
with him scholarly attachments, refined
manners, commanding presence and
generous, unseltish impulses, After his
marriage with Mics Lewis, grand'dGugh'
ter OF the famous Indian tighter, Cen
erai Lewis, hero of Point Pleasant, he
moved TO Charleston, West Virginia,
whore lie soon attained to prom
ineIce at the bar, and became
tho owner of an extensive tract OF
wild lands, lying close to the Great Ka-
nawha river, but at period OF little
value, and hOmpered by the presence
OF numerous sQuatters. Mr., Kenna's
law practice was ample, but not his sue
cess in collecting ices, which forced
him to have recource to loans, then not
easy TO secure, owing to tho financial
strlngency felt by the nation. On II
of these occasions, being sharply
pinched to meet some matured claims,
he visited the Catholic bishop Of Wheel
ing, 1T. Rev. Richard V. Whelan, who
received his appeal favorably, raised for
him $500 and accepted in return a lien
on part of tho Kenna wild survey, a
%precaution, however, that failed to save
the bishop from heavy loss. When this
deal OF the KanawhN lawyer aud tho
Wheeling bishop took place, the annual
revenue OF DR.. Whelan for his support
and for the opening up Of his new do
Cese, consisted OF about $500, contribu-
ted by the mission aims societies Of
France and Austria. To which
add that tho Wheeling bishop
was, ut the date in question,
heavily u borrower OF his poor flock for
the erection OF his future cathedral.
The bishop had met Mr., Kenna once
before at his h~ospitable home in
in Charleston, n visit that deeply i'm.
pressed MIN with the sterling worth OF
that family. Soon after these meetings
the tragic death OF Mr.. Kenna occur
red, which left his widow without
means TO provide suitably for the rear
ing Of her three orphan children.
Again appeal was made to the Catholic
bishop OF Wheeling, who promptly adj
mittod John Edward, the future n
tor, then in his 18th year, into his Col
lege Of st. Vincent, to follow the Bellies
lettres and Classical course. When
also the halls Of the bishops famous
Academy OF the Visitation Nuns were
thrown open to his two sisters. though
at the time their legal guardian saw no
prospect Of an early and advantageous
sale OF their wild lands. A happier
arrangement could not well DO made
for those Kenna children, who thus be.
came the wards OF the last friend Of
their father,
Both, schools OF advanced culture,
owed their foundation aud success to
Bishop Whelan, himself q trained edu-
Gator Of tho Dubois and Brute type.
Young Kenna, on his arrival, found
himself in his element, a brass band,
amateur theatricals, spicy debates and
oratorical displays enlivening and help
ing forward the heavier work OF his
classical studies. 1t was at this period
he met and subsequently, married his
first wife, Miss Quigg, of Wheeling. a
graduate OF the Visitation Academy in
that city, in which school his gifted
daughter by this marriage also gradu-