San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-03-14
DEATH OF MIFFLIN kennedy.
THE SAD EVENT TOOK PLACE
THIS MORNING.
One of Texas Most Representative
Men Passes Away Suddenly.
Attended to Business
Matters Last
Evening.

the following sad message to Mr.. NJ. d.
Monserrate, vice president and general
manager OF the San Antonio and Arkansas
Pass RailwaS company:
CORPUS CHRISTI, March 14.-Captain
NJ. Kennedy died suddenly this morning
He was well and hearty and transactIng
business at his office late yesterday even
ing. Was taken sick last night and died
early this morning
This Information cast gloom over the
entire general offices Of the San Antonio
became known among those who have
known Captain Kennedy the past twenty
or thirty years and expressions of sorrow
and regret were heard on all sides.
MIR. MonSerrate Immediately gave or
ders to have his private car in readiness
and this afternoon at four o'clock will
leave for Corpus Christi. accompanied by
Mr.. Edwin Chamberlain and probably
others. The engine which will pull the
train, will be draped in mourning.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Captain Mifllin Kennedy was born in
DownlngtOwn, Chester county, PennSvl-
vania. June s, 1918. His parents were
John Kennedy and Sarah Starr Kennedy,
MEMBERS of the Society of Friends. The
branch from which he is descended ap-
pear in France as Huguenots, early in the
fifteenth century. About the year 1898
they escaped to England, and later be-
came friends or QuaSers. In 1888 Mr..
Kenedy's progenitOrs sailed as members
of William PENIS first colony and settled
a. Springfield, about twenty miles from
Philadelphia, Pa, and there many of
their descendants yet reside.
Captain Kenedys childhood was spent
in the quietude of a Quaker home. He
try and was for three months pupil Of
Jonathan Cause. On April 4, 1884, he
sailed on board the ship Star at Phil
adelphia, as a boy before the mast
In 1912 he went to Alabama and during
one season on the Alabama river boats,
served as clerk of the Champion, boat
running from Mobile TO Montgomery. In
1916 he was placed in charge Of the boat.
The same year he enlisted in the army I'M
der General Zachary Taylor, and was
made commander of the coat Corvette.
He was ordered to proceed with the Cor
vette to the Rio Grande, and reached the
mouth of the Rio Grande June Il. 1916,
and from that time until the close of the
war transported troops and provisions to
MatamOras, ReynoSa, CamargO and other
points. AT the end of the Mexican war
II.
and arrived at Brownsville in the spring
of 1850, where he. in partnership with
Captain Richard King, Captain James
O'DOnnell and Mr.. Charles Stillman, I'M
der the firm name of M. Kennedy IL Co.,
engaged in the building of boats and ran
them upon the Rio Grande and along the
gulf coast to BraZoS Santiago. Cap
tain Kennedy then built two boats, the
COmanche and GrampuS. vessels of 200
and 800 tons burden. Ia 1865 the firm of
King, Kennedy & Co. was established, and
in 1874 it was dissolved and the assets
were divided.
After the civil war Captain Kennedy
purchased the LaureloS ranch in NueceS
county, consisting Of 1872, 600 acres, and in
1882 sold it to Underwood, Clark & Co., of
Kansas City, of 81, 100000 in cash.
In 1876 Captain Kennedy and Captain
King assisted Colonel Uriah Lott in
building the narrow gauge road between
Corpus Christi and Laredo and sold it in
1881 TO the Mexican National Construc
tion company.
In June, 1885,, Captain Kennedy was
called upon by his friend. Colonel
LOttregarding the construction of the San
Antonio and Arkansas Pass railway, which
had aireaudY been begun but languished
for want of means. and Captain Kennedy
supplied the money and credit necessary
for the construction Of the line. and has
built 100 miles of road which are now in
operation. He also supplied a majority
of the motive power and rolling stock for
the road.
After the sale of the LaurelOs ranch,
in 1882, Captain Kennedy established the
Kennedy Pasture company. of which he
was the president and treasurer, and his
son, John &. Kennedy, secretary and
general manager
At Brownsville, Tex, April 16, 1852,
Captain Kennedy married Mrs Petra Vela
de Vidal, of Mier. Mex. They had six
children and an adopted one, of whom
only three are living-John c., Sarah
Josephine and Miss Carmen M.orel
Kennedy. John G.. married Miss Marie
Stella Turcotte. Of New Orleans. and have
two children, and Miss Sarah Josephine
married DR.. A. E. SpOhn, an eminent
physician Of Corpus Christi