Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-06-24
THOMAS B. KENNEDY DEAD
Was President Of the Cumberland
Valley Railroad Co.
HELD POSITION FOR 80 YEARS
suecunbs to Complication of Trou-
bles After Long Illness His
Career end Work.


rlicatlon of troubles. For the last
few DAYS he was in comatose state,
but died peaCeably surrounded by his
Immediate family.
Mr.. Kennel was born in Warren
county. N. j., August /, 1927, and
wss the son of J. J. and Margaret
Cowels Kennedy. His father came to
Fralklin county in 1889 and settled 90
a farm on the Conococheague creek
below Chambersburg. The elder Ken
nedy was all active politician aud
soon active in the community Three
years later he was elected Que of the
Judges of the county aud later was
an unsuccessful candidate for the
state senate.
Thomas b. Kennedy was educated
at the Chambersburg academy, aud
in 1s4l entered the sophomore class at
Marshall college. Mercersburg. He
was graduated with honors in 1914
and was awarded the sslntatory ora.
ton. He was the sole surviving
member of his class with the excep.
tion of DR.. George w. Augbinbaugh,
who was the valedictoriau of the
class. After leaving college, he
studied law with Judge Alex Thomp-
son, father of the late president of
the PENNSYLVANIA railroad, Frank
Thompson, and was admitted to the
Franklin county bar on April II. 1913,
OF which at the time of his death he
was the oldest member
Iu 1S49 he led party OF enIigrauts
to California and for two years prac-
tieed in Dowineville, Gal. He re-.
turned in 1851. After mis- marriage in
1856 he made tour of Europe, last
ing over one wear, and returned to
Chambersburg where he re.entered the
practice of law until 1878 when he
was elected president of the Cumber.
land Valley railroad.
He was for a time associated with
The Hon. John Stewart. who was re.
Gently chosen to be one of the judges
of the supreme court of Pennsylvania,
the firm name being Kennedy and
Stewart
Mr.. Kennedy was associated with
the Cumberland Valley railroad for 8
period of almost 80 wears as a stock
holder, counsel, aud director since
1857. In 1878 he was chosen preside It
to succeed Judge Frederick Watts.
who was at that time appointed COM
missioner OF agriculture by President
Grant. Mr.. Kennedy's predecessor was
at the head of the Cumberland Valley
railroad for 80 years, the two presi.
denotes therefore covering a period OF
GA years.
When he took charge, the
South Pennsylvania and Waynesboro
branches had been built as far as
| Mount Alto. The extension TO
Waynesboro was undertaken by
President Kennedy. Until 1859 the
terminus of the road was at Cham
bersburg and from 1859 to 1878 at
| Hagerstown. In the latter year the
road was extended to the Potomac
river and bridge built to connect
with the Martinsburg & Potomac
railroad. Under President Kennedy's
administration this line was acquired
by the Cumberland Valley railroad
and extended to Winchester.
The line from being in the position
of feeder to the Pennsylvania rail
road grew to be one of the most inn
portant of the country, for in 1882 con-
nections with the South were made
by the Norfolk * Western railroad,
and in 1908 arrangements were COM
pleted for communication with the
great coal fields of West Virginia. Mr..
Kennedy lived to see the freight traf-
great trunk lines and the passenger
service, increasing from time to time,
to become better than any other rail
road OF the country for local traffic
In this connection two achievements
were unique in the railroad history of
the country. As he found the COM
pany at the beginning of u second
period of development in 1878 so he
now leaves it at mis- death with pro-
ieets for a vast increase of facilities
and equipment well under way
Lands have been purchased at various
points looking toward decreasing
distances for the heavy freight system
of the road and improved facilities for
the two lines of the valley. Purchases
include lands in Hagerstown, Green
castle and Chambersburg, for the pur-
pose of building freight tracks around
the cities, and in Harrisburg for the
building OF monster freight depot
All these improvements of wonderful
Importance for the future owe their
initiative to President Kennedy.