Maurice Kenny was born in Watertown, NY in 1929. His father is Mohawk from Canada, his mother was born in upstate New York. The family spent time living both on and off the nearby reservation. Kenny's father was a stern man, given to rough treatment of his son and at 16 Maurice ran away from home. He lived in New York City for a brief period before returning home. Maurice Kenny lives between Saranac Lake, and Potsdam. He occasionally teaches at North Country Community College, but currently is assigned courses at SUNY Potsdam.