KENNEDY, CHARLES E. (17 May 1856-12 June 1929), prominent journalist born in W. Farmington, Ohio, to James C. and Sarah (Curry) Kennedy, began his long career in Cleveland journalism as a reporter for the Leader in 1876. He moved to the Herald in 1880, serving as city editor and then advertising manager, and joined the PLAIN DEALER as advertising manager following the Herald's demise in 1885. After 2 years of advertising work in New York, Kennedy rejoined the Plain Dealer in 1893 as general manager and small stockholder. Hired away by Joseph Pulitzer in 1897 to be business manager of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he returned the following year to assume direction of the Plain Dealer in conjunction with ELBERT H. BAKER, under an agreement signed with publisher LIBERTY E. HOLDEN. This arrangement lasted from 1898-1907, when Kennedy withdrew, leaving Baker in sole control as general manager. Since he had been editorial manager in the partnership, while Baker was business manager, Kennedy later claimed he deserved a share of the credit accrued to Baker as "founder of the modern Plain Dealer." Following his departure from the Plain Dealer, Kennedy became general manager of the CLEVELAND LEADER, then retired from journalism to devote himself to advertising. He served as a member of the Cleveland Public Library board from 1903-20, and in 1925 published a memoir entitled Fifty Years of Cleveland. He married Harriet L. Pratt of Warren in 1880, with whom he had a daughter, Winifred. Kennedy died in his home and was buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.
Kennedy, Charles E. Fifty Years of Cleveland (1925).