KENNEDY, JAMES HENRY (17 Jan. 1849-22 Jan. 1934) made distinguished contributions to the fields of local journalism and history. A native of Farmington, Trumbull Co., O., he was the older brother of CHARLES E. KENNEDY, who also became a Cleveland journalist. The elder Kennedy joined the staff of the CLEVELAND LEADER in 1872 after attending the Western Reserve Seminary. As the Leader's city editor, Kennedy was the first newspaperman to reach the scene of the Ashtabula railroad disaster of 1876 (see AMASA STONE). He moved over to the CLEVELAND HERALD as managing editor in 1880, after MARCUS A. HANNA had purchased the paper and hired away most of the Leader's staff. When the Herald folded in 1885, Kennedy became part owner of the SUNDAY VOICE, where he served as managing editor until 1889. Kennedy published a history of the Early Days of Mormonism in 1888, which was followed by his A History of the City of Cleveland in 1896 (see HISTORIES OF CLEVELAND). He also served as editor of the Magazine of Western History, following it to New York when its offices were shifted there from Cleveland. In New York, Kennedy also served as a correspondent for the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER and wrote the History of the Ohio Society of New York (1906). He changed his middle name from Henry to Harrison in 1915. The final decade of his life was spent in California, where he died in Pasadena survived by 1 daughter, the writer Louise Kennedy Mabie.
Article Categories