Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Kennedy, V. P. 1824 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 17, 2015, 10:03 pm Source: See Below Author: Alden, Ogle & Co. DOCTOR V. P. KENNEDY, of Litchfield, besides being a pioneer, is one of the best known citizens in this part of the State. Doctor Kennedy was born in Butler county, Penn., on the 11th of July, 1824. When he was five years of age his parents removed to and became pioneers of Indiana, where the subject of this sketch remained until 1856. His younger days were spent upon a farm, but when twenty-one he entered the Asbury University at Greencastle, Ind., where he spent two years, and then went to Rockville, Ind., where he began the study of medicine. A year later he went to Louisville, Ky.; later to Chicago, and in 1851 finished his course and graduated from Rush Medical College. In 1875 he took an ad-eundum degree at the Bellevue Hospital College, Hew York. Doctor Kennedy's parents were Martin and Elinor [Pellett] Kennedy. The father died when the Doctor was ten and the mother when he was six years of age. He was then thrown upon his own resources and for a time lived with an uncle; but when sixteen he left his uncle's roof and began the battle of life on his own account. In June, 1856, he came to Meeker county, Minn., and took the same claim which had been held by Dr. Frederick N. Ripley, which is mentioned at length elsewhere in this volume. Ripley had been frozen to death in March of that year. Dr. Kennedy at once began improvements in a light way, building a little cabin on the place, but he lived in Cedar City, McLeod county, until the spring of 1857, when he settled on his claim. During the season of 1856 he had "broke" some land and raised a few potatoes, the Indians, however, getting the benefit of his labor. Doctor Kennedy remained on his claim until the fall of 1860, when he was elected to the State Legislature. He was re elected in the fall of 1861. In the spring of 1862 he entered the United States service as surgeon of the Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry and remained with his regiment until the 1st of May, 1865, when he was mustered out at Montgomery, Ala. The following summer was spent upon his farm, and in the fall he received the appointment of physician for the Chippewa Indians at Red Lake, and remained there from November, 1865, until March, 1867. He again returned to Meeker county, and bought what was known as the Cedar Mill and ran that until 1869, when he came to Litchfield and resumed the practice of his profession. In 1880 he went to Brown county D. T., and took a claim, but continued his practice at Litchfield until 1883, when he removed to Ordway, D. T., and engaged in the drug business, also becoming postmaster. In the fall of 1885 he was elected to the Dakota Senate and took an active interest in shaping Territorial legislation. In the spring of 1886 his family returned to Litchfield and for some time the Doctor was back and forth between the two points, but the latter place is now his home. Doctor Kennedy was first married on the 19th day of July, 1849, to Miss Julia A. Rudisell, who died July 13, 1854. This union was blessed with two children, one of whom is now living, Julia A., wife of Nimrod Barrick, who lives at the Doctor's original claim in Meeker county. Dr. Kennedy was again married, on the 2d of July, 1860, to Caroline Rudisell, a sister of his first wife. They have three children now living— Milford P., who lives on a farm in Dakota; Harry M. and Lewis H., who are attending university at Minneapolis. Doctor Kennedy is an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic. At the annual encampment in 1887 he was elected medical director for the department of Minnesota and served for one year. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined Golden Fleece Lodge in the fall of 1875. He is prominently identified with the State Medical Association and is recognized as one of the best educated and most experienced members of the medical profession in this part of the State. During late years, however, he has devoted his attention chiefly to his extensive farming interests, having 360 acres in this county all of which is improved; and 640 acres in Dakota, with 400 under cultivation. Additional Comments: Extracted from Illustrated Album of Biography Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota 1888 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb