Capt. Mifflin Kenedy

Ashton, John. Texas State History Association's Handbook of Texas online ... https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fke23

KENEDY, MIFFLIN (1818–1895). Mifflin Kenedy, rancher, the son of John and Sarah (Starr) Kenedy, was born on June 8, 1818, at Downington, Chester County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Quakers, and he was educated in the common schools of the county and spent some time in a boarding school headed by Jonathan Gause, a Quaker educator.

Kenedy taught school during the winter before his 16th birthday (1833-34), and then, in the spring of 1834, he sailed as a cabin boy on the Star of Philadelphia, bound for Calcutta, India. In early 1836 he taught school in Coatsville, Pennsylvania, until he decided to try for employment in river navigation. He worked in a brickyard in Pittsburgh until he became a clerk on a river steamer. From 1836 to 1842 he was clerk and acting captain on steamers on the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers. From 1842 to 1846 he sailed as clerk or substitute captain on the Champion, plying the Apalachicola and Chattahoochie rivers. In Florida he met Richard King, who would later be his partner in steamboating and ranching in Texas.

While he was in Pittsburgh for repairs on the Champion, Kenedy met Maj. John Saunders of the United States Army, an engineer who was securing boats for use by the army on the Rio Grande during the Mexican War. Kenedy was employed to assist Saunders, and, as commander of the Corvette, proceeded to New Orleans, where he enlisted as master for the duration of the Mexican War. Kenedy's experience in conducting light boats over Gulf waters made his services invaluable in his new task of transporting troops and supplies to points on the Rio Grande. At the end of the war, Kenedy formed a partnership with Samuel A. Belden and James Walworth to trade in Mexico; after the dissolution of the partnership, Kenedy alone took a pack train of goods to Monterrey for sale.

In 1850 Kenedy and King formed a steamship partnership called M. Kenedy and Company. The business included as partners Kenedy, King, Charles Stillman, and James O'Donnell. Kenedy's ranching began with the purchase of Merino sheep in Pennsylvania. Despite losses from his flock by fire and drowning en route to Texas, he saved enough sheep to have a flock of 10,000 near El Sal del Rey in Hidalgo County in 1854. He lost 75 percent of the flock before he sold what remained to John McClain in 1856.

In late 1859 and early 1860 he served as captain of a company under Samuel P. Heintzelman in a campaign against Juan N. Cortina. In 1860 Kenedy and King bought into the Santa Gertrudis Ranch in South Texas as full partners. When the partnership dissolved, the partners took 13 months to round up and divide their stock in cattle, sheep, goats, and mules, which ranged from the Nueces River to the Rio Grande. Upon selling his share of the partnership in 1868, Kenedy purchased the Laureles Ranch, located 22 miles from Corpus Christi. Cattle at that time had little value save for hides and tallow; more money was to be made in trade on the river.

M. Kenedy and Company engaged in Rio Grande trade. Kenedy and King eventually bought out the other partners. At the start of the Civil War the company owned up to 26 boats, and during the war it was successful in shipping cotton along the Rio Grande. The steamship business continued until 1874, when they dissolved their firm and divided its assets.

Kenedy was among the first Texas ranchers to fence his lands. In 1869 he enclosed Laureles on three sides with 36 miles of smooth-wire fence. The ranch was expanded to contain 242,000 acres, all fenced, and was sold in 1882 to a Scottish syndicate that became known as the Texas Land and Cattle Company. After selling the Laureles in 1882, Kenedy bought 400,000 acres in Cameron (later Kenedy) County and named it La Parra Ranch after the wild grapevines growing there. He also fenced La Parra, using posts imported from Louisiana. At that same time he organized the Kenedy Pasture Company.

Having been successful in steamboating, trading, and ranching, Kenedy in 1876 entered the field of railroad construction to help Uriah Lott build the Corpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande line from Corpus Christi to Laredo. In 1885 he supplied the money and credit for Lott to build 700 miles of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway.

Kenedy married Petra Vela de Vidal, widow of Col. Luis Vidal, of Mier, Mexico, on April 16, 1852. She had six children from her previous marriage, and the Kenedys had six children of their own. Three generations used the Kenedy laurel-leaf brand.

Kenedy died at Corpus Christi on March 14, 1895. Both he and his wife were buried at Brownsville. Named after Mifflin Kenedy were Kenedy, Texas, and Kenedy County.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• James Lewellyn Allhands, Gringo Builders (Joplin, Missouri, Dallas, Texas, 1931).
• John Henry Brown, Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas (Austin: Daniell, 1880; reprod., Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1978).
• C. L. Douglas, Cattle Kings of Texas (Dallas: Baugh, 1939; rpt., Fort Worth: Branch-Smith, 1968).
• Tom Lea, The King Ranch (2 vols., Boston: Little, Brown, 1957).
• Vertical Files, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.

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From his Obituary in the San Antonio Daily Light, Thursday, March 14, 1895:

DEATH OF MIFFLIN KENEDY, The Sad Event Took Place This Morning: One of Texas' most representative men passes away suddenly; attended to business matters last evening

This morning at 9:40, the wires brought the following sad message to Mr. M.D. Monserrate, vice-president and general manager of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway company:

"CORPUS CHRISTI, March 14 - Captain M. Kenedy died suddnely this morning. He was well and hearty and transacting business at his office late yesterday evening. Was taken sick last night and died early this morning."

This information cast a gloom over the entire general offices of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass. The sad news soon became known among those who have known Captain Kenedy the past 20 or 30 years and expressions of sorrow and regret were heard on all sides.

Mr. Monserrate immediately gave orders to have his private car in readiness and this afternoon at 4 o'clock will leave for Corpus Christi, accompanied by Hon. A.W. Houston, Dr. Amos Graves, Mr. Edwin Chamberlain, and probably others. The engine which will pull the train will be draped in mourning.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Captain Mifflin Kenedy was born in Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania, June 8, 1818. His parents were John Kennedy and Sarah (Starr) Kenedy, members of the Society of Friends. The branch from which he is descended appear in France as Huguenots early in the 15th century. About the year 1608, they escaped to england and later became Friends or Quakers. In 1683, Mr. Kenedy's progenitors sailed as members of William Penn's first colony and settled at Springfield, about 20 miles from Philadelphia, Pa., and there many of their descendants yet reside.

Captain Kenedy's childhood was spent in the quietude of a Quaker home. He attended common schools of the country and was for three months a pupil of Jonathan Causo. On April 4, 1834, he sailed on board the ship Star at Philadelphia, as a boy before the mast. In 1842, he went to Alabama and during one season on the Alabama river boats, served as a clerk of the Champion, a boat running from Mobile to Montgomery. In 1846, he was placed in charge of the boat.

The same year, he enlisted in the army under General Zachary Taylor, and was made commander of the boat Corvette. He was ordered to proceed with the Corvette to the Rio Grande, and reached the mouth of the Rio Grande June 17, 1846. and from that time to the close of the war transported troops and provisions to Matamoros, Reynosa, Camargo, and other points. At the end of the Mexican war, he went to Monterrey, but did not remain, and arrived at Brownsville in the spring of 1850, where he, in partnership with Captain Richard King, Captain James O'Donnell, and Mr. Charles Stillman, under the firm name of M. Kenedy & Co., engaged in the building of boats and ran them upon the Rio Grande and along the gulf coast to Brazos Santiago. Captain Kenedy then built two boats, the Comanche and Grampus, vessels of 200 and 500 tons burden.

In 1865, the firm of King, Kenedy & Co. was established and in 1874, it was dissolved and the assets were divided.

After the civil war, Captain Kenedy purchased the Laurelos ranch in Nueces County, consisting of 132,000 acres, and in 1852, sold it to Underwood, Clark & Col, of Kansas City, of $1.1 million in cash.

In 1876, Captain Kenedy and Captain King assisted Colonel Uriah Lott in building the narrow gauge road between Corpus Christi and Laredo, and sold it in 1881 to the Mexican National Construction Company.

In June 1885, Captain Kenedy was called upon by his friend, Colonel Lott, regarding the construction of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass railway, which had already been begun but languished for want of means, and Captain Kenedy supplied the money and credit necessary for the construction of the line, and has built 700 miles of road, which are now in operation. He also supplied a majority of the motive power and rolling stock for the road.

After the sale of the Laurelos Ranch in 1882, Captain Kenedy established the Kenedy Pasture Company, of which he was the president and treasurer, and his son, John G. Kenedy, secretary and general manager.

At Brownsville, Texas, April 16, 1862, Captain Kenedy married Mrs. Petra Vela de Vidal, of Mier, Mexico. They had six children and an adopted one, of whom only three are living - John G., Sarah Josephine, and Miss Carmen Morell Kenedy. John G. married Miss Marie Stella Turcotte, of New Orleans, and have two children, and Miss Sarah Josephine married Dr. A. E. Spohe, an eminent physician of Corpus Christi.

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via brother Elisha Jefferis Kenedy by SmartCopy: Apr 20 2015, 18:58:19 UTC