James W Kennedy
Birth unknown
Ohio, USA
Death 25 Dec 1871
Burial
Union Dale Cemetery
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA
“Died – on Monday evening, December 25, 1871, at 8 o’clock, James W. Kennedy, in the 51st year of his age. His funeral will take place this afternoon at 2:30 from his late residence, No. 13 Park street, Allegheny city, to proceed to Mount Union Cemetery”
Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, 27 December 1871, page 4
“Mr. Kennedy was born in the State of Ohio,and came to Pittsburgh when quite young. He apprenticed early to the printing business, having learned his trade with W. D. Wilson, of the Daily Advocate. He subsequently worked on the Gazette, under the proprietorship of Neville B. Craig. He was also employed for a long time on the Commercial Journal. In 1844, in connection with his brother, John B., he established the Express, a paper which advocated the election of Clay to the Presidency. This was succeeded by the Alleghenian, which was published in Allegheny City for some years, in connection with the book and job printing business. This office was destroyed by fire, and the next venture of the deceased and his brother was the purchase of the Evening Chronicle from Messrs. Babcock and Williams. After conducting this paper for some time, they sold to Mr. Charles McKnight. Mr. John B. then bought the Daily Union and converted it into the Free Press while James W. took the job printing office in conjunction with that paper and continued that branch of the business until he sold out to Mr. Murphy. While here, he purchased Singerty’s Review and Bank Note Detector, the name of which he changed to Kennedy’s Review, a periodical which attained a large circulation and proved a profitable investment. It was while editing and publishing this periodical that he became familiar with financial and stock operations. The change of the circulation of the country from the State to the National banking system, rendered his publication unnecessary and it was abandoned. The training which he had undergone in its publication, however, fitted him for the business which he subsequently adopted and in which he had been reasonably successful. As a dealer in stocks he was exceedingly cautious and he never encountered any serious losses. Indeed, in this respect he was unusually fortunate. His knowledge of financial matters, and general acquaintance with the newspaper business qualified him for the position of financial editor, and ever since the Commercial started he has conducted its financial department. He had, by many years of constant labor, gained a comfortable independence, and was exceedingly happy in his social relations. He was devoted to the interests of his children, and was a most indulgent husband and father… He was a member of the Christ M.E. Church and an earnest worker in the Sabbath School. “
Pittsburgh Daily Commercial, 27 December 1871, page 1
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188060856/james-w-kennedy
