Born in Montrose, Lee County, Iowa, March 24, 1869. He acquired his education at Montrose, graduating from high school in 1885. Soon after leaving high school he and his brother, John P. Kennedy, became associated in the nursery business. The Kennedy brothers developed a fine establishment, made a reputation for reliability and service, and extended their trade over a wide territory. Mr. Kennedy has been a leader in the Republican party of Lee County since early manhood. His first important public office was mayor of Montrose, an office he filled from 1890 to 1894. In 1902 he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, serving in the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies, 1903-07. It was in 1906 that he was nominated in the district convention for Congress, and was elected that year. He was reelected when William H. Taft was chosen president in 1908, serving all through the Taft administration and the First Iowa District returned him in 1912, the year of the great split in the Republican Party. Altogether he spent fourteen years as representative of the First Iowa District, his last election being in 1918. He voluntarily retired after the conclusion of his seventh term. During his last term in Congress he was chairman of the very important river and harbors committee. His entire record in Congress is one of which the people of the First District are proud. Since his retirement from Washington, Mr. Kennedy has been vice president of the Montrose Savings Bank. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and B.P.O. Elks.

Born in Montrose, Lee County, Iowa, March 24, 1869. He acquired his education at Montrose, graduating from high school in 1885. Soon after leaving high school he and his brother, John P. Kennedy, became associated in the nursery business. The Kennedy brothers developed a fine establishment, made a reputation for reliability and service, and extended their trade over a wide territory. Mr. Kennedy has been a leader in the Republican party of Lee County since early manhood. His first important public office was mayor of Montrose, an office he filled from 1890 to 1894. In 1902 he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, serving in the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies, 1903-07. It was in 1906 that he was nominated in the district convention for Congress, and was elected that year. He was reelected when William H. Taft was chosen president in 1908, serving all through the Taft administration and the First Iowa District returned him in 1912, the year of the great split in the Republican Party. Altogether he spent fourteen years as representative of the First Iowa District, his last election being in 1918. He voluntarily retired after the conclusion of his seventh term. During his last term in Congress he was chairman of the very important river and harbors committee. His entire record in Congress is one of which the people of the First District are proud. Since his retirement from Washington, Mr. Kennedy has been vice president of the Montrose Savings Bank. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and B.P.O. Elks.