Duncan "Dunk" Kennedy was one of the most well-known and respected citizens of Portland, Michigan, in the late 19th & early 20th centuries. He was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, June 9, 1846, the son of James and Jane (McEdeard) Kennedy, both natives of Scotland. They came to Canada with their parents when young, and grew up and were married there. The father was a stone-mason by trade, but after his marriage he engaged in farming. He took up two hundred acres of land from the government, which he improved into a good and prosperous farm. He and his wife belonged to the Presbyterian Church, of which he was an elder. His death occurred in the city of Toronto, and his wife died on the home farm. They had five children, of whom three survived. They were: James, who engaged in the grocery business in Toronto, ON; William of Vancouver, BC, and Duncan of Portland, MI.
Duncan grew up on the home farm, attended country school, and set out to learn the blacksmith's trade in 1860, at age 14.
He arrived in Portland on a stage coach on Christmas eve in 1865. He worked for Captain Hyde, a local blacksmith until he established his own shop in Portland in 1872, which he operated until 1885. Then he sold out and engaged in the hardware business for the next thirty-one years. He had a well-stocked old-fashioned hardware store, with bins and drawers and shelves, and ladders on tracks to reach the stock. He also sold smaller farm implements before the days of tractors.
In 1916, at age 70, he retired and sold the store to Carl Derby and Bill Stocum, who were succeeded by Leo Lehman & Laban Smith, followed by Aaron Channel.
Duncan Kennedy was married August 11, 1870, to Edith E. Megarah, who was born in West Unity, Ohio, April 26, 1848. Her mother died when she was a baby, and soon thereafter the father moved with his children to Toledo. In 1864 they came to Portland, MI. The father was a mill-wright and worked at his trade in Portland and nearby towns until 1865, when he bought a large farm at Collins and settled there. Edith had graduated from high school in Toledo and taught for some time in the high school in Portland, as well as at Crystal before her marriage. Duncan & Edith Kennedy lived in the large square house on the northwest corner of James St. & Grant St.
Politically, Mr. Kennedy is a Democrat, and he has long been active in party affairs. He was president of the village of Portland in 1875 and 1876, and for sixteen years consecutively was a member of the village council, and later was president of the village again for four years. He has also served as highway commissioner several times. Fraternally, he belongs to Portland Lodge No. 31, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master; also belongs to Portland Chapter No. 36, Royal Arch Masons, and Portland Council No. 39, Royal and Select Masters, and Knights Templar.
They had one adopted daughter, Edith, who married Louis Slowinski.
Sources:
Research of Marilynn Johnson
History of Ionia County, Michigan, Published by B.F. Bowen & Co., 1916
Michigan Death Index provided the date and place of birth and the date and place of death of Mr. Kennedy.
Duncan grew up on the home farm, attended country school, and set out to learn the blacksmith's trade in 1860, at age 14.
He arrived in Portland on a stage coach on Christmas eve in 1865. He worked for Captain Hyde, a local blacksmith until he established his own shop in Portland in 1872, which he operated until 1885. Then he sold out and engaged in the hardware business for the next thirty-one years. He had a well-stocked old-fashioned hardware store, with bins and drawers and shelves, and ladders on tracks to reach the stock. He also sold smaller farm implements before the days of tractors.
In 1916, at age 70, he retired and sold the store to Carl Derby and Bill Stocum, who were succeeded by Leo Lehman & Laban Smith, followed by Aaron Channel.
Duncan Kennedy was married August 11, 1870, to Edith E. Megarah, who was born in West Unity, Ohio, April 26, 1848. Her mother died when she was a baby, and soon thereafter the father moved with his children to Toledo. In 1864 they came to Portland, MI. The father was a mill-wright and worked at his trade in Portland and nearby towns until 1865, when he bought a large farm at Collins and settled there. Edith had graduated from high school in Toledo and taught for some time in the high school in Portland, as well as at Crystal before her marriage. Duncan & Edith Kennedy lived in the large square house on the northwest corner of James St. & Grant St.
Politically, Mr. Kennedy is a Democrat, and he has long been active in party affairs. He was president of the village of Portland in 1875 and 1876, and for sixteen years consecutively was a member of the village council, and later was president of the village again for four years. He has also served as highway commissioner several times. Fraternally, he belongs to Portland Lodge No. 31, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master; also belongs to Portland Chapter No. 36, Royal Arch Masons, and Portland Council No. 39, Royal and Select Masters, and Knights Templar.
They had one adopted daughter, Edith, who married Louis Slowinski.
Sources:
Research of Marilynn Johnson
History of Ionia County, Michigan, Published by B.F. Bowen & Co., 1916
Michigan Death Index provided the date and place of birth and the date and place of death of Mr. Kennedy.
Duncan "Dunk" Kennedy was one of the most well-known and respected citizens of Portland, Michigan, in the late 19th & early 20th centuries. He was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, June 9, 1846, the son of James and Jane (McEdeard) Kennedy, both natives of Scotland. They came to Canada with their parents when young, and grew up and were married there. The father was a stone-mason by trade, but after his marriage he engaged in farming. He took up two hundred acres of land from the government, which he improved into a good and prosperous farm. He and his wife belonged to the Presbyterian Church, of which he was an elder. His death occurred in the city of Toronto, and his wife died on the home farm. They had five children, of whom three survived. They were: James, who engaged in the grocery business in Toronto, ON; William of Vancouver, BC, and Duncan of Portland, MI.
Duncan grew up on the home farm, attended country school, and set out to learn the blacksmith's trade in 1860, at age 14.
He arrived in Portland on a stage coach on Christmas eve in 1865. He worked for Captain Hyde, a local blacksmith until he established his own shop in Portland in 1872, which he operated until 1885. Then he sold out and engaged in the hardware business for the next thirty-one years. He had a well-stocked old-fashioned hardware store, with bins and drawers and shelves, and ladders on tracks to reach the stock. He also sold smaller farm implements before the days of tractors.
In 1916, at age 70, he retired and sold the store to Carl Derby and Bill Stocum, who were succeeded by Leo Lehman & Laban Smith, followed by Aaron Channel.
Duncan Kennedy was married August 11, 1870, to Edith E. Megarah, who was born in West Unity, Ohio, April 26, 1848. Her mother died when she was a baby, and soon thereafter the father moved with his children to Toledo. In 1864 they came to Portland, MI. The father was a mill-wright and worked at his trade in Portland and nearby towns until 1865, when he bought a large farm at Collins and settled there. Edith had graduated from high school in Toledo and taught for some time in the high school in Portland, as well as at Crystal before her marriage. Duncan & Edith Kennedy lived in the large square house on the northwest corner of James St. & Grant St.
Politically, Mr. Kennedy is a Democrat, and he has long been active in party affairs. He was president of the village of Portland in 1875 and 1876, and for sixteen years consecutively was a member of the village council, and later was president of the village again for four years. He has also served as highway commissioner several times. Fraternally, he belongs to Portland Lodge No. 31, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master; also belongs to Portland Chapter No. 36, Royal Arch Masons, and Portland Council No. 39, Royal and Select Masters, and Knights Templar.
They had one adopted daughter, Edith, who married Louis Slowinski.
Sources:
Research of Marilynn Johnson
History of Ionia County, Michigan, Published by B.F. Bowen & Co., 1916
Michigan Death Index provided the date and place of birth and the date and place of death of Mr. Kennedy.
Duncan grew up on the home farm, attended country school, and set out to learn the blacksmith's trade in 1860, at age 14.
He arrived in Portland on a stage coach on Christmas eve in 1865. He worked for Captain Hyde, a local blacksmith until he established his own shop in Portland in 1872, which he operated until 1885. Then he sold out and engaged in the hardware business for the next thirty-one years. He had a well-stocked old-fashioned hardware store, with bins and drawers and shelves, and ladders on tracks to reach the stock. He also sold smaller farm implements before the days of tractors.
In 1916, at age 70, he retired and sold the store to Carl Derby and Bill Stocum, who were succeeded by Leo Lehman & Laban Smith, followed by Aaron Channel.
Duncan Kennedy was married August 11, 1870, to Edith E. Megarah, who was born in West Unity, Ohio, April 26, 1848. Her mother died when she was a baby, and soon thereafter the father moved with his children to Toledo. In 1864 they came to Portland, MI. The father was a mill-wright and worked at his trade in Portland and nearby towns until 1865, when he bought a large farm at Collins and settled there. Edith had graduated from high school in Toledo and taught for some time in the high school in Portland, as well as at Crystal before her marriage. Duncan & Edith Kennedy lived in the large square house on the northwest corner of James St. & Grant St.
Politically, Mr. Kennedy is a Democrat, and he has long been active in party affairs. He was president of the village of Portland in 1875 and 1876, and for sixteen years consecutively was a member of the village council, and later was president of the village again for four years. He has also served as highway commissioner several times. Fraternally, he belongs to Portland Lodge No. 31, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master; also belongs to Portland Chapter No. 36, Royal Arch Masons, and Portland Council No. 39, Royal and Select Masters, and Knights Templar.
They had one adopted daughter, Edith, who married Louis Slowinski.
Sources:
Research of Marilynn Johnson
History of Ionia County, Michigan, Published by B.F. Bowen & Co., 1916
Michigan Death Index provided the date and place of birth and the date and place of death of Mr. Kennedy.
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