John Kennedy was the oldest child of James & Margaret (Cotterall) Kennedy. (James was from Ireland & Margaret was from England, they married in Manchester on 14 Apr 1828.)
John had 5 siblings, Thomas, Bernard, Mary, Anna (Gannon) and Cecilia (Bobbitt).
The Kennedy family came to Illinois from Erie, PA in 1849. The family went through Detroit and stopped briefly in Chicago before arriving in Marshall County by 1850.
In 1856 John's parents are said to have died from diptheria. By 1860 many of the other Kennedys, (some siblings, his uncle John and over half of his cousins), had left the Marshall/Woodford county area for parts unknown.
On 13 Aug 1862 John joined the Union Army. He was a member of the Company C, 77th Illinois Infantry. While at the battle of Red River fighting the Confederates he was captured and held prisoner for 14 months until the end of the war when on 16 Jun 1865 he was mustered out. (Note, John's brother Barnard Kennedy died at Andersonville.)
While John was held captive in Tyler, Texas at Camp Ford he and three others escaped. Here are some entries from his diary
16 Aug 1864
John Arnold, Sam Hadlock, Sam Hamlet & myself made escape today from Tyler Prison, had several narrow escapes, the guards past within 10 feet of us twice. Hid in woods all day and traveled by night, met no one
19 Aug 1864
Arrived at Sabrine about 3 O'clock in morning went to river to camp made a raft it went to pieces & wet all our clothes & provisions finally got across alright
21 Aug 1864
Started at sundown, good luck made about 20 miles
22 Aug 1864
27 Aug 1864
Took to road a little after dark but found the road to much to the west. Took a road going N east but afraid it was not go right and we was very short on grub – so we went for a niger & he blowd on us I mean J.W. Arnold and myself the other boys wer in the woods we was captured by Martin Barnet 10 miles north of Mt. Plesant he took us to Mt. Plesant he treated us very well was going to put us in jail but we pursuaded them out of it.
28 Aug 1864
Started for Camp Ford today traveled 23 miles.
29 Aug 1864
30 Aug started early traveled fast across the Sabrine then got diner put thru for the old Stocade made it about 8o'clock the Col. Had us put in the Stocade that night, & we didn't have to stump Texas if we did canvas it.
31 Aug very sore foot today, but foot first rate after a march of 75 miles in 3 days in the hot sun.
Less than 6 months after the end of the war John had met and married the love of his life Mary Elizabeth Forbes. The couple had 9 children, Peter, infant son, infant dau, Maud (Brenn), Margaret (Riley), Mary, Thomas, Ruth & James.
John lost Mary when as a result of childbirth complications she died on 15 Oct 1881, leaving John with 7 children to raise.
In later years John still lived in the area with occasional trips away to Oklahoma, California and Chicago to see his children.
In Sep. of 1909 John attended a Civil War unit reunion in Peoria for the 77th Illinois Infantry Regiment. After the reunion John and many of the old 77th returned to Marshall county to visit with comrades. John was in a car with his fellow vets when a rut in the road broke a axle spindle. He was thrown from the car and suffered severe injuries. John was taken to St Lukes hospital in Cook County where he died some days later on 13 Sep 1909.
John had 5 siblings, Thomas, Bernard, Mary, Anna (Gannon) and Cecilia (Bobbitt).
The Kennedy family came to Illinois from Erie, PA in 1849. The family went through Detroit and stopped briefly in Chicago before arriving in Marshall County by 1850.
In 1856 John's parents are said to have died from diptheria. By 1860 many of the other Kennedys, (some siblings, his uncle John and over half of his cousins), had left the Marshall/Woodford county area for parts unknown.
On 13 Aug 1862 John joined the Union Army. He was a member of the Company C, 77th Illinois Infantry. While at the battle of Red River fighting the Confederates he was captured and held prisoner for 14 months until the end of the war when on 16 Jun 1865 he was mustered out. (Note, John's brother Barnard Kennedy died at Andersonville.)
While John was held captive in Tyler, Texas at Camp Ford he and three others escaped. Here are some entries from his diary
16 Aug 1864
John Arnold, Sam Hadlock, Sam Hamlet & myself made escape today from Tyler Prison, had several narrow escapes, the guards past within 10 feet of us twice. Hid in woods all day and traveled by night, met no one
19 Aug 1864
Arrived at Sabrine about 3 O'clock in morning went to river to camp made a raft it went to pieces & wet all our clothes & provisions finally got across alright
21 Aug 1864
Started at sundown, good luck made about 20 miles
22 Aug 1864
27 Aug 1864
Took to road a little after dark but found the road to much to the west. Took a road going N east but afraid it was not go right and we was very short on grub – so we went for a niger & he blowd on us I mean J.W. Arnold and myself the other boys wer in the woods we was captured by Martin Barnet 10 miles north of Mt. Plesant he took us to Mt. Plesant he treated us very well was going to put us in jail but we pursuaded them out of it.
28 Aug 1864
Started for Camp Ford today traveled 23 miles.
29 Aug 1864
30 Aug started early traveled fast across the Sabrine then got diner put thru for the old Stocade made it about 8o'clock the Col. Had us put in the Stocade that night, & we didn't have to stump Texas if we did canvas it.
31 Aug very sore foot today, but foot first rate after a march of 75 miles in 3 days in the hot sun.
Less than 6 months after the end of the war John had met and married the love of his life Mary Elizabeth Forbes. The couple had 9 children, Peter, infant son, infant dau, Maud (Brenn), Margaret (Riley), Mary, Thomas, Ruth & James.
John lost Mary when as a result of childbirth complications she died on 15 Oct 1881, leaving John with 7 children to raise.
In later years John still lived in the area with occasional trips away to Oklahoma, California and Chicago to see his children.
In Sep. of 1909 John attended a Civil War unit reunion in Peoria for the 77th Illinois Infantry Regiment. After the reunion John and many of the old 77th returned to Marshall county to visit with comrades. John was in a car with his fellow vets when a rut in the road broke a axle spindle. He was thrown from the car and suffered severe injuries. John was taken to St Lukes hospital in Cook County where he died some days later on 13 Sep 1909.
John Kennedy was the oldest child of James & Margaret (Cotterall) Kennedy. (James was from Ireland & Margaret was from England, they married in Manchester on 14 Apr 1828.)
John had 5 siblings, Thomas, Bernard, Mary, Anna (Gannon) and Cecilia (Bobbitt).
The Kennedy family came to Illinois from Erie, PA in 1849. The family went through Detroit and stopped briefly in Chicago before arriving in Marshall County by 1850.
In 1856 John's parents are said to have died from diptheria. By 1860 many of the other Kennedys, (some siblings, his uncle John and over half of his cousins), had left the Marshall/Woodford county area for parts unknown.
On 13 Aug 1862 John joined the Union Army. He was a member of the Company C, 77th Illinois Infantry. While at the battle of Red River fighting the Confederates he was captured and held prisoner for 14 months until the end of the war when on 16 Jun 1865 he was mustered out. (Note, John's brother Barnard Kennedy died at Andersonville.)
While John was held captive in Tyler, Texas at Camp Ford he and three others escaped. Here are some entries from his diary
16 Aug 1864
John Arnold, Sam Hadlock, Sam Hamlet & myself made escape today from Tyler Prison, had several narrow escapes, the guards past within 10 feet of us twice. Hid in woods all day and traveled by night, met no one
19 Aug 1864
Arrived at Sabrine about 3 O'clock in morning went to river to camp made a raft it went to pieces & wet all our clothes & provisions finally got across alright
21 Aug 1864
Started at sundown, good luck made about 20 miles
22 Aug 1864
27 Aug 1864
Took to road a little after dark but found the road to much to the west. Took a road going N east but afraid it was not go right and we was very short on grub – so we went for a niger & he blowd on us I mean J.W. Arnold and myself the other boys wer in the woods we was captured by Martin Barnet 10 miles north of Mt. Plesant he took us to Mt. Plesant he treated us very well was going to put us in jail but we pursuaded them out of it.
28 Aug 1864
Started for Camp Ford today traveled 23 miles.
29 Aug 1864
30 Aug started early traveled fast across the Sabrine then got diner put thru for the old Stocade made it about 8o'clock the Col. Had us put in the Stocade that night, & we didn't have to stump Texas if we did canvas it.
31 Aug very sore foot today, but foot first rate after a march of 75 miles in 3 days in the hot sun.
Less than 6 months after the end of the war John had met and married the love of his life Mary Elizabeth Forbes. The couple had 9 children, Peter, infant son, infant dau, Maud (Brenn), Margaret (Riley), Mary, Thomas, Ruth & James.
John lost Mary when as a result of childbirth complications she died on 15 Oct 1881, leaving John with 7 children to raise.
In later years John still lived in the area with occasional trips away to Oklahoma, California and Chicago to see his children.
In Sep. of 1909 John attended a Civil War unit reunion in Peoria for the 77th Illinois Infantry Regiment. After the reunion John and many of the old 77th returned to Marshall county to visit with comrades. John was in a car with his fellow vets when a rut in the road broke a axle spindle. He was thrown from the car and suffered severe injuries. John was taken to St Lukes hospital in Cook County where he died some days later on 13 Sep 1909.
John had 5 siblings, Thomas, Bernard, Mary, Anna (Gannon) and Cecilia (Bobbitt).
The Kennedy family came to Illinois from Erie, PA in 1849. The family went through Detroit and stopped briefly in Chicago before arriving in Marshall County by 1850.
In 1856 John's parents are said to have died from diptheria. By 1860 many of the other Kennedys, (some siblings, his uncle John and over half of his cousins), had left the Marshall/Woodford county area for parts unknown.
On 13 Aug 1862 John joined the Union Army. He was a member of the Company C, 77th Illinois Infantry. While at the battle of Red River fighting the Confederates he was captured and held prisoner for 14 months until the end of the war when on 16 Jun 1865 he was mustered out. (Note, John's brother Barnard Kennedy died at Andersonville.)
While John was held captive in Tyler, Texas at Camp Ford he and three others escaped. Here are some entries from his diary
16 Aug 1864
John Arnold, Sam Hadlock, Sam Hamlet & myself made escape today from Tyler Prison, had several narrow escapes, the guards past within 10 feet of us twice. Hid in woods all day and traveled by night, met no one
19 Aug 1864
Arrived at Sabrine about 3 O'clock in morning went to river to camp made a raft it went to pieces & wet all our clothes & provisions finally got across alright
21 Aug 1864
Started at sundown, good luck made about 20 miles
22 Aug 1864
27 Aug 1864
Took to road a little after dark but found the road to much to the west. Took a road going N east but afraid it was not go right and we was very short on grub – so we went for a niger & he blowd on us I mean J.W. Arnold and myself the other boys wer in the woods we was captured by Martin Barnet 10 miles north of Mt. Plesant he took us to Mt. Plesant he treated us very well was going to put us in jail but we pursuaded them out of it.
28 Aug 1864
Started for Camp Ford today traveled 23 miles.
29 Aug 1864
30 Aug started early traveled fast across the Sabrine then got diner put thru for the old Stocade made it about 8o'clock the Col. Had us put in the Stocade that night, & we didn't have to stump Texas if we did canvas it.
31 Aug very sore foot today, but foot first rate after a march of 75 miles in 3 days in the hot sun.
Less than 6 months after the end of the war John had met and married the love of his life Mary Elizabeth Forbes. The couple had 9 children, Peter, infant son, infant dau, Maud (Brenn), Margaret (Riley), Mary, Thomas, Ruth & James.
John lost Mary when as a result of childbirth complications she died on 15 Oct 1881, leaving John with 7 children to raise.
In later years John still lived in the area with occasional trips away to Oklahoma, California and Chicago to see his children.
In Sep. of 1909 John attended a Civil War unit reunion in Peoria for the 77th Illinois Infantry Regiment. After the reunion John and many of the old 77th returned to Marshall county to visit with comrades. John was in a car with his fellow vets when a rut in the road broke a axle spindle. He was thrown from the car and suffered severe injuries. John was taken to St Lukes hospital in Cook County where he died some days later on 13 Sep 1909.
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