The son of Daniel & Mary (Allen) Kennedy, Daniel was born in a valley near Back Creek, a part of Frederick Co VA now located in Berkeley Co WV. His year of birth was confirmed by the will of his father, written 4 Apr 1751, wherein his father states he "intended" for his "youngest" to be "called Daniel," indicating Daniel is newly born.

Daniel married Margaret Hughes on 24 Oct 1774 in Frederick Co VA, now in Berkeley Co WV.

Children with Margaret:
1) John Kennedy (1775-1845), m: Patience Davis.
2) Thomas Kennedy (1778-1863), m: Esther Lenny.
3) Mary Kennedy (1779-1823), m: Daniel Rawlings.
4) William Kennedy (b: 1781).
5) Daniel Kennedy (1782-1809), m: Ann (Allen) Miller.
6) Polly Ann Kennedy (1785-1825), m: Rezin Ritchie Rawlings.
7) Sarah Kennedy (1788-1870), m: Stephen King Alexander.
8) Elizabeth Kennedy (b: 1790), m: James Bailey.
9) Margaret Ann Kennedy (1793-1854), m: John Ewing McClure.
10) Colonel Allen Kennedy (1798-1857), m: Margaret Peebles Hackett.
11) George Washington Kennedy (1801-1822), never married.

In 1779, Daniel took his family to Greene Co TN.

A Revolutionary War Veteran (DAR# A064683), Daniel died of blood poisoning after an accidental blow to his hand from a forge hammer.

Greene Co Cemetery Records Book, Vol 4, Pg. 456, Zion United Presbyterian on Camp Creek:
"Col. Daniel Kennedy 1750-1802, died of blood poisoning."

TNGenWeb:
"DANIEL KENNEDY was born in Virginia about the year 1750. Family tradition is to the effect that he served in Lord Dunmore's War (1774) as a private in the company of Captain Evan Shelby. In 1776 he aided in the defense of the Watauga Fort when it was attacked by the Cherokee Indians. Sometime after July, 1777, he settled at Milburnton, then Washington but now Greene county, and the next year he served as a grand-juror in the Washington county court. In 1770 [sic: 1778, see below] he removed to a large tract of land he had entered, near the mouth of Camp Creek, south of Greeneville. This homestead remained in the family over one hundred years, passing to others in 1898.

"Kennedy marched with John Sevier to the battle of King's Mountain (1780) as a lieutenant, to be promoted to a captaincy for gallantry in action. On his return he was honored with a seat on the bench of Washington county court, in 1781.

"He represented Washington county in the North Carolina General Assembly of 1783, and was influential in the passage of an act to establish Greene county. On the organization of that county he was elected clerk of its court, an office he held for the remainder of his life under the several changes in the forms of government.

"In the State of Franklin he served as a member of the council of state and as brigadier-general. With John Sevier and Alexander Outlaw he served as commissioner of that State in negotiating the Dumplin Creek treaty with the Cherokee Indians.

"Elected by the friends of Franklin, he at a late day of the session took a seat in the Carolina senate of 1787. Both the Tipton and the Sevier forces were solicitous for the support of General Kennedy, because of his great popularity in Greene county. His heart was with Sevier as his speech in the Franklin convention of 1787 evidences. That speech also demonstrates the ability of Kennedy, and that he could have risen high in the affairs of State and Nation had he not preferred to retain in comfort the clerkship of his county.

"When the Franklin government was virtually doomed by the action of the Federal constitution convention, General Kennedy acted under a colonel's commission from North Carolina on General Martin's campaign against the Cherokees, on the failure of which Kennedy joined Sevier under whom he had often campaigned.

"General Kennedy was a friend of education. As early as 1783, he was named as an incorporator of Martin's Academy (Washington College) and he was also a trustee of Greeneville College.

"General Kennedy died in consequence of a bruise on the hand from a forge hammer, and was buried at Mount Zion church, six miles from Greeneville. Above his grave there was recently erected a monument—a large native rock embedded in which is a bronze tablet bearing this inscription:

"To the Memory
of
Col. Daniel Kennedy
1750-1802
Soldier, Patriot, Statesman,
Revolutionary Soldier,
Pioneer of Tennessee
First Clerk of Court
Greene County
Served Under Four Forms of Government
1783-1802.
Supported State of Franklin
Made Peace With Indians
Trustee
Greeneville and Washington Colleges
Erected by Descendants
1920."

Correction to above TNGenWeb source:
Daniel Kennedy's first land in Washington Co NC (now in Greene Co TN) -
"Entered 22 July 1778, Grant #323 #38 Issued Oct. 24 1782 Entry #259 Bk 43 Pg. 309 for 397 acres" [in NC archives, not TN] was "on Mill Fork of the Limestone, adjoining that of John Kennedy's orphans and that of Asahel Rawlings."

Daniel entered for a second tract 10 Aug 1779, adjoining his other tract and that of the orphan, William Kennedy.
"#396 Grant #388 Entry #1501"

Special thanks and appreciation:
-Shawn Kennedy for his valuable input.
-BookGoddess and Cindy for pictures of Daniel's memorial
-Sandra E for help with searching this cemetery for both Kennedy and Davis ancestors.
-Anji and Jayne for providing verifiable data and sources.
-B. Britain for his welcomed insight-R. Kennedy
-rkennedy