Patrick
Kennedy, the third son of a farmer from County Wexford, was born in
Dugganstown, Ireland, in 1823. The eighty
acre farm grew barley and raised beef and was unaffected by the Irish
Famine. However, in 1849 Kennedy decided to leave his parents
to seek his fortune in the United States.
On board ship Kennedy met Bridget Murphy, who was also from County
Wexford and the couple married when they arrived in Boston.
At first Kennedy found it difficult to find work but eventually was
employed as a copper making yokes and staves for wagons heading west
as part of the Californian Gold Rush.
Bridget Kennedy had four children, Mary, Margaret, Johanna and Patrick
Joseph Kennedy. Patrick Kennedy died of cholera
on 22nd November, 1858. Bridget lived for another thirty years dying
in 1888.
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