Biography

12/09/1857 - 06/19/1886

Joseph P. Kennedy (D2) Philadelphia County 1881-1886

Early Life: 

Joseph P. Kennedy born December 9, 1857, County Antrim, Ireland, son of W.J. Kennedy; admitted Philadelphia bar, 1879; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1881-1886; died in office, June 19, 1886, (age 28) residence, pneumonia; interment, Old Cathedral Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. (i)

Office boy, Law Office of John Cochran, his predecessor in the Senate. (i)  

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 2^nd district, Philadelphia County, November 1881 (age 23, to fill unexpired term Senator John Cochran); re-elected in 1882; died in office, June 19, 1886. Member, Judiciary Local, Legislative Apportionment and Municipal Affairs Committees.  

Legacy:

At the time, the youngest Senator, 23.

Cited:

Smull’s Legislative Hand Book, (1885) Smull, J.A., Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 810, 843, 849-851.

          (i) Public Weekly Opinion (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania) Friday June 18, 1886, Page 3