   The Hezekiah Kennedy Farm was located west of the Arcadia Cemetery in Arcadia, IL. Note from Roena: I'm not sure when this photograph was taken, but given in the people in the photograph, I'm guessing it was around 1890, give or take a year. From left, the individuals shown are: Selly Kennedy, Sarah Kennedy and George Kennedy and his wife Elizabeth. Hezekiah South Kennedy was born in Mercer County, PA in 1820 and died in Arcadia, Morgan Co., IL on 10 Nov 1870. His father, Samuel Kennedy, had immigrated to America from England and married Elizabeth Stibbey in PA. The early Kennedys were cabinet and furniture makers by trade. Samuel and Elizabeth are buried in Trumbull Co., OH. Hezekiah married very young and had four children by his first wife: Milt White Kennedy who was born in England and buried in the Morgan County Poor Farm Cemetery. Pamela Kennedy, Martha Kennedy and Samuel Kennedy who settled near Sedalia MO. Hezekiah then married (2) in 1853 to Sarah Ann Rexroat (1835-1909) who was the daughter of Zachariah (1807 Ky - 1888 Arcadia) and Sarah Bristow (1818-1994) Rexroat. Three more sons were born of this second union: (1) George W. Kennedy (1862-1940) who married Elizabeth Lockwood. Their children: Veda who died in 1899 at the age of 2 years and was buried with her kitten who died the same day and Howard Kennedy (1901-1971). All are buried in Arcadia Cemetery. (2) James Oliver Kennedy (1866-1939), my great-grandfather, who married Louisa Ann Goodpasture (1963-1936). Their children were Charles Burvin (1889-1911) and Bertha Roena Kennedy (1899-1983) - all buried in Arcadia Cem. (3) John Mercellius (Selly) Kennedy (1868-1923) who married Dessie Jacinto (1887-1914). They settled on a farm on Portuguese Hill, north of Jacksonville. Their children were: (1) Millie Refina and Josephinea Kennedy. Millie Kennedy Nunes, along with her husband Joseph, is buried in Arcadia Cem. Her mother, Dessie Kennedy is buried in Jacksonville East Cemetery. Hezekiah and Sarah are both buried in Arcadia Cem. Submitted by Roena Henne |