James Kennedy was born in the farm lands of Marshall County, IL. He was the youngest of 9 children. His parents were John Kennedy (a civil war veteran) and Mary E. Forbes. Sadly his mother died one week after James was born leaving him to be raised by aunts & other family.
As a child a doctor gave him another patient's medicine and James nearly died. As a result of the Doctor's error James then needed to wear a leg brace the rest of his life.
When James grew up, he left the farm lands in search of a better paying job. By 1907 James was in Detroit, Michigan where he became a leather worker at Cadillac Motor Company.
On Jan 1, 1908 James married Frieda Mae Landgraf. The happy couple lived on Rohns ave just West of Gratiot, (about a mile south of where he is buried). James and Frieda had 5 children, Ruth, John, Bernice, James & Helen. Then tragedy hit the family. the Great Flu Epidemic suddenly took Frieda on Dec 12, 1918. Another important woman was taken from James before her time.
James was left with 5 children. He did his best, hiring housekeepers to care & feed the children while he was at work but it was hard. James would come home to repeatedly find the housekeepers had just left, taking money, food, clothing and other things from the home.
His sister, Maud who was in California, had no children. She wanted to help. So after awhile Maude adopted Bernice & Helen. Even though it was his own sister it was hard for James to let go.
James then tried his hand a hotel operator in Fowlerville (1922) and then as a grocer in Ann Arbor (1927) before coming back to Detroit by 1930. He lived in the greater Detroit area the rest of his life.
In 1946 James moved in with his son Jim where he lived until his death in 1948.
James greatly loved his children, enjoyed good food and telling stories.
He is buried next to his wife Frieda.
As a child a doctor gave him another patient's medicine and James nearly died. As a result of the Doctor's error James then needed to wear a leg brace the rest of his life.
When James grew up, he left the farm lands in search of a better paying job. By 1907 James was in Detroit, Michigan where he became a leather worker at Cadillac Motor Company.
On Jan 1, 1908 James married Frieda Mae Landgraf. The happy couple lived on Rohns ave just West of Gratiot, (about a mile south of where he is buried). James and Frieda had 5 children, Ruth, John, Bernice, James & Helen. Then tragedy hit the family. the Great Flu Epidemic suddenly took Frieda on Dec 12, 1918. Another important woman was taken from James before her time.
James was left with 5 children. He did his best, hiring housekeepers to care & feed the children while he was at work but it was hard. James would come home to repeatedly find the housekeepers had just left, taking money, food, clothing and other things from the home.
His sister, Maud who was in California, had no children. She wanted to help. So after awhile Maude adopted Bernice & Helen. Even though it was his own sister it was hard for James to let go.
James then tried his hand a hotel operator in Fowlerville (1922) and then as a grocer in Ann Arbor (1927) before coming back to Detroit by 1930. He lived in the greater Detroit area the rest of his life.
In 1946 James moved in with his son Jim where he lived until his death in 1948.
James greatly loved his children, enjoyed good food and telling stories.
He is buried next to his wife Frieda.
James Kennedy was born in the farm lands of Marshall County, IL. He was the youngest of 9 children. His parents were John Kennedy (a civil war veteran) and Mary E. Forbes. Sadly his mother died one week after James was born leaving him to be raised by aunts & other family.
As a child a doctor gave him another patient's medicine and James nearly died. As a result of the Doctor's error James then needed to wear a leg brace the rest of his life.
When James grew up, he left the farm lands in search of a better paying job. By 1907 James was in Detroit, Michigan where he became a leather worker at Cadillac Motor Company.
On Jan 1, 1908 James married Frieda Mae Landgraf. The happy couple lived on Rohns ave just West of Gratiot, (about a mile south of where he is buried). James and Frieda had 5 children, Ruth, John, Bernice, James & Helen. Then tragedy hit the family. the Great Flu Epidemic suddenly took Frieda on Dec 12, 1918. Another important woman was taken from James before her time.
James was left with 5 children. He did his best, hiring housekeepers to care & feed the children while he was at work but it was hard. James would come home to repeatedly find the housekeepers had just left, taking money, food, clothing and other things from the home.
His sister, Maud who was in California, had no children. She wanted to help. So after awhile Maude adopted Bernice & Helen. Even though it was his own sister it was hard for James to let go.
James then tried his hand a hotel operator in Fowlerville (1922) and then as a grocer in Ann Arbor (1927) before coming back to Detroit by 1930. He lived in the greater Detroit area the rest of his life.
In 1946 James moved in with his son Jim where he lived until his death in 1948.
James greatly loved his children, enjoyed good food and telling stories.
He is buried next to his wife Frieda.
As a child a doctor gave him another patient's medicine and James nearly died. As a result of the Doctor's error James then needed to wear a leg brace the rest of his life.
When James grew up, he left the farm lands in search of a better paying job. By 1907 James was in Detroit, Michigan where he became a leather worker at Cadillac Motor Company.
On Jan 1, 1908 James married Frieda Mae Landgraf. The happy couple lived on Rohns ave just West of Gratiot, (about a mile south of where he is buried). James and Frieda had 5 children, Ruth, John, Bernice, James & Helen. Then tragedy hit the family. the Great Flu Epidemic suddenly took Frieda on Dec 12, 1918. Another important woman was taken from James before her time.
James was left with 5 children. He did his best, hiring housekeepers to care & feed the children while he was at work but it was hard. James would come home to repeatedly find the housekeepers had just left, taking money, food, clothing and other things from the home.
His sister, Maud who was in California, had no children. She wanted to help. So after awhile Maude adopted Bernice & Helen. Even though it was his own sister it was hard for James to let go.
James then tried his hand a hotel operator in Fowlerville (1922) and then as a grocer in Ann Arbor (1927) before coming back to Detroit by 1930. He lived in the greater Detroit area the rest of his life.
In 1946 James moved in with his son Jim where he lived until his death in 1948.
James greatly loved his children, enjoyed good food and telling stories.
He is buried next to his wife Frieda.
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