For other people with the same name, see James Kenney.
James J. Kenney (1869 – March 23, 1916) was the first fire chief in the city of Berkeley, California. He oversaw the mechanization of the department in 1914, the first in the United States west of Mississippi.
Kenney was born in 1869 in San Francisco, California, one of 3 children. In 1871, his father, James J. Kenney, Sr., an Irish Australian immigrant, served for a year on the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco, and was also a fire commissioner there from 1871 to 1875. Kenney's mother, Nellie, was born in Massachusetts of native-born parents. By 1880, Kenney's father moved to the East Bay, where he ran a saloon while his son attended school. After the death of his father, Kenney was taken in by an aunt, Sarah Landers, who operated a concession at the Berkeley Station of the Central Pacific's Berkeley Branch line on Shattuck Avenue in what became the downtown section of Berkeley. Upon her death in 1882, James and another aunt, Elizabeth Kenney, took over the concession. When the railroad (by then, the Southern Pacific) forced them out in 1891, his aunt acquired another location nearby on Center Street. The Kenney store sold books, stationery and candy, and even operated a small lending library. James lived with his aunt and two of her brothers in a small, kit-built cottage in the rear of the Center Street store fronting on Addison Street.
Career
James joined the local volunteer fire company, which had established a station next to the cottage. By 1896, he'd been elected chief of the association of Berkeley volunteer fire companies. In September 1904, a fire destroyed the new city hall. The following month, the city of Berkeley decided to create a paid, professional fire department and James Kenney was chosen as its first fire chief.
Under Kenney's leadership, the department was mechanized by 1914, the first west of the Mississippi, and Berkeley was the second fire department in the United States to adopt the two platoon system of staffing. Kenney also succeeded in getting a retreat for Berkeley firemen established in the resort area of the Russian River.
Personal life
Kenney married Mary Mulbey of Oakland in 1901. The two were married for 15 years. They had no children.
Before he became fire chief, Kenney had long been a close friend of August Vollmer, Berkeley's first police chief and nationally renowned pioneer of modern police work. Vollmer had served as a volunteer fireman in Berkeley before beginning his police career.
Death
On the evening of March 23, 1916, Kenney drove to a fire at the El Dorado Oil Works (a processor of coconut oil and copra) located at the foot of University Avenue in Berkeley. He ran his car into a telephone pole, disabling the car, but emerged from the wreck uninjured. He then proceeded on foot to the fire a few blocks away. After assisting with a hose, Kenney led a group of firefighters into the burning plant, but they were forced to retreat from the heat and smoke. Kenney collapsed on the sidewalk, and his cousin, Stephen Kenney, a fire captain, got him to a car and rushed him to Roosevelt Hospital (later called Herrick Hospital, today, a part of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center). He was pronounced dead on arrival.[1]
A huge public funeral was held on March 27. Firefighters from throughout the Bay Area marched through downtown Berkeley, and a funeral mass was held at St. Joseph's Church. Kenney was laid to rest at Saint Mary Cemetery in Oakland.
Legacy
The City of Berkeley created the public park James Kenney Park in Kenney's honor.[2] in 1917. The park is located on the block bounded by 8th, Virginia, 7th and Delaware Streets in the neighborhood of West Berkeley. The park was by visited by local kids including baseball's Billy Martin, in what was for many decades a predominantly working class section of Berkeley. It remains in use and includes a baseball diamond, a recreation center and several basketball courts.
^"Fire Chief Dies Fighting Burning Oil". San Francisco Examiner. March 24, 1916. p. 5. Retrieved January 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^John Aronovici, ed. (2004). Quick Index to the Origin of Berkeley's Names. Berkeley Historical Society.
Berkeley Daily Gazette, March 24–27, 1916
"History of the Berkeley Fire Department", Mike Flynn, Berkeley Firefighters IAFF Local 1227
Berkeley, the first seventy-five years, Writers Program, WPA (1941), p. 137. Online version of original text at Internet Archive
External links
James Kenney Park, City of Berkeley
The Kenney Cottage
California Firefighters Memorial Wall
Berkeley: The Town and the Gown of It, George Albert Pettitt, 1973, pp. 92-93.
January 31, 2023
james, kenney, other, people, with, same, name, james, kenney, 1869, march, 1916, first, fire, chief, city, berkeley, california, oversaw, mechanization, department, 1914, first, united, states, west, mississippi, born1869, 1869, francisco, californiadiedmarch. For other people with the same name see James Kenney James J Kenney 1869 March 23 1916 was the first fire chief in the city of Berkeley California He oversaw the mechanization of the department in 1914 the first in the United States west of Mississippi James J KenneyBorn1869 1869 San Francisco CaliforniaDiedMarch 23 1916 1916 03 23 aged 46 47 Berkeley CaliforniaNationalityAmericanOccupationFire chief Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 Legacy 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditKenney was born in 1869 in San Francisco California one of 3 children In 1871 his father James J Kenney Sr an Irish Australian immigrant served for a year on the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco and was also a fire commissioner there from 1871 to 1875 Kenney s mother Nellie was born in Massachusetts of native born parents By 1880 Kenney s father moved to the East Bay where he ran a saloon while his son attended school After the death of his father Kenney was taken in by an aunt Sarah Landers who operated a concession at the Berkeley Station of the Central Pacific s Berkeley Branch line on Shattuck Avenue in what became the downtown section of Berkeley Upon her death in 1882 James and another aunt Elizabeth Kenney took over the concession When the railroad by then the Southern Pacific forced them out in 1891 his aunt acquired another location nearby on Center Street The Kenney store sold books stationery and candy and even operated a small lending library James lived with his aunt and two of her brothers in a small kit built cottage in the rear of the Center Street store fronting on Addison Street Career EditJames joined the local volunteer fire company which had established a station next to the cottage By 1896 he d been elected chief of the association of Berkeley volunteer fire companies In September 1904 a fire destroyed the new city hall The following month the city of Berkeley decided to create a paid professional fire department and James Kenney was chosen as its first fire chief Under Kenney s leadership the department was mechanized by 1914 the first west of the Mississippi and Berkeley was the second fire department in the United States to adopt the two platoon system of staffing Kenney also succeeded in getting a retreat for Berkeley firemen established in the resort area of the Russian River Personal life EditKenney married Mary Mulbey of Oakland in 1901 The two were married for 15 years They had no children Before he became fire chief Kenney had long been a close friend of August Vollmer Berkeley s first police chief and nationally renowned pioneer of modern police work Vollmer had served as a volunteer fireman in Berkeley before beginning his police career Death EditOn the evening of March 23 1916 Kenney drove to a fire at the El Dorado Oil Works a processor of coconut oil and copra located at the foot of University Avenue in Berkeley He ran his car into a telephone pole disabling the car but emerged from the wreck uninjured He then proceeded on foot to the fire a few blocks away After assisting with a hose Kenney led a group of firefighters into the burning plant but they were forced to retreat from the heat and smoke Kenney collapsed on the sidewalk and his cousin Stephen Kenney a fire captain got him to a car and rushed him to Roosevelt Hospital later called Herrick Hospital today a part of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center He was pronounced dead on arrival 1 A huge public funeral was held on March 27 Firefighters from throughout the Bay Area marched through downtown Berkeley and a funeral mass was held at St Joseph s Church Kenney was laid to rest at Saint Mary Cemetery in Oakland Legacy EditThe City of Berkeley created the public park James Kenney Park in Kenney s honor 2 in 1917 The park is located on the block bounded by 8th Virginia 7th and Delaware Streets in the neighborhood of West Berkeley The park was by visited by local kids including baseball s Billy Martin in what was for many decades a predominantly working class section of Berkeley It remains in use and includes a baseball diamond a recreation center and several basketball courts Kenney is named on the California Firefighters Memorial wall References Edit Fire Chief Dies Fighting Burning Oil San Francisco Examiner March 24 1916 p 5 Retrieved January 28 2020 via Newspapers com John Aronovici ed 2004 Quick Index to the Origin of Berkeley s Names Berkeley Historical Society Berkeley Daily Gazette March 24 27 1916 History of the Berkeley Fire Department Mike Flynn Berkeley Firefighters IAFF Local 1227 Berkeley the first seventy five years Writers Program WPA 1941 p 137 Online version of original text at Internet ArchiveExternal links EditJames Kenney Park City of Berkeley The Kenney Cottage California Firefighters Memorial Wall Berkeley The Town and the Gown of It George Albert Pettitt 1973 pp 92 93 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James J Kenney amp oldid 938080892, 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