He rose from prosecuting attorney of Kanawha County in 1872 to Justice pro tempore of the county circuit in 1875, and to the United States House of Representatives in 1876. While in the House he championed railroad legislation and crusaded for aid for slack-water navigation to help the coal, timber, and salt industries in his state. These activities earned him a seat in the United States Senate in 1883, where he continued fighting for his two causes.
Kenna became Democratic minority leader and emerged as a powerful and controversial speaker on the issue of the independence of the executive branch of the government. He forcefully defended President Grover Cleveland on several issues and indicted the Senate Republican majority for failure to pass tariff reforms. Kenna was a practicing Catholic and member of the congregation at St. Joseph's on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.[2] His career was cut short with his sudden death at the age of 44 on January 11, 1893.
In late April of 1891, he successfully argued the Ball v. United States case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which spared the lives of two West Virginians accused of murder in Texas.[3][4]
Longtime Washington journalist Benjamin Perley Poore described Kenna as "a tall, thick-set man" who was "negligent in his dress and rather slow in the utterance of his sentences."[5]
^Courtesy of Dr. William H. Dean, Ph.D. From Coal, Steamboats, Timber and Trains: The Early Industrial History of St. Albans, West Virginia & The Coal River, 1850-1925. . Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011. UpperFallsWV.blog.com
^""A Celebrated Case"". Logan County Banner (Logan, WV). May 7, 1891. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
^"Ball v. United States (1891)". Justia: U.S. Supreme Court. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
^ Poore, Ben. Perley, Perley's Reminiscences of Sixty Years in the National Metropolis, Vol.2, p.509 (1886).
^Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 346.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Edward Kenna.
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Architect of the Capitol/Capitol Complex/Art/John E. Kenna
US Congress Biographical Directory
Finding Aid for John Edward Kenna Collection, WV State Archives and History
john, kenna, john, edward, kenna, april, 1848, january, 1893, american, politician, senator, from, west, virginia, from, 1883, until, death, united, states, senatorfrom, west, virginiain, office, march, 1883, january, 1893preceded, byhenry, davissucceeded, byj. John Edward Kenna April 10 1848 January 11 1893 was an American politician who was a Senator from West Virginia from 1883 until his death John E KennaUnited States Senatorfrom West VirginiaIn office March 4 1883 January 11 1893Preceded byHenry G DavisSucceeded byJohnson N CamdenMember of the U S House of Representatives from West Virginia s 3rd districtIn office March 4 1877 March 3 1883Preceded byFrank HerefordSucceeded byCharles P SnyderPersonal detailsBorn 1848 04 10 April 10 1848Kanawha County Virginia now West Virginia DiedJanuary 11 1893 1893 01 11 aged 44 Washington D C Political partyDemocraticSignature Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksBiography editKenna was born in Kanawha County Virginia now West Virginia near the city of St Albans and lived his early life at Upper Falls where his father was lockmaster and owned a sawmill 1 He had little education and at the age of 16 he served in the Iron Brigade with General Joseph O Shelby in the Confederate States Army and was wounded After returning home he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1870 He became very active in the emerging Democratic Party of West Virginia He rose from prosecuting attorney of Kanawha County in 1872 to Justice pro tempore of the county circuit in 1875 and to the United States House of Representatives in 1876 While in the House he championed railroad legislation and crusaded for aid for slack water navigation to help the coal timber and salt industries in his state These activities earned him a seat in the United States Senate in 1883 where he continued fighting for his two causes Kenna became Democratic minority leader and emerged as a powerful and controversial speaker on the issue of the independence of the executive branch of the government He forcefully defended President Grover Cleveland on several issues and indicted the Senate Republican majority for failure to pass tariff reforms Kenna was a practicing Catholic and member of the congregation at St Joseph s on Capitol Hill in Washington D C 2 His career was cut short with his sudden death at the age of 44 on January 11 1893 In late April of 1891 he successfully argued the Ball v United States case before the U S Supreme Court which spared the lives of two West Virginians accused of murder in Texas 3 4 Longtime Washington journalist Benjamin Perley Poore described Kenna as a tall thick set man who was negligent in his dress and rather slow in the utterance of his sentences 5 Kenna is the namesake of the town of Kenna West Virginia 6 In 1901 the state of West Virginia donated a marble statue of Kenna to the U S Capitol s National Statuary Hall Collection See also editList of United States Congress members who died in office 1790 1899 References edit Courtesy of Dr William H Dean Ph D From Coal Steamboats Timber and Trains The Early Industrial History of St Albans West Virginia amp The Coal River 1850 1925 History of Upper Falls West Virginia Upper Falls WV Archived from the original on April 26 2012 Retrieved December 14 2011 UpperFallsWV blog com Google Books Donahoe s Magazine Volume 27 1892 A Celebrated Case Logan County Banner Logan WV May 7 1891 Retrieved September 22 2023 Ball v United States 1891 Justia U S Supreme Court Retrieved September 22 2023 Poore Ben Perley Perley s Reminiscences of Sixty Years in the National Metropolis Vol 2 p 509 1886 Kenny Hamill 1945 West Virginia Place Names Their Origin and Meaning Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains Piedmont WV The Place Name Press p 346 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Edward Kenna nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about John E Kenna Architect of the Capitol Capitol Complex Art John E Kenna US Congress Biographical Directory Finding Aid for John Edward Kenna Collection WV State Archives and HistoryU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byFrank Hereford U S Representative of West Virginia s 3rd Congressional District1877 1883 Succeeded byCharles P SnyderU S SenatePreceded byHenry G Davis U S senator Class 2 from West Virginia1883 1893 Served alongside Johnson N Camden Charles J Faulkner Succeeded byJohnson N Camden Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John E Kenna amp oldid 1176539686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
