MARCUS L. KENNEDY is one of the representative citizens of Mounds, Illinois, who have ever made their influence felt in a quiet, unobtrusive and effectual manner. As postmaster of Mounds for the past four years he has given to that position the same close application and the careful attention to the performance of his duties that have characterized his entire life, and which have fixed him firmly in the community wherein he has lived and labored for the past thirty years as a dependable and valuable citizen.
Born in Pulaski county, Illinois, on a farm near Villa Ridge, on April 28, 1858, he is the son of Samuel Clendenning Kennedy, who was born in 1820 and reared in that same community where David Kennedy, his father, established the family about the same time that Illinois was admitted to the Union. There David Kennedy lived and died, full of years and rich in the esteem and friendship of the best citizenship of Pulaski county. The wife of David Kennedy was Phoebe Ann, and they were the parents of Alexander, Thomas, Basil, Samuel C., Phoebe, Sarah, who passed away as Mrs. Bankston, and Malinda, who wedded Ralph Hoopaw.
Samuel C. Kennedy grew up without favorable school advantages, and continued in the vocation of his father. He married Caroline Curlew, a member of the Curlew family who came to Illinois from Kentucky when Mrs. Kennedy was a young girl, she having been born in Kentucky in 1831. She died in 1895, and was the mother of Thomas, who married Clara Painter and left a family in Pulaski county on his death there; Nancy, who became the wife of Dr. Stone; James, who died unmarried, as did also Samuel and Phoebe; Marcus L.; John, and Warren, the youngest member of the family, who also died unmarried.
Marcus L. Kennedy acquired his education in the public schools in the vicinity of Villa Ridge, and when he was seventeen years of age left the farm and came to Villa Ridge, where he secured employment in a box factory. Later he engaged in business, but after a few years he entered the service of the Illinois Central, with which company he remained for six years. It was while he was in the employ of that corporation that he was appointed to the office of postmaster, under the administration of Theodore Roosevelt, succeeding himself to that position in 1911 by commission from President Taft, in which official position he is giving eminently satisfactory service to the community in the discharge of his duties.
Mr. Kennedy is a Republican in his political convictions, as might be inferred from his present position, and he has ever manifested a modest enthusiasm in the affairs of that party, giving gladly of his time and ability to its demands when occasion offers. He has given praiseworthy service to the city as a member of the common council for four years and has in numerous other ways rendered valuable services to the city.
Mr. Kennedy was married at Shiloh, Pulaski county, on June 14, 1885, to Miss Cora B. Morrow, a daughter of Hiram and Nancy (Grady) Morrow, settlers in Southern Illinois from Tennessee. The only surviving member of their union is Mark L., Jr., a daughter, Hazel, having passed away in January, 1908, at the age of twenty-two years.
Mr. Kennedy is a member of the Methodist church, in whose activities he has always participated, and fraternally, is identified with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
Extracted from A History of Southern Illinois, 1912, Volume 2, page 904-905
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