John Kennedy was born on September 30, 1881 at 31 Watsonville, Motherwell to Jane Dickie (c1845 - ) and Bernard Kennedy (1844 - 1895). [See Section KD-6-1 for family background.]
Mary Reynolds was born on March 26, 1880 at Omoa Square, Cleland to Mary Lafferty (1855 - 1932) and Richard Reynolds (c1848 - 1917). [See Section RS-6-1 for family background.]
1901 On Thursday, October 31, John Kennedy and Mary Reynolds were married at the RC Chapel, Stane, Cambusnethan [St Patrick's] after Publication according to the Forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The marriage was registered No.40 at Stane (District of Calderhead) on November 2.
John was a Bachelor, he gave his age as 20, occupation Coal Miner and usual residence as 41 Logans Rows, Motherwell. His parents are recorded as Bernard Kennedy, Coal Miner (deceased) and Jane Kennedy, m.s. Dickie.
Mary was a Spinster aged 21, occupation Domestic Servant and residence Roshall Cottage, Shotts. Her parents are recorded as Richard Reynolds, Coal Miner and Mary Reynolds m.s. Lafferty.
The celebrant was Hugh Kelly and the witnesses were Bernard Carty [probably the husband of Mary's sister Ellen] and Mary Ann Reynolds [probably her cousin, aged 17, daughter of William Reynolds and his first wife, the late Catherine Hillon].
The celebrant was Fr. Peter Forbes and the witnesses were John Carty and Mary Reynolds.
John and Mary had the following children (that I know of) —
| Mary | born in 1901 in Motherwell, last sighting 1920. |
| Jane | born in 1906 in Torbothie, Stane, last sighting 1920. |
| Sarah | born in 1909 in Redhall, Stane, last sighting 1930. |
| Katie Reynolds | born in 1903 in Redhall, Stane, last sighting 1920. |
| Theresa | born in 1914 in Illinois, USA, last sighting 1930. |
| John | born in 1916 in Illinois, USA, last sighting 1930. |
According to the 1911 census, we are missing one deceased child, presumably born between Mary and Jane. I have so far failed to find either birth or death.
1901 Mary Kennedy was born at 1h0m a.m. on Sunday, November 24 at 60 Logans Row, Motherwell to Mary Kennedy m.s. Reynolds and John Kennedy, Coalminer who married on November 1[sic], 1901 at Shotts. Her birth was registered No.1480 at Dalziel on December 6 by John Kennedy, Father.
Since John and Mary lost one child before the 1911 census, this seems the best place to look for her/him, though if she/he was stillborn, there will be no registrations to find.
1906 Jane Kennedy was born at 8h0m a.m. on Saturday, July 14 at 23 Tarbothie Road, Cambusnethan to Mary Kennedy m.s. Reynolds and John Kennedy, Coal Miner who married on October 31, 1901 in Calderhead [District]. Her birth was registered No.200 at Stane on August 3 by John Kennedy, Father, Present.
1909 Sarah Kennedy was born at 6h0m p.m. on Thursday, May 6 at Redhall, Stane, Cambusnethan to Mary Kennedy m.s. Reynolds and John Kennedy, Coal Miner who married on October 31, 1901 in Calderhead [District]. Her birth was registered No.125 at Stane on May 24 by John Kennedy, Father, Present.
1911 Katie Reynolds Kennedy was born at 11h50m p.m. on Sunday, March 19 at Redhall, Stane, Cambusnethan to Mary Kennedy m.s. Reynolds and John Kennedy, Coal Miner who married on October 31, 1901 in Calderhead [District]. Her birth was registered No.80 at Stane on March 31 by John Kennedy, Father, Present.
1911 April 2 The family were living at Redhall, Stane in a house with 2 windowed rooms which they seem to have been sharing with another family of 7 persons called Brown.
| Rel. | Age | Mar. | Occupation | Status | Birthplace | ||
| John Kennedy | Head | 30 | Mar | Coal Miner Hewer | Worker | Lanark, Motherwell | 2 |
| Mary do. | Wife | 31 | do. | 9 - 5 - 4 | do., Shotts | ||
| Mary do. | Daur | 9 | School | do., Motherwell | |||
| Sarah do. | Daur | 2 | do., Shotts | ||||
| Katie do. | Daur | under 1 month | do., Shotts | ||||
| Robert Simpson | Nephew | 20 | S | Coal Miner Hewer | Worker | do., Motherwell |
Mary & John had been married for 9 years and produced 5 children of whom 4 were still living. I have so far failed to identify the deceased child.
Jane, aged 4, is not far away with her maternal grandparents.
Robert Simpson is probably the son of John's sister Sarah Ann who married Alexander Simpson in 1882.
1912/13 John Kennedy went to the USA some time before Mary and the children but as yet I have been unable to confirm when. I have checked what I thought was the obvious candidate but found insufficient detail to confirm that this was "our" John.
1913 Records on the Ellis Island Foundation website show the arrival of Mary (age 33), Mary (11), Jane (4), Sarah (2) and Catherine (11 months) at New York on Monday, December 1 by the Anchor Line steamer Columbia which left Glasgow on November 22. Their closest relative in the land whence they came given as Mother, Jane Kennedy, (looks like) Banann Buildings, Motherwell.
Mary is described as 5'4", fair complexion, fair hair and blue eyes; the children were all of fair complexion, fair hair and blue eyes. All were in good health with no deformities or distinguishing marks. Mary was born in Cleland, daughter Mary in Motherwell and the three younger children in Shotts [allegedly].
John had paid for the passages, Mary arrived with $15, the children had nothing. They were going to join an aunt Mary Clusker and husband John Kennedy of 1722 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois. (There is another address 2169 South 16th Street scored out.) They had a letter from John dated November 10, 1913 at Springfield.
[View manifest — Left hand page — Right hand page — lines 14 - 18.]
SS Columbia was built by D. & W. Henderson & Company on the Clyde in 1902 for the Anchor Line. She was 8,292 gross tons, 503 feet long, 56 feet wide and had triple expansion steam engines driving twin screws to deliver a service speed of 15 knots. She could carry 1,303 passengers with 345 in first class, 218 in second and 740 in third.
She was used on the Glasgow-New York service and renamed Columbella in 1914. During the war, she served as an armed merchant cruiser being returned to her owners in 1919 and reverting to Columbia. After further Glasgow-New York service, she was laid up in 1925 before being sold to the Byron Line in 1926 and renamed Moreas. After a short Mediterranean-New York service she was again laid up in 1927 and scrapped in Italy in 1929.
Chambers's Encyclopaedia has the following entry for Springfield –
"Springfield, capital of Illinois, U.S.A., is the fifth largest city of that state and lies 180 miles south west of Chicago. It became the capital in 1825 and is notable as the home of Abraham Lincoln. Springfield is a spacious, regularly planned city, its public buildings lying to the west and its industrial plants and railway yards to the east of the city centre. Corn, wheat and flour, products of the surrounding district are marketed. Coal-mining dates from 1867 and supports a number of varied manufactures including stoves, boilers, watches and shoes. Springfield is served by seven railways. Population (1880) 19,746; (1920) 59,183; (1940) 75,503."
1914 Theresa was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, USA.
1916 John was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, USA.
1920 January 1 The family were living in Woodside Township, Sangamon County, Illinois
| Rel. | Age | Mar. | Occupation | Status | Birthplace | |
| Kennedy John | Head | 38 | M | Miner - Coal Mine | Worker | Scotland |
| do. Mary | Wife | 39 | M | Scotland | ||
| do. Mary | Daur | 18 | S | indecipherable | Worker | Scotland |
| do. Jane | Daur | 15 | S | School | Scotland | |
| do. Sarah | Daur | 11 | S | School | Scotland | |
| do. Katie | Daur | 9 | S | School | Scotland | |
| do. Teresa | Daur | 5 2/12 | S | Illinois | ||
| do. John Jr | Son | 3 2/12 | S | Illinois |
There is more information in the census return - the family owned their own home (with a mortgage), the Scots-born members of the family all arrived in 1913, were still aliens (ie had not applied for citizenship), all the parents were born in Scotland except John's mother who was born in Ireland, everyone had English as their mother-tongue except those under 10 who, it seems, were to be seen but not heard.
1930 April 1 The family were living at 1604 Melrose (Street/Road etc not stated) in Sangamon County, Illinois
| Rel. | Age | Mar. | Occupation | Status | Birthplace | |
| Kennedy John | Head | 48 | M | Laborer - State | Worker | Scotland |
| do. Mary | Wife | 50 | M | Scotland | ||
| do. John Jr | Son | 14 | S | School | Illinois | |
| do. Sallie | Daur | 20 | S | Scotland | ||
| do. Theresa | Daur | 16 | S | Illinois |
There is more information in the census return - the family owned their own home valued at $1200 (mortgage status was not asked) and did not have a radio set, the Scots-born members of the family now arrived in 1916 and had become naturalised citizens, all the parents were born in Scotland including John's mother and everyone had English as their mother-tongue. John was 19 when first married and Mary was 21.