Alta Sarah Kennedy was born to Marion Edmon Throckmorton and Ollie Cordelia Bills Throckmorton in a sod house near Bessie, Oklahoma on March 4, 1899. She was one of 11 children. On June 25, 1923 she was married to Huber Jackson King in Sabinal, Texas. To this union were born seven sons and one daughter, Perdilla died in childhood. She moved to Winfield in September, 1944 with her children and worked for J.C. Penney and the Winfield State Hospital. For several years she cared for her parents in Enid, Oklahoma until they passed away and then returned to make her home in Winfield.
On June 24, 1972 she was married to Earl V. Kennedy who was born and raised in the Prairie View community. Earl was the father of Pauline Kennedy Jones, Otis Kennedy and Paul Kennedy all of which still live in the Prairie View community. Earl and Alta made their home on the farm in that area until moving to 1788 E. 6th in Winfield in 1977. They continued with their interest in gardening and quilting until Earl passed away on September 29, 1986.
At the time that this was written, she had 6 children, 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Submitted by Berwin King
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 214 & 215.
Earl Vallow Kennedy and Laura Mae Lanier were married April 3, 1918. Earl is the son of Stephen Vallow Kennedy and Ollie Jay Roberts Kennedy and lived in Richland Township, Cowley County, Kansas in the Prairie View Community all their married lives.
To this family were born Pauline Mae Kennedy, Otis Kennedy and Paul Kennedy. Going to the Prairie View School District #128, to Prairie View Church and attended many functions at the Prairie View Community Building. This building was done by the community so they would have a place to play basketball. Later, on the farm west of the house, a baseball diamond was built and on Sunday afternoon the community all around came in to play baseball on the diamond.
The Kennedy's lived on the farm that Laura's parents gave her as a present and is still in the family today.
The family made a living on the farm by raising cattle, hogs and crops. They attended all the functions of the Prairie View Community and was great helpers of the community.
Earl took part in Soil Conservation work and was a surveyor, surveying the land, he purchased a survey instrument from Sears and Roebuck and Company catalog. Being one of the early surveyors in the area, he worked the land by laying out waterways, field terraces and help keep the ground from washing the dirt. He was a carpenter by trade, and took active part in all sports in the community. He was coach and manager of the Prairie View Basketball team and coach and manager of the Prairie View Baseball team.
Laura took part in all church affairs, community affairs, was President of the Ladies Aid Society of Prairie View most of her lifetime and helped serve church farm sales and with the Prairie View Church bazzars.
Earl and Laura had three children: Pauline, Otis, and Paul. Pauline married Roy Jones, Otis married Delia King and Paul married Rose Marie Knowles.
Laura was the daughter of Otha and Anna Volkmann Lanier of this community, coming from Germany.
The, families came around the time of early 1870's and settled in this community of Prairie View and lived the rest of their lives in this area. Earl's parents are buried in Atlanta Cemetery and Laura's parents are buried in Wilmot Cemetery. Earl and Laura are both buried in the Wilmot Cemetery in Richland Township.
Submitted by Pauline Kennedy Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 215.
Weaving was a big part of the income in Scotland, they have been. known to weave the threads into Kennedy blankets, kilted plaids, and much more. Today the weaving of the paisley shaw is one of the important cloth they wore, along with much more in the way of wearing apparel.
The Scottish kilted plaid took some nine yards of cloth to make a kilt. The Kennedys lived in Georgetown, USA and many began to move westward into Ohio and other parts. Later they moved to Illinois and later on to Missouri and others came to Kansas. This Kennedy family moved to Kansas and homesteaded in Richland Township, Cowley County, Kansas. Later became known as the Prairie View Community. The Kennedys donated one acre of ground to build the Prairie View Church on, plans began in 1910 and church was built and began services in 1911. It was dedicated on June 27, 1923 on a hot windy day.
The Kennedys came to Kansas by the way of crossing the Erie River and then took a ferry boat, they had two covered wagons and one spring wagon on their journey to Kansas with a family of ten children.
Alexander Buchanan and Rachel Hollett soon found a place to build and took a homestead in the community, later known as the Prairie View community. Many of the families began to move elsewhere in Richland Township as the children began to marry and their families. The Kennedy family has grown to a large size and moved in many parts of the United States of America. Each year a Kennedy reunion is held for those to come and they began meeting on May 31, 1953. This year was the 37th year of Kennedy gathering. The gathering began one day when Lawrence Kennedy, Earl Kennedy who has deceased, and Virgil Kennedy wanted to start a Kennedy reunion and so it began that year.
Submitted by Pauline Kennedy Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 215.
Alexander Buchanan Kennedy was born March 18, 1830 near Gnaddenhutten, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He was united in marriage, August 18, 1854, with Rachel Hollett of the same address, where they began housekeeping. To this union were born seven sons and one daughter, Perdilla died in childhood.
| Names of Children | Birthdates | Birthplace |
| Stephen Vallow | Aug 8, 1855 | Oh |
| David Washington | Oct 22,1856 | Oh |
| Lora Alice | Aug 8, 1858 | Il |
| Sarah Perdilla | Oct 26,1860 | Il |
| George McClellan | Jul 11,1863 | Il |
| Daniel Marion | Aug 15,1865 | Il |
| Cyrus Nathaniel | Oct 25,1867 | Il |
| Clara Effie | Nov 15,1869 | Il |
| John Edward | Nov 21,1872 | Il |
| Amos Samuel | Aug 19,1876 | Il |
Father made all their furniture. One chest was made of maple wood. All corners were dove-tailed Father taught two terms of school, in Ohio, then moved to a farm near Duquoin, Illinois, where they lived several years, and then moved to Kinmunday, Illinois. Early in the fall of 1876 the A.B. Kennedy family loaded all of their belongings in two covered wagons and one spring wagon and started for KANSAS....The Land of Promise....in those days. When we arrived at St. Louis, Mo., Mother was driving a team of young mules to the spring wagon...John and Amos were in the wagon with her. When she drove toward the ferry boat, the mules became frightened and started for the river...but were stopped by two guards. Each caught a mule by the bridle bit and led them onto the ferry boat which took us to the opposite side of the Mississippi River. After several days we were joined by another family who traveled with us the rest of the journey. Several days later a man and his wife in a covered wagon wagon joinedus....Our last camp together was near Douglass, Kansas. We made our camp together under a very large elm tree. All three families prepared for the night...Early in the evening..a man on horseback stopped at our camp and said..."Do you folks know where you are ?".....Our folks told him...We were a short distance from Douglass, Kansas. The stranger said, "Four horse thieves were hanged on this tree last week." When the man rode off...the man with only one wagon and his wife loaded his double barrel shot gun and sat in his wagon all night with the gun in his lap, and left the camp early in the morning. Father Kennedy and the other man left camp and walked to Douglass and made plans to locate for the winter. The Kennedy family helped Mr. Holcomb finish a house that he was building on the eight mile, a few miles southwest of Douglass. Both families moved into the new house Thanksgiving Day, 1876. Kennedy had six sons and two daughters....Holcomb had six sons and two daughters...The two families lived in the same house, and the children attended the same school all that winter. Father and Mr. Holcomb agreed on most things....but never discussed politics or religion as they differed on these subjects. In the spring of 1877 the Kennedys moved to a farm belonging to Earnest Wadsack, about 2-1/2 miles north of Prairie View school house. While living there, he bought the southwest quarter of section 11, Cowley County, Kansas. And lived on this farm the remainder of their lives. Soon after locating on this farm, the children began moving to homes of their own.
June 5, 1879 - Lora Alice Kennedy was united in marriage to William Wadsack. To this union five sons and one daughter were born: Bertram Emmett Leslie Morton Alma Otis
November 22, 1882 - David W. Kennedy and Laura Ann Wilson were married. To this union two daughters and one son were born: Ora Perdilla Virgil
September 8, 1890.- Stephen Vallow Kennedy and Ollie Roberts were married. Three sons and one daughter were born to this union: Earl Roy Merle Verne
September 2, 1891 - George M. Kennedy and Cora Keeley were married. Five sons and one daughter born to them: Maurice Ralph John Newman Lulu Granville Lawrence
October 20, 1889.- Clara Effie Kennedy and John William Holt were married at Kennedy home by Rev. Kinney. Nine sons and three daughters were born to them: Arletha Curtis Stella Naomi Bryan Everett Calvin Emberson Lester Elbert Aubrey Wilbur
September 28, 1898 - John E. Kennedy and Sarah E. Eutsler were married. Five sons and two daughters were born: infant daughter Aaron infant daughter Scott Percy Harley Paul
January 11, 1899 - Cyrus N. Kennedy and Caroline Peterson were married. Two sons and three daughters born: Marion Fern Velva Velma Lee Cyrus had one daughter by a previous marriage, but I do not have that date of this marriage.
April 8, 1902 - Amos S. Kennedy and Anna L. Eutsler were united in marriage. To this union were born nine children; Ima Bert Hugh Lenola Lela Basil Roberta Margaret Stephen
Alexander B. Kennedy was a faithful Christian. Mother and I were standing near his bed at the time of his death. He saw us: His countenance brightened....he gave us his hand, and said, "We part." With a clear and satisfied expression, he was gone, showing us that he could say, with Paul the Apostle, that he was..."willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 11 Cor. 5-8
Alexander Buchanan Kennedy Born: March 18, 1830 Died: Dec. 22,1902
Rachel Hollett Kennedy Born: July 11,1835 Died: March 19, 1911
John Edward Kennedy (son) Born: Nov. 21, 1872 Died: March 11, 1955 At the age of 83 years, at his home in Piedmont, Kansas.
| State Coordinators Tom & Carolyn Ward, Columbus, KS tcward@columbus-ks.com |