Jennie Eliza Kennedy (born Breneman November 24, 1852 - February 7, 1930) was an American
clubwoman
The woman's club movement was a social movement that took place throughout the United States that established the idea that women had a moral duty and responsibility to transform public policy. While women's organizations had always been a part ...
and
suffragist. Kennedy was one of the activists that helped create the "Pittsburgh Plan" as a women's suffrage strategy.
Biography
Born as Jane Eliza Breneman in
Mahoning County, Ohio
Mahoning County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 228,614. Its county seat and largest city is Youngstown, Ohio, Youngstown. The county is List of ...
, Jennie E. Kennedy was a daughter of Joseph Breneman and Elizabeth (Linn) Breneman of Poland Township, Mahoning County.
She married
Julian Kennedy
Julian Kennedy (March 15, 1852 - May 28, 1932) was an American engineer and inventor, known for his national and international contributions to the steel industry. He was awarded the ASME Medal in 1928.
Biography
Kennedy was born in Poland in ...
in 1878. They were the parents of: Lucy B. Kennedy (1879–1962), a graduate of
Vassar College
Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...
who later married John O. Miller; Joseph Walker Kennedy (1884–1950), a graduate of
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
who went into business with his father; Julian Kennedy (1886–1955); Eliza Jane Kennedy (1889–1964), a graduate of Vassar who later wed R. Templeton Smith, and Thomas Walker Kennedy (1894–1922), who studied at
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
. In 1922, her son Thomas died the day after Christmas in Schenectady, New York.
Kennedy was one of the founding members of the Equal Franchise Federation of Pittsburgh and hosted meetings in her home. Kennedy, along with
Jennie Bradley Roessing
Jennie Bradley Roessing (May 11, 1881 – May 15, 1963) was a leader in Pennsylvania's women's suffrage movement during the early 1900s. She was an active participant in the women's suffrage movement and various Pittsburgh-area organizations.
Ear ...
, and
Mary E. Bakewell created the "Pittsburgh Plan" for women's suffrage strategies in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
On May 2, 1914, she was the leader or "Boss of the Road" of the suffrage parade in Pittsburgh.
This parade was considered "massive" and ended with a rally that included 30 speakers on women's suffrage.
Kennedy also hosted
Carrie Chapman Catt at her home when she visited Pittsburgh.
Her daughters,
and
Eliza Kennedy Smith
Eliza Kennedy Smith (December 11, 1889 – October 23, 1964), also known as Mrs. R. Templeton Smith, was a 20th-century American suffragist, civic activist, and government reformer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upon her death in 1964, ''The Pitts ...
, were also active members of the women's suffrage movement. By 1915, Lucy Miller had become president of the Equal Franchise Federation of Pittsburgh while Eliza had been appointed chair of the federation's membership committee.
Death and legacy
Jennie E. Kennedy died in
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...
during a vacation on February 7, 1930.
Her estate, which was valued at $200,000, was divided between her husband and children, according to newspaper accounts regarding the probating of her will.
See also
*
Women's suffrage in Pennsylvania
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Jennie E.
1852 births
1930 deaths
Suffragists from Pennsylvania
Clubwomen
Activists from Pittsburgh