George Kennedy (businessman)
George Kennedy (1799-1870) was a Canadian businessman. Georgetown, Ontario is named in his honour.
Early life
Kennedy was born at Snyder's Mills (St. Ann). His father was John Kennedy (1761-1847) and his mother was Charity (née Wurtz) (1761-1800). John was a teacher, a job he had trained for years before in Sussex, New Jersey. Charity ran the household.
His siblings include: John (1787-1874), Elizabeth (1788-1842), Ann (1790-1797), Charles (1792-1854), and Morris (1794-1870).
After the death of his mother (Charity), his father remarried, this time to Barbara (née Slough) (1773-1849). Barbara and John had eight more children.
With his brothers Charles, John, Morris, Samuel, George Kennedy operated a saw mill, grist mill, foundry and a woollen mill before selling them in 1830s.[1]
Marriage
George married Sarah Bedford (1798-1875) in 1821. They had nine children: Charity (c1822), Sarah (c1823), Harriet (1824) - the first child born in Georgetown, George Couse (1826), Emery (1827), Sarah Ann (c1828?), Louisa (1830), John Corban (1834), and Barbara Elizabeth (1836).
Family history -- arrival in Upper Canada
Kennedy's parents were supporters of the King during the American Revolutionary War. After its conclusion in 1783, life became unbearable for the Loyalists who settled in places like Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec. Niagara District, Upper Canada was the place that John and Charity travelled to with their children. Land was granted to John in Gainsborough Township, Niagara District in 1795.
References
Georgetown - Reflections of a Small Town, by John Mark Benbow Rowe, 2006, ISBN 0-921901-28-3