John J. Kennedy (New York State Treasurer)

For other people named John Kennedy, see John Kennedy (disambiguation).

John J. Kennedy (ca. 1857 Buffalo, Erie County, New York – February 15, 1914 Buffalo, Erie County, New York) was an American businessman and politician.

Life

He attended the public schools and St. Joseph's College in Buffalo. Then he became a saloon-keeper, first he opened two saloons on the waterfront, later another at the corner of Pearl and Eagle Streets. In 1881, he married Ottilie Schupp, and they had two daughters and a son, William Kennedy.

He was an alderman of Buffalo from 1885 to 1910, and at times president of the board of aldermen and acting mayor. As a Democrat, he was New York State Treasurer from 1911 to 1914, elected in 1910 and 1912. On February 15, 1914, he committed suicide.

Kennedy had been the resident vice president at Buffalo of the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company of Baltimore, a bonding company connected with Tammany, but upon his election in 1910 had turned over his business to his son William who became Resident Secretary at Buffalo of the company. William Kennedy was linked in the bonding business with Charles F. Murphy, Jr., the nephew of Tammany Hall boss Charles F. Murphy. Both Kennedys, Murphy and others had been investigated by Governor Martin H. Glynn's Special Graft Investigator James W. Osborne and questioned by the Manhattan Grand Jury and District Attorney Charles S. Whitman. According to unnamed sources Treasurer Kennedy feared to be indicted for perjury which was denied by his attorney.

He was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery on Limestone Hill in Buffalo.

Sources

The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Kennedy, J. at politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard
The De. state ticket with short bios, in NYT on October 1, 1910
Re-nominated, in NYT on October 4, 1912
Obit in NYT on February 16, 1914
An outline of the investigation, in NYT on February 16, 1914
More info on Treasury, and on election of successor, in NYT on February 16, 1914
His suicide in the middle of the "bonding clique" investigation, in NYT on February 17, 1914
His fears, and Whitman's investigation, in NYT on February 17, 1914
His burial, and the bonding business, in NYT on February 18, 1914
Denials by his lawyer, and his burial, in NYT on February 19, 1914

Political offices
Preceded by Thomas B. Dunn	New York State Treasurer 1911–1914	Succeeded by George W. Batten Acting

New York State Treasurers

Livingston Bancker McClellan A G Lansing Thomas A G Lansing Thomas Platt Dox Knower Keyser Barstow Keyser Barstow Haight Farrington Enos Farrington Hunt Cook Welch Spaulding Clark Vanderpoel Dorsheimer Lewis Schuyler Howland Bristol Raines A Lansing* Raines Ross Mackin Wendell Maxwell Fitzgerald Danforth Colvin Jaeckel Wickser Wallenmeier Hauser Dunn Kennedy Batten* Call Wells Marshall Shuler Pounds

*denotes acting treasurer

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