A 1778 WA Co., NC (now Greene Co. TN)  land grant given in the name of Leeroy Taylor for the "orphans" William, John, Thomas and Samuel - of  John KENNEDY, deceased is the first record of the family in the area.  The land is 400 acres and adjoins that of Daniel KENNEDY In the Burke Co., NC misc. papers is a request to probate for  ____? KENNEDY, by Mary KENNEDY  - signed by Samuel Simpson and Leeroy TAYLOR. (Probate record is incomplete)  We "think" that John died in Burke, Co. NC but was moving to the land in WA Co. when he died. A short history of the "orphans" families as follows:
Generation #2:
Children of John and Mary KENNEDY:
1. William m. Prudence - removed to Sumner Co. TN abt. 1790/1 (12 children - have record of   Williams family)
2. John b. abt 1758/60 d. by 1809 m. ?? stayed in Greene Co. and had son's Children:
                  1. Samuel b. 24 Dec. 1780  d. 29 Oct. 1836  m. by 1802 Frankey ? (See Generation 3)
                  2. John b. 1783  d. 1844 Moultrie, ILL m. Margaret TADLOCK -
                  removed to (have family records)
                  3. Robert  b. ?  NFK Probable that John m. 2. Letiva/Lousia SIMPSON (widow) w/children in Davidson Co.(Guardianship of Letiva KENNEDY wife of John KENNEDY children
in Greene Co. Ct.)
3.  Thomas m. 4 Dec 1799  Grizzey GILLIS - removed to Wayne Co. KY -
Franklin Co. TN.
4.  Samuel "may" have m. 23 Sep 1792 - Lett Harrold - he served as Greene
Co. Dep. Sheriff 1795 but may have died or removed the area by 1798 when he
dissapears from Greene Co. Records.
Daughters of John and Mary may have been:
        Catherine   m. Thomas SIMPSON 29 Mar 1796
        Elizabeth   m.  Thomas WARREN 21 Aug 1798
        Mary  m. Alexander GILLIS 26 Apr. 1799  (Alexander GILLIS removed to
w/Thomas KENNEDY)
(Generation #3:
Children of Samuel and Frankey KENNEDY
        1.  Nancy b. 16 Dec 1802 d. 12 Aug 1825 Greene Co. m. Robert A(E)IKEN,
        2.  Elizabeth b. 1 Jan 1806 Green Co. TN  (May have m. John McCall) NFK
        3. Joseph M b. 29 Jan 1808 Greene Co. TN NFK
        4. Margaret b. 5 Oct 1809 m. 13 Aug 1829 Charles NEAL NFK
        5. John K.  b. 29 May 1811 d. 26 Jun 1889 Walla Walla, WA (Have family
records)
            m. Sarah (Sally) Steele who d. Aug 1845 in Morgan Co. IL
        6. Mary Ann b.8 Jan 181 d. 5 Sep 1841 m. 27 Feb 1834 Devault CROWELL
Hancock, IN     7. Jane b. 8 Sep 1814  d. in OR  m. 27 Oct 1831 Mesac HALE m.2
(?) McMicken
        8. James M. b. 29 Sep 1816  m. 21 May  1842, Morgan Co. IL Mary BIDWELL
        9. Samuel b. 14 Jun 1818  m.  11 Nov 1841, Morgan Co. IL  Eliza COEN
        10. William S. b. 2 Jul 1820  d. Feb 1847 m. 17 Feb 1842 Morgan Co. IL
Mary ARNOLD
        11. Robert A. b. 12 Jul 1822 m. 6 Mar 1845 Morgan Co. IL Sephronia
Vanwinkle
(Above - From the Bible Records of John K. KENNEDY)
        & possibly Matthew S. and Thomas Simpson.
John K. KENNEDY and brothers removed Greene Co. TN to Hancock CO. IN and then Morgan Co. IL.  John K. moved to Iowa and then across Oregon Trail to WA state.

It is possible that John KENNEDY father of the orphans,  is the brother of Daniel KENNEDY (Col. Daniel KENNEDY) and they may be the son's of Danielm KENNEDY of Old Frederick Co. VA - the area now Berkeley Co. WVA.  Family tradition has that both came to Greene from NC.  Col. Daniel is the "proven" brother of Thomas KENNEDY of Berkeley Co. WVA (by will).
Would appriciate hearing from anyone researching the Frederick Co., VA KENNEDYS or any one who may be "related" to the orphans and their families in NC, Greene Co., TN or ILL and   anyone with a "unconnected" Robert KENNEDY probably b. before 1788 who could be the brother of Samuel and John, and Joseph b. 1808 son of Samuel.
Thank You,
Jayne McCarley

j[email protected]
They went West and "Lived"