The History of Hendricks County (Chicago: Interstate Publishing, 1885)--Marion Township, pages 687-688
J.O. Kennedy, general merchant at New Winchester, was born March 20, 1827, in Liberty Township, Hendricks Co., Ind., a son of Jacob Kennedy, one of the pioneers of this county. He has always been a resident of this county, and in 1871 he engaged in his present business at New Winchester. He was married to Melissa F. Roach, a native of Kentucky. They have two children--Benjamin F. and Nannie. Jacob Kennedy was born in Virginia in 1797, and when a small boy removed with his parents to Woodford County, Ky., where he was reared and married. His wife was Isabella Combs, a cousin of General Leslie Combs. They had two children--Dr. L.H. Kennedy and our subject. He came to Hendricks County with his family in 1825, and settled in Liberty Township, remaining there about fifteen years. When he arrived in this county he had but $4, but by industry and economy he earned enough to buy a farm, and later bought a farm in Guilford Township, where he lived forty-five years. His wife died in Liberty Township, aged seventy-ix years, since which he has made his home with his son in Danville. He is now eighty-eight years of age. Dr. L.H. Kennedy was born in Kentucky, July 16, 1823, and came with his parents in October, 1825. He worked on a farm till twenty-four years of age, and helped clear a farm of 100 acres. He began the study of medicine at Belleville in 1847, with Dr. Moore, and graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill., in 1855. He began his practice with Dr. Moore in 1850, remaining with him about twenty years. He located in Danville in 1869, where he has built up a good practice.