LAUDERDALE COUNTY, ALABAMA
BIOGRAPHIES
HIRAM RALEIGH KENNEDY, MD
HIRAM RALEIGH
KENNEDY, M.D., one of the most prominent physicians of Lauderdale county, and
a representative of that county, in the state legislature, was born on his father's farm,
on Cow Pen creek, three miles from Green Hill post office, and fourteen miles from
Florence, September 30, 1853. He is the son of Rev. E. R. Kennedy, who was a native of
North Carolina, and came with his parents to Alabama, when eight or ten years old. He
followed farming as a vocation, and also ran a mill, and beside these preached for the
Methodist Episcopal church. His death occurred April 7, 1887, in his sixty-fifth year. His
wife was Louisa J. Chisholm, who was born in Alabama. She still lives. They were the
parents of eight children, seven of whom survive, three sons and four daughters. Dr.
Kennedy was reared on the farm, and attended the country schools. In 1874 he entered the
Normal school at Florence, and remained there in attendance about two and a half years. He
then read medicine under Dr. James Kyle, who resided near Florence. He attended a course
of lectures at the Louisville university in 1877-78, and again in 1879-80, graduating in
1880. Returning to his home in Lauderdale county, he located in his old neighborhood, and
again the practice of medicine, at the same time carrying on farming. He owns a farm of
about 500 acres of land. Dr. Kennedy is a member of the Lauderdale Medical society, of
which he was vice-president one year. In 1892, he was elected as a representative in the
legislature from Lauderdale county. He was married in December, 1880, to Miss Mary E.
Bretherick, daughter of Benjamin I. Bretherick of Lauderdale county, and to this marriage,
there have been born children, as follows: Oscar Yandell, Edgar Leslie, Eva Estella, Reba
Louisa, and Hiram Raleigh.
[Memorial Record of Alabama. Vol. II. Brant & Fuller. Madison, Wis., 1893. pp.
359-60]
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