Revolutionary Kennons, Part 1: Richard Kennon (1760-1805)

With the 250^th anniversary of our nation’s independence upon us, many stories of those who fought in, or served in some capacity, in the American Revolution will be coming to light.  The Kennon family of Virginia produced many ardent patriots during the Revolutionary War era.  To date, no known members of the Kennon family were Loyalists in their sentiments.  This is the first of a four-part series about four Kennon men who played a role in events leading up to and during our fight for independence. 

All four of these Kennons were great grandsons of Richard Kennon of Conjurer’s Neck, who established Old Brick House, and his wife Elizabeth Worsham.  What led them to become patriots?  Short of letters or diaries expressing their feelings which have not been found, we can only assume by their actions the reasoning for their break from the mother country.  Were they upset about taxation without representation?  Likely so, as that was one of the main gripes of many colonists in America.  Were the Kennons enraged by the Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts, and Proclamation of 1763?  Probably. 

In this first part, we will examine the role of Richard Kennon (c. 1760-1805) in what has been called “The Glorious Cause.”  Richard Kennon, born about 1760-61, was the second son of Robert and Sarah Skipwith Kennon of Mt. Pleasant, Chesterfield County.  His father was a county justice as early as 1764.  His father was also a member of the Chesterfield County Committee of Safety from 1774-1776.  It is likely that Richard, in his youth, received some early education and legal training from his father and the local legal and political circles in and around Chesterfield.  These connections would greatly aid young Richard in his post Revolution career.

With events beginning to ramp up with conflict between the colonies and the mother country, Virginia began to take measures to arm and train local militias and set up provisional government both on a colony wide and local scale.  Events began to come to a head in Virginia when, on April 21, 1775, Governor Lord Dunmore had royal marines remove gunpowder from the magazine in Williamsburg.  Later in the year, on December 9, 1775, a battle was fought at Great Bridge, an area near present day Chesapeake Virginia, resulting in a victory for Virginia militia.

On December 28, 1775, the 5^th Virginia Regiment was authorized for the Continental Army.  On February 28, 1776, the regiment was organized in Richmond and its companies came from the counties of Lancaster, Richmond, Westmoreland, Spotsylvania, Northampton, Chesterfield, Henrico, Bedford and Loudoun.  On March 1, 1776, Richard Kennon was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant in the 5^th Virginia Regiment.

Richard was only about 16 years of age when he joined the 5^th Virginia Regiment.  How did one so young get an officer’s commission?  Many young men and boys enlisted and served in the Revolutionary War, but very few, if any, were commissioned officers at such a young age.  He likely was able to receive his commission because of his family connections to some of Virginia’s finest and most prominent families; the Kennons were also a prominent family in their own right.  The Kennons had married into such families as the Lewis’, Eppes’, Skipwith’s, Eldridge’s, Randolph’s, and Bolling’s.  His father having been a member of the Committee of Safety also probably helped in securing him the position.  Ultimately, how he got his position does not matter in this case as he would go on to become a very able and capable officer.  In a Revolutionary War document dated December 15, 1778, he was described as “A most amiable youth & a very valuable young officer.”

From August 1776 until December 1777, Richard stayed in Virginia on recruiting duty.  As recruiters tried to appeal to young men of lower class, Richard was an ideal candidate to be a recruiter.  A youth who was an officer would appeal to younger men, almost a “see what you can achieve” if you join.  Richard was likely engaged in placing posters throughout Virginia advertising the benefits of joining the Continental Army such as promises of pay, clothing, provisions, bounty money, and the possibility of obtaining land in return for service.  While he was recruiting in Virginia, Richard was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant on December 17, 1776.

Richard was back with his regiment by January 1778, just in time to join the Continental Army encamped a day’s march northwest of Philadelphia at Valley Forge.  It is hard to imagine what Richard and many others went through there.  When one hears the name Valley Forge, some of the first thoughts that come to mind are cold, starvation, suffering and lack of clothing.  One also thinks determination, perseverance, and a new beginning.  Many men suffered at Valley Forge.  Scores of men died because of the conditions there.  But the Continental army stuck it out through the harsh winter, food and clothing shortages, and widespread sickness.  By the time the army marched out of Valley Forge, it was a changed and much improved in their fighting capabilities (thanks to the training by Baron Von Steuben and improvements in the commissary department).

The new and improved Continental Army did not wait long in testing out it’s mettle against their British tormenters.  The British army left Philadelphia in June 1778 to head back to its main base in New York City.  Washington’s army caught up with the British rear guard at Monmouth in New Jersey on June 28^th; the result of the battle was a draw, but the new and improved Continentals stood up to the most superior military power in the world and fought it toe to toe to a stalemate.  According to Revolutionary War service records, Lieutenant Kennon was present at Monmouth, his first battle with his regiment, as he had been on recruiting missions in Virginia during previous battles and engagements.  It was also at Monmouth that Kennon was promoted to Captain.

After Monmouth, Richard was with his regiment encamped around White Plains, New York in July and August of 1778.  In September 1778 his regiment was encamped at West Point, New York.  On September 20, 1778, he was sent to Virginia as a Supernumerary officer.  Shortly afterwards, his term of service in the Continental Army ended.

Richard continued to serve in the Virginia militia after his term of enlistment ended with the main army.  In 1781, the theater of war shifted into Virginia and Kennon took part in many of the small battles and skirmishes in the Tidewater, including at Petersburg and served under the Marquis de Lafayette in several engagements.  While still in the Virginia militia, Richard married Elizabeth Beverley Munford on May 16, 1780.  She was the daughter of Robert and Anna Beverley Munford of Richlands in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.  For his service to the patriot cause, he received 5,416 acres in bounty land.

After the Revolutionary War ended, Richard moved to Mecklenburg County with Elizabeth and settled at Finewood, or Finnie-Wood.  He continued to serve in the Virginia militia and attained the rank of Major General of Militia.  He was also a founding member of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1783, our nation’s oldest patriotic organization which was founded by officers of the Continental Army who served together in the American Revolution.  Richard and Elizabeth would have eight children: six sons and two daughters.  The daughters both married men who served in the United States Navy.  Three of the sons also served in the United States Navy.  One of those sons was Beverley Kennon, who attained the rank of Commodore.  Beverley also linked the Kennon family to one of our country’s most famous families when he married Britannia Wellington Peter, a great granddaughter of Martha Washington. 

With the conclusion of the war and settling down and starting a family, Richard began his career in politics.  In 1788, he won a seat as a member of Virginia’s House of Delegates, a position he held until 1792.  In the same year that he entered the House of Delegates, he was made a delegate to Virginia’s Constitutional Ratifying Convention for Mecklenburg County.  Richard, having fought to shake off the chains of tyranny from Great Britain, was an anti-federalist, concerned about a stronger national government that might trample on the rights of individual states and liberties.  In June 1788, Virginia voted on adoption of the Constitution by a vote of 89 for and 79 against.  Richard joined anti-federalists such as Patrick Henry and George Mason in voting against the Constitution.  In 1789, Richard was appointed County Lieutenant for Mecklenburg County.  In 1798, he was elected to the Virginia Senate seat for Brunswick, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg and Greensville counties.  From 1800-1802, he was elected as Speaker of the Senate.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent James Monroe to France to negotiate the purchase of the Louisiana Territory which was accomplished by treaty on April 30, 1803.  This added 838,000 square miles to the United States and included the city of New Orleans.  In 1804, Richard received the most prominent appointment of his career when he was appointed, by President Jefferson, the first governor of the Louisiana Territory.  The following is the correspondence between President Jefferson and Richard Kennon of Mecklenburg in regards to his appointment:

Sir                                                                       Washington July 20. 04.

The act of Congress establishing the government of Louisiana has placed that of it’s several districts chiefly in a Commandant subject only to the superintendance of the Governor of Indiana at Vincennes. it is of great importance that these officers, 5. in number, of whom 3. will be Colos. and 2. Majors, should be filled with persons who may blend with great prudence the duties civil & military annexed to the office. I am desirous of availing the public of your services with the rank and emoluments of a Colo. in the regular service; and ask the favor of you to give me as early notice as you can whether I may count on your acceptance. the government commences the 1st. of Oct. next, and your residence would probably be either at St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste Genevieve or New Madrid. Accept my salutations and assurances of esteem & respect.

Th: Jefferson

 

 

Sir/                                 Finnie-Wood, Mecklenbg. Cty. Aug 5^th. 1804

Your’s of the 20th. of last month, came to hand the 1st. inst (our last post day) too late, of course for me to return an answer by the same conveyance, I shall therefore avail my self of the mail from Halifax Court-House, which passes Wyllie’s b.gh tomorrow—

I should without hesitation declare to you, my willingness to accept the appointment which you have called on me to fill, was it not, for the shortness of the notice which I have received—I know it would be impossible to equip myself, and make certain necessary domestick arrangements, so as to be at the Station which may be appointed for my residence, as early as the first of Octr.—Could an extent of time be granted, it would give me pleasure, to declare my readiness to accept the Commission—But should the necessity of the occasion prevent this, I have only to regret, that I would be ready, at a short warning—

So soon as I was informed of the cession of that Country, an Event, so important to the United States, I had determined to remove there, or to somewhere on the Navigable-Waters, which flow into the Mississippi—for the carrying which design into effect, I had offered my Lands in the Country for sale—and whether I do or do not receive the Commission, which you have offered me, in terms so flattering to my feelings, it is a plan, which I am seriously determined to carry into effect

I shall be anxious to receive your answer to this. You’l please direct to the Post-Office Christians-Ville in this County—Accept my assurances of esteem and respect, and am Your’s—

Richd. Kennon

 

 

Sir                                                                        Monticello Aug. 15. 04.

I recieved, last night only, your favor of the 5th. and regret that you cannot be in Louisiana by the 1st. of Oct. because it would certainly be highly proper that on the change of government to take place on that day, the officers who are to conduct the new government should be in their places. however necessity will oblige us probably in some cases not to make it an indispensable condition, and therefore I will rely on your delay not being such as to produce public injury. I will ask the favor of you to inform me by what time you calculate on being there, and in the mean time I shall have your commission made out with the others. Accept my salutations & assurances of respect.

Th: Jefferson

 

Sir/                                                               Finnie-Wood 5^th Sept. 1804

Your’s of the 15th. of Augt. I received by last post.

I was conscious that it would be highly proper, that on the change of Government in Louisiana, the Officers who were to conduct the new one, should be in their places on the first of Octr. the time fixed on for that event—and under that impression was apprehensive that an extent of time could not be granted me, neither do I ask it, if the smallest injury to the publick or an individual was to be the consequence—The beginning of December, is as early a time as I could possibly leave home for that country—nay, that even, would be sooner than, my domestick affairs, could well justify—With every sentiment of the highest esteem and regard am Sir

Yours

Richd. Kennon

 

Richard died shortly after taking his new appointment in New Orleans in early 1805.  He was about 44 years old.  He wrote his will February 4, 1805 and it was proved in Mecklenburg County Court on April 8, 1805.  He was buried in the Bacon-Harris Family Cemetery in Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia.

References

American Revolutionary War Continental Regiments, Virginia Regiments in the Continental Army, Revolutionarywar.us, accessed 3 October 2024.  https://revolutionarywar.us/continental-army/virginia/

Ancestry.com. Mecklenburg, Virginia, Marriages Index, 1765-1810 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 1999. 

“From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Kennon, 20 July 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-44-02-0110. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 44, 1 July to 10 November 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019, p. 123.]

“From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Kennon, 15 August 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-44-02-0219. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 44, 1 July to 10 November 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019, pp. 222–223.]

Grigsby, Hugh Blair.  The History of the Virginia Federal Convention of 1788, With Some Account of the Eminent Virginians of That Era Who Were Members of the Body, Vol. II. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Historical Society, 1891.

Manarin, Louis H. Officers of the Senate of Virginia 1776-1996.  Richmond, Virginia: Carter Printing Company, 1997.

Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia, Original Members, accessed 3 October 2024.  https://www.vasocietycincinnati.org/original-members-1

“To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Kennon, 5 August 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-44-02-0179. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 44, 1 July to 10 November 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019, pp. 188–189.]

“To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Kennon, 5 September 1804,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-44-02-0315. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 44, 1 July to 10 November 1804, ed. James P. McClure. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019, p. 349.]

Various muster rolls and pay rolls from Fold3.com.