The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. This is continued from last week’s edition of the Star Herald.
Mr. Kennedy was married May 4, 1894, at Luverne to Susie Kean, a native of Village Creek, Ia. and they made their home on the farm at the east edge of Hardwick until they moved to Luverne about four years ago.
When Mr. Kennedy bought the place, it was unbroken prairie and had no improvements. He broke all the sod, however, and built all the buildings. He modernized it by piping water to the buildings from a spring 80 rods distant, and by installing electric lights as soon as electricity was available in Hardwick.
Very few have had the privilege to watch a village grow as Mr. Kennedy did. He recalls when there was nothing at Hardwick except a station platform. After several had settled there, Mr. Kennedy and some of the others organized the first village council. After that time, Mr. Kennedy served in various capacities but mostly as mayor, an office which he held for 22 years.
“You learn a lot of things when you hold an office like that,” Mr. Kennedy said, “and if I had it to do over again, I don’t think I’d ever want to go through it. Now that it is done, though, I guess it was worth it.”
Through the efforts of Mr. Kennedy and fellow council members, Hardwick became the first village in Rock county to have electric lights and a water system. Because they had the foresight to spend $7 and $8 per foot for drilling a well through solid rock to a depth of 410 feet, the village now has one of the finest water supplies in the county, and has over three miles of water mains to serve its residents.
The time the council got into the most “hot water” was when they bought trees with village funds and gave two to each lot owner. Although some of the taxpayers didn’t like the idea of spending money for such items as trees at that time, they have since changed their minds, because Hardwick now has as beautiful a residential section as any village its size.
Mr. Kennedy also served on the school board at the time the present Hardwick school building was built. He and another board member decided to look at other school buildings in the county before letting the contract, and this gave him an opportunity to take his first ride in a car. They came by team to Luverne and here hired a car from an “auto livery.” Not only was that Mr. Kennedy’s first trip in a car, but it was the first time he had ever seen Beaver Creek or Hills.
Although Mr. Kennedy devoted considerable time to the bettering of his community, he still had time to handle his farming affairs. He enjoyed raising livestock, and always had large numbers of cattle, horses and hogs on hand. He raised a considerable number of horses and mules.
Although farming has been his business all his life, Mr. Kennedy states he earned one of his first dollars as a mason’s assistant. He was a youth in his teens when a man by the name of Smith asked him to help mix mortar for layering rocks in a basement in Luverne. He worked for him for about three days, and earned about a dollar a day. His employer he recalls came to Luverne as a peddler, and later became a leading builder in this area. He later built the Calumet building in Pipestone, according to Mr. Kennedy.
Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are the parents of four children, all of whom are living. They include Emmet Kennedy, Luverne; Leo Kennedy, Hardwick; Neva, at home; and Mrs. Rufus (Virginia) Putnam, Rawlings, Wyo. They also have seven grandchildren.
Of seven children in his father’s family, Mr. Kennedy is one of five still living. They include Mrs. Frank (Kate) Kennedy, Luverne; Robert Kennedy, Pipestone; Thomas Kennedy, Ellsworth; and Mrs. Ronald (Elizabeth) Kean, of Los Angeles.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.