James Joseph Kennedy (1866-1926)

James Joseph Kennedy (1866-1926) Plasterer who Died at Site of Chrysler Building; Emigrated from Ireland to USA in 1885 (b. July 1866, County Sligo, Ireland - d. December 13, 1926, 43 Street and Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA)

Birth
James was born in Sligo, Ireland to Richard Kennedy (c1830-c1871) and Mary Malloy (1830-1901).

Siblings:
 * Mary Kennedy (1866-1949) who married a Brennan, and died in Cincinnati in Ohio *Patrick Kennedy (c1865-1938)
 * Thomas Kennedy (c1865-1929)

Emigration
James emigrated from Ireland to the US between 1885 and 1888 and lived in New York City.

Marriage
Around 1895 he Katherine Carr (1865-1951) of Ireland. Katherine was the daughter of Thomas Carr (c1840-?) and Bridget Conboy (c1840-?) of Hollygrove, Athleague, Killeroran on the County Roscommon and County Galway border. Possibly Katherine and James were married on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1897 in Manhattan, where a "James J. Kennedy" married, and has certificate number "2555" in the index.

Children
Katherine and James had seven children with five living to adulthood: Kathryn Kennedy (1897-1974) aka Sis Kennedy, who married Joseph O'Malley (1893-1985) who was the uncle of Walter Francis O'Malley (1903-1979) the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1950 to 1979; Mary Frances Kennedy (1898-1982) who married Walter M. Hill (1893-1965) who was a taxi driver and movie projectionist; Josephine Kennedy (1899-1900) aka Sarah Kennedy, who died as an infant; Thomas Kennedy (1901-1972) who never married; James Gerard Kennedy I (1902-1903) who died as an infant; Joseph Kennedy (1905-1983) who never married; and James Gerard Kennedy II (1907-1997) aka James G. Kennedy, Sr. who married Antoinette Granato (1916-1942) and who later married Rita Masset and was the owner of an eponymous construction company.

Harlem, New York
In 1900 James and Katherine were living on 8th Street in the Harlem district of Manhattan, Katherine was listed as "Kate Kennedy" and James was working as a plasterer. In 1910 they were living at 1811 Amsterdam Avenue in Harlem. In 1920 they were living at West 160th Street in Harlem, and he was working as a plasterer. Katherine was listed as "Katherine Kennedy".

Death
James died of heart attack at the future site of the Chrysler Building in Manhattan on December 13, 1926. He was 61 years old. His death certificate was number "30722". The groundbreaking for the Chrysler Building was two years later, on September 19, 1928.

Burial
He was buried at Saint Raymonds Cemetery in the Bronx with Katherine and two of his children that died as infants: Sarah Josephine Kennedy; and James Gerard Kennedy I.