Francis Kernan

Francis Kernan
United States Senator from New York
In office March 4, 1875 – March 4, 1881
Preceded by	Reuben E. Fenton
Succeeded by	Thomas C. Platt
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 21st district
In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865
Preceded by	R. Holland Duell
Succeeded by	Roscoe Conkling
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Oneida County, 1st district
In office January 1, 1861 – December 31, 1861
Preceded by	James McQuade
Succeeded by	Charles M. Scholefield
Personal details
Born	January 14, 1816 Wayne, New York
Died	September 7, 1892 (aged 76) Utica, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Hannah A. Devereux
Profession	Politician, Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic

Francis Kernan (January 14, 1816 – September 7, 1892) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a U.S. Senator (D-NY) from 1875 to 1881.

Biography

Kernan was the son of Gen. William Kernan, who came to America from County Cavan, Ireland, in 1800, and Rose Anna (Stubbs) Kernan. He graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1836, then studied law, and removed to Utica, New York in 1839. He was admitted to the bar in July 1840, and then practiced law with Joshua A. Spencer.

Kernan was school commissioner of Utica, manager of the New York State Hospital, Reporter of the New York Court of Appeals from 1854 to 1857, a member of the New York State Assembly (Oneida Co., 1st D.) in 1861, and a regent of the University of the State of New York from 1870 until his death.

He was elected as a Democrat to the 38th United States Congress, defeating the Republican boss Roscoe Conkling, and served from March 4, 1863, to March 3, 1865. In 1864, he was defeated for re-election by Conkling.

In 1872, he was the Democratic/Liberal-Republican candidate for Governor of New York, but was defeated by Republican John Adams Dix. During these times, Kernan, Roscoe Conkling and Horatio Seymour were the heads of New York state politics, known as the "Utica trio".

In January 1875, Kernan was elected a U.S. Senator from New York, the first Catholic senator from the state, and its first Democratic senator in 24 years. He served from March 4, 1875, to March 4, 1881, alongside the Republican boss Conkling. At the 1876 Democratic National Convention in St. Louis, U.S. Senator Kernan nominated Samuel J. Tilden for U.S. President. In January 1881, Kernan was defeated for re-election by Republican Thomas C. Platt. After Platt's resignation in May 1881, Kernan ran again for the Senate in the following special election, but was defeated by Republican Warner Miller, the Democrats being the minority party in that year.

He numbered among his friends Abraham Lincoln, Horatio Seymour, Samuel J. Tilden, Thomas F. Bayard, and Grover Cleveland. Both as a member of the New York Assembly and as a U.S. Congressman, he was a "War Democrat".

Family

In 1843, Kernan married Hannah A. Devereux, daughter of Nicholas Devereux, of Utica, with whom he had ten children.^[1]

Kernan's son: Francis J. Kernan Birth: May 28, 1853 Utica Oneida County New York, USA Death: Apr. 8, 1931 Syracuse Onondaga County New York, USA

Notes

1. Kernan 1913.

References

•  Kernan, Thomas (1913). "Francis Kernan". In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
• Francis Kernan at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress