Kennett Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: A0812

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection comprises papers of the Kennett and Frost families, including notes and receipts of the Kennett, White and Company, circa 1840; letters of D.M. Frost to his wife from Texas in 1852 regarding Indian wars and letters dated 1856 regarding the Sioux War; diary of Edwin Harrison, 1858, which concerns the social life of St. Louis; and Civil War letters of Ferdinand Kennett, Jr. (Confederate) to his parents, 1864. (The Kennett family left Selma Hall and moved to St. Louis during the Civil War. Selma Hall was occupied by both forces during the war.) Also includes various household and personal accounts of Mrs. Julia Kennett; business papers regarding the lead business, balance sheet of the shot tower, 1858; letters from Lily Graham Frost, at Visitation Academy, to family members at Selma Hall, 1859; letter of V.S. Blair to Agnes Brent, dated February 21, 1891, describing Sherman's funeral procession; some letters of Robert S. Brookings after his purchase of Selma Hall; undated material includes bills, receipts and correspondence regarding Selma Hall. The collection also includes the record of a committee of fifty appointed on April 14, 1853, to obtain subscriptions for a testimonial for Luther M. Kennett. Typed copy of a biographical letter written by Kennett inserted into volume.

Dates

1840-1932

Creator

Kennett family (Creator, Family)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

The Kennett family was involved in lead mining, the steamboat business, and the mercantile business in Missouri. Two brothers, Ferdinand and Luther M. Kennett, were part of a merchant firm of Kennett, White and Company. Ferdinand Kennett (1813-1861) later became involved in the lead business and the steamboat business. He built the home, "Selma Hall" (Kennett's Castle), in Selma, Missouri. He married Julia Dedrick, the granddaughter of John Smith T. They had five children. One of their daughters, Latty, married Richard Graham, son of General Daniel M. Frost. Luther M. Kennett (1807-1873) was born in Pendleton County, Kentucky. He came to St. Louis where he worked as a clerk, and later moved to St. Francois County, Missouri, where he entered the merchandising business. He was vice-president of the Pacific Railroad Co. and president of the Iron Mountain Railroad Co. In 1842, he was elected alderman for the fourth ward of St. Louis, in 1850-1852 elected mayor of St. Louis, and in 1854 elected to congress over Thomas Hart Benton. He died in Paris. He was responsible for sanitizing the city and paving many streets.

Extent

2.12 Cubic Feet ( (4 boxes, 1 volume))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The bulk of the Kennett Family Papers were donated by Mrs. Bernard F. Hufft on April 11, 1957 (accession number 57-0033) and September 20, 1958 (accession number 58-0095). Additional sources are noted in the inventory.

Related Materials

See the following collections in the Missouri Historical Society Archives for papers of associated families and Kennett family business papers: (A0509) Mrs. Samuel W. Fordyce Collection (Graham-Frost family papers), (A0601) Richard Graham Papers, (A0536) Daniel Marsh Frost Papers, (A1835) Benjamin Clapp Papers (Kennett family genealogy), and (A0090) Robert A. Barnes Papers (correspondence and business papers with Ferdinand Kennett and Company). The Dexter P. Tiffany Collection (A1634) also contains Civil War-era loyalty oaths of Luther M. Kennett. The Missouri Historical Society Object Collection contains portraits of Ferdinand Kennett, Julia and James White Kennett, Luther M. Kennett (acc. no. 1913-045-0013), and Capt. Mortimer Kennett (acc. no. 1922-049-0001). The Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Department has a Kennett Family Album of unidentified portraits (P0616), three photographs of Luther Kennett's shot tower in the Easterly Daguerreotype Collection, photographs of Mortimer Kennett's home at 324 Hurck, and photographs of Selma Hall, "Kennett's Castle," in Jefferson County in the Missouri Towns and Counties Collection (P0125).