Does anyone know of any articles on the Kennedys other than the Gun Report article by Tordoff of October, 1996? Does anyone have a Kennedy shotgun with carved stocks or highly engraved? Anyone researching or collecting them today?


mjpetrov@acsalaska.net

I am not aware of any articles, but I know they sold Teddy Roosevelt a couple of shotguns which he mentions in one of his books. I believe the company existed well into the 20th century, and have seen catalogs on Ebay. I would be interested in seeing the Tordoff article or anything else that is available. My guess is that the railroad barons in St. Paul (J.J. Hill, etc.) bought some high-end stuff from them.

I dont think this will help, but...I am pretty sure I have one of their catalogs. The bad part is it is 30's vintage, listing Parkers Smiths Brownings ect..But I dont remember seeing anything about custom work. I will look tonight.
Lawrence

I had talked with a collector of Minn guns a few years ago. Forgot the gentleman's name. If I remember correctly, the Kennedy's were in business until sometime in the early 1960s. I do think that they stopped building guns a good many years before that, though. Perhaps in the 1930s???
The one example in my collection, in need of cosmetic restoration is a very well built side hammer gun.
Best,
John

I checked, I have catalog 137 from the Fall season of 1939. There is no mention of custom work, though they sold some nice toys. They did do repair work and claimed to act as a parts depot for gunsmiths through out the North West. The masthead says they were established in 1867 if that is helpful.
Good Luck.
Lawrence

I can remember Kennedy Brothers Arms at the old seven corners in downtown St. Paul as a very young boy. There was a least one punt gun over a counter and a long canoe hanging from the ceiling. It was a wonderous place my grandfather took me to. I still have two canoes that were my grandfather's with Kennedy Arms medallions in the triangle at the bow. I took many canoe trips in them in Canada with him. The memory is dim of the place and I'm 59, so that gives you a very rough idea of when they went out of business. I can barely remember seven corners when there were still seven corners there. At one time the street car lines ran through the intersection I believe.

I have their catalogue No. 180 Fall 1947 -- Winter 1948. It gives their address as Fifth & Minnesota Streets, and on the cover it says "Established 1867". So, they got there a couple of years before my Swedish ancestors made it to Hennepin County, but likely 200 or more years after my French ancestors.

Thanks for all the input, I'm doing some follow up on John having a Kennedy shotgun with carving like the posted rifles. The rifles would have been made circa 1916-25. I have an ad from Forest & Stream January, 1917 where a fellow is looking to have his Springfield remolded into a sporter and one place they recommend is Kennedy Brothers, St. Paul, MI. I have never seen a custom rifle marked or identified as made by the Kennedys so the possibility does
exist.