The Kennedys & McDonnells

Of proud Irish-Scotch heritage, the Kennedy and McDonnell families have lived in Ontario, Canada for several generations. My great-grandmother, Mary Bea Kennedy married Gordon Leavoy. Her parents Robert Kennedy and Sophia McDonnell from Frontenac County, had 6 children together and lived in the Sudbury area working in the nickel mines. Later Robert remarried to Minnie Sergeant (Sophia’s cousin) and stayed in Lanark County near Elphin.

Robert’s parents William Kennedy, an Irish immigrant and Mary Bridgen, a first generation Irish-Canadian, settled outside of Tichborne in Bedford county, Ontario and had a very large family of 16 children. Many of the children stayed in Canada, however a few went south of the border, spreading the Kennedy name across the continent. My research on these families is ongoing, and with so many descendants from these large families I expect that there will be many future contributions!

Sophia’s parents were John McDonnell and Alice Sergeant, first generation Scotch-Canadians who settled in Lanark county, Ontario to have a large family. They have many descendants who have spent time researching their history back to Scotland. I’ve included that research with my own spin and acknowledge all of the hard work that has already been put into following these Canadian pioneers.