Biographical Sketches of some Irish Born American Congressmen, part 1

William Kennon (Jr) was elected as a Democrat from Ohio to the Thirtieth Congress (March 4, 1847-March 3, 1849). He immigrated to the United States in 1816 with his parents, who settled near Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio, and he attended the common schools there. William Kennon (Jr) was appointed judge of the court of common pleas of the fifteenth judicial district from 1865 to July 1, 1867, when he resigned. Kennon studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1830 and commenced practice in Saint Clairsville, Ohio. Born in Carrickfergus, Ireland, June 12, 1802, he was graduated from Franklin College, New Athens, Ohio, in 1826. William Kennon (Jr) died in Saint Clairsville, Ohio, October 19, 1867 and was buried in Union Cemetery.

William Armstrong, was a Representative from Virginia. He was presidential elector on the Democratic ticket of Monroe and Tompkins in 1820, and of Crawford and Macon in 1824. Armstrong was a member of the State house of delegates in Virginia in 1822 and 1823. He was elected to the Nineteenth and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1825-March 3, 1833). William Armstrong died in Keyser, W. Va., May 10, 1865. Born in Lisburn, County Antrim, Ireland, December 23, 1782, Armstrong studied law in Winchester. He immigrated to the United States in 1792 with his parents, who settled in Virginia. William Armstrong engaged in the tavern business in Romney, W. Va., until 1862.

Alexander Porter, a Senator from Louisiana, died in Attakapas, La., January 13, 1844. A delegate to the convention which framed the first State constitution in 1812, and judge of the State supreme court 1821-1833, he was again elected to the United States Senate for the term beginning March 4, 1843, but did not qualify or take his seat due to ill health. Alexander Porter was born near Armagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1786. He immigrated to the United States in 1801 with an uncle, who settled in Nashville, Tenn. Porter received a limited schooling before moving to Saint Martinville, La., in 1810, where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Attakapas, La.

James McMahon Graham, a Representative from Illinois, attended the common schools there, then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana, and later studied law at Valparaiso University, Indiana. Graham was admitted to the bar in 1885 and commenced practice in Springfield, Ill. He was a member of the State house of representatives in 1885 and 1886. He was also a member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws 1916-1928, and member of the board of education of Springfield 1891-1894. Graham also taught school for seven years. He was a member of the board of directors of Lincoln Library 1936-1945. James McMahon Graham was elected as a Democrat from Illinois to the Sixty-first, Sixty-second, and Sixty-third Congresses (March 4, 1909-March 3, 1915). Afterward he resumed the practice of law in Springfield, Ill., where he died on October 23, 1945, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery. Graham had been prosecuting attorney for Sangamon County 1892-1896. James McMahon Graham was born in Castleblayney, County Monaghan, Ireland, April 14, 1852, and immigrated with his family to the United States, settling in Sangamon County, Ill., in 1868.

Thomas Wilson, a Representative from Minnesota, was elected as a Democrat to the Fiftieth Congress (March 4, 1887-March 3, 1889). He had been a member of the State house of representatives 1880-1882, and served in the State senate 1882-1885. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago in 1892. Wison was admitted to the bar in February 1855 and commenced practice in Winona, Minn. He was a member of the Minnesota constitutional convention in 1857. He was judge of the third judicial district court 1857-1864. Thomas Wilson, born in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ireland, May 16, 1827, immigrated to the United States in 1839 with his parents, who settled in Venango County, Pa. He attended the common schools there and then was graduated from Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa., in 1852 where he had studied law. Wilson was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of Minnesota in 1864, and chief justice from 1864 to July 1869, when he resigned. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1890. Wilson was general counsel for the Chicago, Saint Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad until his death in Saint Paul, Minn., April 3, 1910.

Records:

• Antrim 7th Regiment 1811
• Armagh 8th Regiment 1811
• Biographical Sketches of some Irish Born American Congressmen
• Bostons Irish 1850
• Carlow 23rd Battalion 1811
• Cavan 18th Battalion 1811
• Clare 26th Battalion 1811
• Cork City Residents 1875
• Irish Extracts from COHASSET GENEALOGIES