Brown, Katharine Kennedy

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Katharine Kennedy Brown was active in Republican party politics in Ohio beginning in 1920, when she helped found the first Women's Republican Club in her county. She was State Central Committeewoman, 3rd Ohio District (1928-1936), and Republican National Committeewoman for Ohio for over twenty years. She was also active in civic and philanthropic associations, including the Junior League, and fresh-air and day nursery programs.

Katharine Louise Kennedy Brown was a prominent and powerful figure in Ohio politics and Dayton society for over fifty years. She was born on July 16, 1891 in Dayton, Ohio, the eldest child of Grafton Claggett Kennedy (1859-1909) and Louise Achey (1860-1945). Grafton Kennedy was an attorney in the Dayton law firm of Kennedy, Munger & Kennedy (the other partners were his half-brother, Eugene, and Warren and Harry Munger). Grafton was U.S. Commissioner at Dayton for the Southern District of Ohio from 1883-94. He was a staunch Republican, who in 1892 organized the first Montgomery County Board of Elections. He was a member of the Montgomery County Republican Executive Committee in 1886, and served on the Dayton Board of Education for many years. Katharine's mother, Louise Kennedy, was the only child of John Jacob Achey (1833-1866) and Frances "Fanny" Sherwood Achey (1839-1934). She was a charter member of the Jonathan Dayton Chapter of the DAR and a genealogical researcher. The family home was a mansion called Duncarrick ("Home of the Kennedy's") located at Keowee & Webster streets.

Katharine died on November 10, 1986 at Kettering Convalescent Center. Katharine, her parents, maternal grandparents, and great-grandparents are buried at Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. The family's first residence, 131 West Third Street, is the current home of the Dayton Bicycle Club. Her beloved Duncarrick still stands at 1000 Keowee Street.

Please refer to MS-146, Katharine Kennedy Brown Papers for additional biographical information regarding Katharine Kennedy Brown.