Born – 6th September 1888
Died – 18th November 1969
Father – Patrick Joseph Kennedy (1858 – 1929)
Mother – Mary Augusta Hickey (1857 – 1923)
Spouse – m. 1914 – Rose Fitzgerald (1890 – 1995)
Children – Joseph Jr (1915 – 1944), John (1917 – 1963), Rosemary (1918 – 2005), Kathleen (1920 – 1948), Eunice (1921 – 2009), Patricia (1924 – 2006), Robert (1925 – 1968), Jean (1928 – 2020), Edward (1932 – 2009)
Known to History – US Ambassador to the UK, Father of US President John F Kennedy and Senators Robert and Edward Kennedy
1888 (6th September)
Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr was born to Patrick Joseph Kennedy and Mary Augusta nee Hickey in Boston, Massachusetts. Kennedy’s grandparents had been born in Ireland but had come to the United States in the 1840s to escape the Irish Potato Famine. His father, known as P.J. was a Massachusetts senator.
1891 (11th March)
Joseph’s brother, Francis Benedict, was born.
1892 (14th June)
Joseph’s brother, Francis Benedict, died.
1892 (6th August)
Joseph’s sister, Mary Loretta, was born.
1893 (September)
Joseph began his education at Assumption School, the local Catholic school.
1898 (22nd October)
Joseph’s sister, Margaret Louise, was born.
1900 (September)
Joseph attended Xaverian School.
1901 (September)
Kennedy was sent to Boston Latin School, a private school.
1908 (September)
Joseph Kennedy entered Harvard University.
1912 (during)
Joseph began a relationship with Rose Fitzgerald, daughter of the Mayor of Boston.
1912 (Summer)
Kennedy graduated with a BA degree.
1912 (Autumn)
Joseph gained employment as an assistant state bank examiner for Massachusetts.
1913 (during)
Kennedy learned that the Columbia Trust Bank, in which his father was a major shareholder, was likely to be taken over. Kennedy borrowed a considerable sum of money from his family and bought the sufficient shares to bring the bank under the control of the family.
1914 (20th January)
Joseph was elected President of the Columbia Trust bank.
1914 (7th October)
Joseph P Kennedy married Rose Fitzgerald in the private chapel of William Cardinal O’Connell Church in Boston. They made their home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
1915 (12th August)
A son, Joseph Patrick Jr was born in Brookline Massachusetts to Joseph Patrick and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was known as Joe.
1917 (during)
Kennedy became assistant general manager of the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. This role brought him into contact with the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D Roosevelt.
1917 (29th May)
A son, John Fitzgerald was born in Brookline Massachusetts to Joseph Patrick and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was known as Jack. (known as Joe) was born on 25th July 1915
1917 (29th May)
On the same day as the birth of his second son, Joseph P Kennedy was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Electric Company.
1918 (13th September)
A daughter, Rose Marie (known as Rosemary), was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Brookline, Massachusetts.
1919 (around)
Kennedy purchased the Maine and New Hampshire Theatres Comapany, a movie theatre chain.
1919 (during)
Kennedy’s son, John, caught scarlet fever and was in hospital for 8 weeks.
1919 (June)
Kennedy became manager of the Boston office of Hayden-Stone Co, an investment banking firm.
1920 (20th February)
A daughter, Kathleen Agnes (known as Kick) was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Brookline, Massachusetts.
1921 (10th July)
A daughter, Eunice Mary, was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Brookline, Massachusetts.
1923 (during)
Kennedy set himself up as Joseph P Kennedy, Banker. He offered financial services to clients.
1924 (6th May)
A daughter, Patricia Helen (known as Pat), was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Brookline, Massachusetts.
1925 (20th November)
A son, Robert Francis (known as Bobby) was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Brookline, Massachusetts.
1926 (February)
Having made around $2 million from his banking business, Kennedy bought Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) for around $1 million.
1926 (Spring)
Joseph Kennedy moved to Hollywood to oversee FBO.
1927 (September)
The Kennedy family moved to Riverdale, New York to avoid an outbreak of polio.
1928 (during)
Joseph began an affair with actress Gloria Swanson.
1928 (during)
Joseph purchased a property at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
1928 (20th February)
A daughter, Jean Ann was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Boston, Massachusetts.
1928 (October)
Kennedy helped arrange the merger of FBO and Keith Albee Orpheum to form Radio Keith Orpheum (RKO). He sold his stock in FBO for around $5 million.
1929 (during)
The Kennedy family moved to Bronxville.
1929 (October)
Joseph Kennedy had sold most of his investments by the time of the Wall Street Stock Market crash. During the depression that followed he put his money into property.
1931 (during)
The affair between Kennedy and actress Gloria Swanson ended.
1932 (during)
Joseph Kennedy was a member of the Democratic Party of the United States. He donated money to the campaign of Franklin D Roosevelt.
1932 (22nd February)
A son, Edward Moore (known as Ted) was born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy at Boston, Massachusetts.
1932 (8th November)
Franklin D Roosevelt was elected President of the United States.
1933 (22nd March)
President Franklin D Roosevelt ended Prohibition in America.
1933 (April)
With an end to Prohibition, Kennedy began investing in Scottish whisky. Together with Roosevelt’s son, James, Kennedy formed Somerset Importers which became the exclusive American importer for Haig Scotch whisky, Dewar’s Scotch whisky and Gordon’s Gin.
1934 (during)
Franklin D Roosevelt appointed Kennedy chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was tasked with ending malpractice on Wall Street.
1934 (during)
Charles Coughlin was a Catholic Priest who made regular popular radio broadcasts. Coughlin was fiercely anti-Communist, anti-Semetic and favoured United States isolationism. He had been a supporter of Roosevelt, but the President opposed Coughlin’s political stance. Kennedy was given the task of limiting Coughlin’s reach.
1935 (September)
Joseph and Rose Kennedy took a holiday travelling in Europe. They took their children John and Kathleen with them. John hoped to enrol in the London School of Economics but became ill and returned to America.
1936 (during)
Joseph P Kennedy again supported Roosevelt’s campaign for re-election as President of the United States. He published a book entitled ‘I’m for Roosevelt’ and made sure it was widely read.
1936 (during)
Kennedy had used his influence to shut down Coughlin’s radio broadcasts.
1936 (November)
Franklin D Roosevelt was re-elected President of the United States.
1937 (early)
Kennedy was appointed chair of the United States Maritime Commission. His role was to increase the fortune of the United States shipping industry.
1937 (December)
Joseph Kennedy was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom.
1938 (early)
Kennedy and his family moved to London.
1939 (3rd September)
The British government declared war on Germany after Germany had invaded Poland on 1st December beginning World War Two.
1939 (19th September)
Kennedy sent his youngest children, Robert, Jean and Edward back to the United States.
1940 (during)
Kennedy was a strong advocate of the United States remaining neutral during World War Two. This created tension between himself and the British government who were at war.
1940 (July)
Kennedy was openly stating that Britain would fall and that Germany was likely to win the war. He thought that America should withdraw support to Britain.
1940 (Summer)
Despite his opposition to Roosevelt seeking election for a third term, believing that his election would take the United States into the Second World War, Kennedy continued to support his re-election campaign.
1940 (November)
Roosevelt was elected President for a third term. He did not agree with Kennedy’s suggestion that America abandon Britain. Kennedy had miscalculated and was forced to resign.
1941 (during)
Kennedy signed a consent for his daughter, Rosemary, who was intellectually disabled, to have a lobotomy. The procedure failed and left her unable to communicate. Joseph arranged for her to be institutionalised.
1943 (2nd August)
Kennedy’s son, John, was commander of a torpedo boat, PT-109. The boat sank after being rammed by a Japanese ship in Blackett Strait, North Solomon Islands. John Kennedy was awarded a Purple Heart for his bravery in saving crew members.
1944 (6th May)
Joseph Kennedy’s daughter, Kathleen, married William Cavendish, eldest son of the Duke of Devonshire.
1944 (12th August)
Kennedy’s eldest son, Joseph Jr, who was serving in the US airforce, was killed.
1944 (9th September)
Kennedy’s son-in-law, William Cavendish, was killed in action in Belgium.
1946 (around)
Kennedy purchased the Merchandise Mart building in Chicago.
1946 (17th June)
Kennedy’s fall from favour signalled the end of his own political career. He channelled his political ambitions through his son John who won the Democratic Primary for the Eleventh Congressional District in Boston, Massachusetts.
1946 (November)
John Kennedy was elected to the House of Representatives.
1948 (13th May)
Kathleen Kennedy was killed in a plane crash.
1948 (Autumn)
Kennedy’s son, John was elected for a second term in the House of Representatives.
1950 (November)
Kennedy’s son, John, was elected for a third term in the House of Representatives.
1952 (June)
Robert (Bobby) Kennedy resigned his post at the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn to become campaign manager for John’s election to the Senate.
1952 (November)
John Kennedy beat Republican candidate Henry Cabot Lodge and was elected to the U S Senate.
1953 (12th September)
John Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier, daughter of John Vernon and Janet Lee Bouvier at St Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island. The wedding was followed by a reception at Hammersmith Farm which was attended by around 1200 people.
1953 (during)
Kennedy persuaded Republican, anti-Communist, Joseph McCarthy to hire Robert Kennedy.
1956 (17th August)
Kennedy’s son, John, failed to secure the Democratic nomination as Vice President.
1958 (8th November)
Kennedy’s son John was re-elected for a second term in the Senate.
1960 (2nd January)
John Kennedy announced his intention to run for President of the United States.
1960 (13th July)
John Kennedy won the Democratic nomination for President. He chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate.
1960 (26th September)
John Kennedy and Republican Candidate Richard Nixon took part in the first televised presidential debate.
1960 (November)
John Kennedy was elected 35th President of the United States.
1961 (20th January)
John Kennedy was sworn in as President of the United States. He was the youngest elected President and the first Roman Catholic President. During his inaugural speech he spoke his famous words “ask not what your country can do for you .. ask what you can do for your country”.
1961 (January)
Robert Kennedy was appointed Attorney General.
1961 (19th December)
Joseph Kennedy suffered a stroke that left him unable to speak and paralysed on the right side of his body.
1962 (7th November)
Edward Kennedy, Joseph’s youngest son, became Senator for Massachusetts.
1963 (21st November)
John and Jackie Kennedy began a tour of Texas.
1963 (22nd November, 12.30 pm)
John Kennedy was shot in the head in Dealey Plaza, Elm Street, Dallas, Texas as he was riding in an open-top limousine. He was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors.
1963 (22nd November, 1.50 pm)
Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
1963 (24th November)
Jack Ruby assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald.
1963 (25th November)
Jackie Kennedy walked behind the casket of John F Kennedy to the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle in Washington where a funeral service was held. Afterwards John F Kennedy was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Joseph was unable to attend the funeral due to ill health.
1963 (late)
Robert Kennedy resigned as Attorney General.
1964 (22nd August)
Robert Kennedy announced his intention to stand for election as US Senator for New York.
1964 (November)
Lyndon Johnson was elected President of the United States by a large majority. Robert Kennedy was elected Senator for New York in the election.
1968 (16th March)
Robert Kennedy announced his intention to stand for nomination as the Democratic candidate for the Presidency.
1968 (20th July)
Joseph’s daughter, Eunice, founded the Special Olympics.
1968 (5th June)
At just after midnight, Robert Kennedy left the ballroom of the Ambassador Hotel for the press room. He was taken through the hotel kitchen as it was a short cut. He was shot three times by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, a Palestinian national, and fell to the floor. Five other people were wounded.
1968 (6th June)
Robert Kennedy was died from the injuries sustained in the shooting.
1968 (8th June)
After a funeral service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Robert Kennedy was buried at Arlington Cemetery next to his brother John.
1969 (18th November)
Joseph Kennedy died at Hyannis Port. He was buried at Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline, Massachusetts.
Published Apr 14, 2020 @ 3:02 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2020). Joseph Kennedy Sr 1888 – 1969. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/joseph-kennedy-sr-1888-1969. Last accessed [date]