John Joseph Kennedy (c. 1813–1880) was a Scotch-Irish American lawyer and sheriff of Harrison County, Texas that helped end the Regulator-Moderator War in East Texas. He was an artillery officer in the United States Army and a cavalry captain for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Kennedy was also a Freemason and member of Marshall Lodge #22.^[1]

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Quick Facts Nickname(s), Born ...

John J. Kennedy
Nickname(s)	"Colonel"
Born	c. 1813
Died	1880 (1881) (aged 67) Hallsville, Texas
Buried	Hallsville, Texas
Allegiance	United States of America  Republic of Texas  Confederate States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Texan Army  Confederate States Army
Years of service	1832–36 (USA) 1836–1846 (Republic of Texas) 1861–65 (CSA)
Rank	First Lieutenant (USA) Captain (CSA)
Commands held	Company K, "Clough Rangers" 17th Texas Cavalry
Battles/wars	Black Hawk War Second Seminole War Regulator-Moderator War American Civil War Battle of Arkansas Post
Other work	Sheriff of Harrison County, Texas

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He served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army under General Abraham Eustis in the Black Hawk War and Second Seminole War. In 1836 he immigrated to the Republic of Texas receiving a 1,240 acre land grant from Anson Jones.^[2] He and his brother-in-law, Joseph Upton Fields, ended the Regulator-Moderator War while he was sheriff of Harrison County, Texas.^[3] Kennedy was also a Harrison County commissioner.^[4]

Kennedy ran for the Texas Senate campaigning against the Compromise of 1850. He was initially declared the winner, but then was defeated.^[5] According to the 1860 United States Census Kennedy owned 21 slaves, making him a planter.

During the American Civil War Kennedy served as Captain of Company K, 17th Texas Cavalry, also named Clough Rangers.^[6][7] He fought in the Battle of Arkansas Post where he evaded capture.