Sir John Kennedy | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Sir John Kennedy

Sir John Kennedy, civil engineer, harbour authority (b at Spencerville, UC 26 Sept 1838; d at Montréal 25 Oct 1921). Educated at McGill, he first worked under Thomas KEEFER on the St Lawrence Ship Channel below Montréal.

Kennedy, Sir John

Sir John Kennedy, civil engineer, harbour authority (b at Spencerville, UC 26 Sept 1838; d at Montréal 25 Oct 1921). Educated at McGill, he first worked under Thomas KEEFER on the St Lawrence Ship Channel below Montréal. Attracted by early railway building, he moved to Ontario and became a divisional chief engineer of a branch of the GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

In 1875 he returned to Montréal as chief engineer, Montreal Harbour Commission. For 44 years he was in charge of developing the port to its international status. In 1907 he became blind but continued as consulting engineer to direct all ENGINEERING work for the harbour. A man of wide interests, he presided over the founding meeting of the Canadian Engineering Standards Association.