Celebrating Confederate History Month
Profile: Captain & Dr. Daniel L. Kennedy of Metter
(As appeared in the Metter Advertiser 2003-written by Jay Clifton and Tony Thompson)
April is Confederate History Month in Georgia. In keeping with the tradition of honoring our Confederate Soldiers and in conjunction with this year’s Centennial Celebration of Metter and Candler County, The Dixie Guards Camp # 1942; Sons of Confederate Veterans are profiling notable local Confederates each week during the month. This week's profile is on Captain Daniel Leonard Kennedy of Metter. Dan Kennedy was born on January 21, 1836. In 1855, he left his home at the age of 19 to join the fighting in the Seminole War of Florida. Young Dan left from Bulloch County on his own horse and rode some 500 miles to enlist in the fighting at the Everglades. Kennedy fought in that conflict for two full years. When he returned home, the War for Southern Independence was brewing. He first enlisted in 1861 and went off to combat. Shortly afterwards, he felt compelled to bring more men into the fray from his home area, so he returned home and trained some 50 area men to form his own company. They followed Dan Kennedy into service and were attached to the 47th Georgia Infantry, Company G, known as the Tattnall Invincibles. Captain Phillip Tippins was the first commander of this company but later; Captain Dan Kennedy was chosen to lead the company. They fought as part of the Army of Tennessee and participated in battles at Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Kennesaw Mountain and the Atlanta Campaign. Later, the company was reorganized as Company H, First Georgia Regulars, commanded by Kennedy. The company surrendered to Union General William T. Sherman in Greensboro, North Carolina in April of 1865. Each soldier was issued $1.16 near the time of surrender and began their long walk home.
Below are the men who served with Capt. Kennedy
Aaron AndersonEdward AndersonJohn G. Anderson
Edward AndersonJohn G. AndersonJohn S. AndersonWilliam J. AndersonJohn F. Bacon
William J. AndersonJohn F. BaconWilliam H. BazemoreJoseph J. BellClement T. Bowen
Joseph J. BellClement T. BowenJames BradleySimon W. BrewtonWesley T. Clements
Simon W. BrewtonWesley T. ClementsHarrison CliftonJohn H. CliftonJames L. Coleman
John H. CliftonJames L. ColemanBryant CollinsGeorge W. CollinsJesse D. Collins
George W. CollinsJesse D. CollinsJames CollinsLewis CollinsMitchell Collins
Lewis CollinsMitchell CollinsNewton CollinsRobert Henry CollinsRobert R. Collins
Robert Henry CollinsRobert R. CollinsRufus CollinsThomas C. CollinsPaul J.A. Colson
Thomas C. CollinsPaul J.A. ColsonJames ConnerChristopher C. CourseyRobert J. Coursey
Christopher C. CourseyRobert J. CourseyJames CowartJohn CowartLeonard Jackson Cowart
John CowartLeonard Jackson CowartIsaac C. Daniel James W. Daniel William W. Daniel
James W. Daniel William W. DanielIsham Clayton DeLoachJohn Washington DeLoachJohn Dickerson
John Washington DeLoachJohn DickersonA.J. DubberlyJohn F. DubberlyWilliam W. Dubberly
John F. DubberlyWilliam W. DubberlyDanniel FerryWinfield W. FutchJohn Green
Winfield W. FutchJohn GreenFrancis Dempsey GriffinWilliam Jackson GriffinJohn E. Hammock
William Jackson GriffinJohn E. HammockDavid H. HollandDavid Holland, Sr.J.B. Holland
David Holland, Sr.J.B. HollandPerry HollandThomas HollandMartin Jones
Thomas HollandMartin Jones William T. LightfootDaniel C. Lynn Dennis E. Lynn
Daniel C. Lynn Dennis E. LynnJohn L. LynnJosiah J. LynnIsham Martin
Josiah J. LynnIsham MartinJoseph McCulloughSamuel McCulloughElliott E. Mimbs
Samuel McCulloughElliott E. MimbsAlfred C. MooreJohn MurphyB.L. Nail
John MurphyB.L. NailJackson NewbornAndrew J. NewmanJacob Oliver
Andrew J. NewmanJacob OliverDaniel C. O'Neal William H.H. O'Neal John C. Parker
William H.H. O'Neal John C. ParkerSolomon RewisWilliam J. RushingHenry Ryals
William J. RushingHenry RyalsElam SappLuke L. SappPerry Sapp
Luke L. SappPerry SappSalem SappStephen ScrewsLewis Shenoch (Shenock)
Stephen ScrewsLewis Shenoch (Shenock)Arthur SikesBenjamin Sikes Daniel Sikes
Benjamin Sikes Daniel SikesDyer C. SikesJohn SikesJoseph Sikes
John SikesJoseph SikesJosiah SikesWilliam W. SikesJames H. Smith
William W. SikesJames H. SmithNewton C. SouthwellThomas H. SouthwellWilliam E. Southwell
Thomas H. SouthwellWilliam E. SouthwellAndrew StandfieldJesse StandfieldThomas Standfield
Jesse StandfieldThomas StandfieldBenjamin StriplingG.W. SullivanMartin Sullivan
G.W. SullivanMartin SullivanJohn F. TatumB.F. ThompsonJohn W. Tippins
B.F. ThompsonJohn W. TippinsLucius A.H. TippinsB.F. ThompsonCapel Tootle
B.F. ThompsonCapel TootleColumbus TootleEnoch TootleJeremiah Tootle
Enoch TootleJeremiah TootleSimeon TootleJames H. WarrenJames M. Warren
James H. WarrenJames M. WarrenJames M. WatersJoseph WatersStephen Weidencamp
Joseph WatersStephen WeidencampJames G. Wilds George B. Wilkes George E. Wilkes
George E. WilkesAltamond WilliamsBenjamin S. WilliamsEdward W. Wilson
Benjamin S. WilliamsEdward W. WilsonJames M. WrennHansford Yeomans John H. Yeomans
Hansford Yeomans John H. YeomansJohn L. Yeomans Redding Yeomans
Redding Yeomans After the war, Kennedy became a medical doctor. He soon earned a favorable reputation and was one of more prominent physicians in the area. He settled in the area now known as Metter and was one of the leading citizens in the new community. He and wife Abbicilla built their home and commissary near the area that is the present site of the Candler County Hospital. The picture taken below of the home and the family are dated at about 1870.
At this time, Metter was still an unnamed rural crossroads on the Sunbury Road, but by the late 1880’s, enough people were living in the area that the United States Post Office agreed to provide local mail service. Before this time, the nearest post office was ten miles away in Excelsior. The U.S. Post Office required that any town receiving service must be named and policy required the submission of two names. Local history lore has it that Dr. Kennedy, as a leading founder of the community submitted two names to Washington for the postal service. According to earliest recollections, Kennedy’s wife Abbicilla suggested his own middle name, “Leonard” and “Meadow”. One story holds that a spelling error resulted in “Metter”, while another story holds that “Metter” was a derivative of “Met her” for his wife as the community was where he “met her”.
Dr. Kennedy lived until 1905, long enough to see the creation of Candler County and the emergence of Metter as a thriving community. He was elected as Metter's first elected mayor. Kennedy Street is named in honor of his family. He is buried in Lake Church Cemetery.
