Leland J. Kennedy Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

Q: Yes.
A: But we had quite an active Democrat here by the name of - up in Jersey County -
by the name of Joe Knight. And he was a fundraiser I believe nationwide. I think Joe later
on had some problems. But at that time he was well thought of and he took me back on
the platform and I think it was out at the stockyards at that time.
Q: Oh?
A: In Chicago, the convention was. I didn't know Chicago that well. I was in the General
Assembly though. It was in my second or third . . .
Q: It was at the International Amphitheater, did they call it? there at the . . .
A: 1 think so yes, I think so yes. And of course it was hard to get seats then. It was -
well, one of those conventions to nominate Stevenson. I believe it was the first one. The
Truman convention was in Philadelphia, but it was in 1952, the first convention they nominated
Governor Stevenson, that's when it was.
Q: For president?
A: Yes for president yes. And I got to shake hands with Jim Farley. Of course that was
a big thrill for me. Speaking of President Roosevelt, I was injured in the service. You got
to come home and I went to a hospital out in Spokane, Washington.
Q: Yes.
A: And I forget the name of that place, but I got my first furlough - they called it a convalescent
furlough and when Roosevelt died - I think he died April 11, 1945, I believe that's
the correct date because he was elected in 1944 for the fourth term and inaugurated in January
of, I believe, 1945, and he died that day - there was several of us coming east from
Spokane, Washington. We picked up an airplane out there some place in that general area
of Spokane at some air force base. You got to fly free. You had to take several hops, one
to Billings, North Dakota. But Roosevelt died that day and I just was mentioning that I
guess because you're thinking about Ress Truman dying. I know you read about that of
course.
Q: Yes.
A: And how Harry Truman succeeded him. And those were momentous days at that time,
and I guess every day's momentous in the world now. (chuckles) The world's turning.
Q: Yes sir.
A: I think you mentioned before you left the last time that you wanted me to - and I don't
know if I was right or not - you said you wanted me to find out about my
grandparents. Did you say that? Did you mention that to me?
Q: Well let's see now - we went through your grandparents, the ones that lived in
Edwardsville?
A: Yes they all lived - but my maternal grandparents, my paternal grandparents were born
in Ireland in Roscommon County, but I never did know where my maternal grandparents
were, and I found out that they came from Ruett,, Germany, not Ruhr, but R-U-E-T-T,
Germany, somewhere up near the Austrian border. My mother had seven sisters and one
brother so she came from a large family and they produt:ed over twenty of the third generation,
I guess you may say, and several of my cousins have been over there. They were