Background
Kernan, Francis was born on January 14, 1816 in Wayne, Steuben County (now Tyrone, Schuyler County) New York. Son of William and Rose (Stubbs) Kernan.
Kernan, Francis was born on January 14, 1816 in Wayne, Steuben County (now Tyrone, Schuyler County) New York. Son of William and Rose (Stubbs) Kernan.
Graduate Georgetown College, Washington, District of Columbia, 1836.
He was elected as a Democrat to the 38th United States Congress, defeating the Republican boss Roscoe Conkling, and served from March 4, 1863, to March 4, 1865. In 1864, he was defeated for re-election by Conkling.
In 1872, he was the Democratic/Liberal-Republican candidate for Governor of New York, but was defeated by Republican John Adams Dix. During these times, Kernan, Roscoe Conkling and Horatio Seymour were the heads of New York state politics, known as the "Utica trio".
In January 1875, Kernan was elected a U.S. Senator from New York, the first Catholic senator from the state, and its first Democratic senator in 24 years. He served from March 4, 1875, to March 4, 1881, alongside the Republican boss Conkling. At the 1876 Democratic National Convention in St. Louis, U.S. Senator Kernan nominated Samuel J. Tilden for U.S. President. In January 1881, Kernan was defeated for re-election by Republican Thomas C. Platt. After Platt's resignation in May 1881, Kernan ran again for the Senate in the following special election, but was defeated by Republican Warner Miller, the Democrats being the minority party in that year.
Roman Catholic
Democrat
Member of New York State Assembly, 1860. Member United States House of Representatives from New York, 38th Congress, 1863-1865. Member of New York Constitutional Convention, 1867.
Member United States Senate from New York, 1875-1881.
38th United States Congress , USA
1863 - 1865
United States Senator from New York , USA
1875 - 1881
In 1843, Kernan married Hannah A. Devereux, with whom he had ten children.
Senator