Edward Kenny

Sir Edward Kenny, (1 July 1800 – 16 May 1891) was a Canadian politician and businessman. He co-founded the Union and Merchants' banks and served as Mayor of Halifax. He was a Conservative senator from 1867 to 1876. Early life and business career Kenny was born in County Kerry, Ireland, the son of Jeremiah Kenny (of Ballykeally, Esq.) and Johanna ( Crean). He began working for James Lyons, a merchant with connections with Halifax, Nova Scotia, and moved to the city in 1824 where he worked as Assistant manager at James Lyons and Co. In 1827, he and his older brother, Thomas Kenny of Sherwood, opened their own company in Halifax, T. & E. Kenny - Dry Goods & Shipping. Kenny married Ann Forrestall (daughter of Michael Forrestall, Esq., of Halifax) in Halifax on 16 October 1832. Together they had 13 children, 7 boys and 6 girls. The first born, Thomas Edward Kenny, born 12 October 1833 in Halifax, later became president of the Royal Bank of Canada. In 1855, he became Director of the Union Bank in Halifax. On 26 April 1864, he opened the Merchant's Bank, which later became the Royal Bank of Canada, with seven partners (J.W. Merkell, T.C. Kinnear, James B. Duffus, William Cunard, John Tobin, George P. Mitchell and Jeremiah Nothup). In 1872, Kenny became a director of Sir Hugh Allan's Canadian Pacific Railway.