PUBLISHER: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, New York, 1866-present?

ABOUT: 1866 (when Patrick John Kenedy died)... oldest Roman Catholic publishing house in America...moved to Barclay Steet 1873...incorporated 1904...moved 44 Barclay in May 1911.... Expanding in the usual way, Kenedy acquired plates and stock from other firms, so that, as Healey observes, "It was later said that the Kenedy business was built on the wreckage of many failures." (Tebbel).

Founded in 1826 by John Kenedy, Irish immigrant in Baltimore, as a small bookselling business. With removal to New York City in 1836, the firm concentrated upon serving Irish Catholic population by issuing catechisms, prayerbooks, and devotional works, with sideline in religious goods and articles. Style of firm changed to John Kenedy & Son 1865 and business was continued under Patrick J. Kenedy. House expanded, acquiring plates and stock of other firms, becoming a potent influence in Catholic publishing. Incorporated 1904 as P. J. Kenedy & Sons. (Stern).

Although acquired by Crowell Collier in 1968 (which was variously itself absorbed and reabsorbed), Kenedy apparently remained a privately owned and lively Catholic publisher as of 2008.

LUCILE’s ISSUED BY P. J. Kenedy & Sons : 1912 United States Catalog reports for this publisher: Lucile. 75c; lea.$2; Poems. 75c; lea. $2

There are as yet no reported copies of Lucile or Meredith's Poems with this imprint. It seems quite likely that Kenedy purchased copies from another publisher and retailed them without changing the title page.

Last revised: 2 August 2012