Patrick Kennedy (c. 1823 – November 22, 1858) was the father of P. J. Kennedy and great-grandfather to John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. He was born in Dunganstown, County Wexford, Ireland, and emigrated to the United States, settling in East Boston, Massachusetts. Patrick Kennedy was a son of a farmer, James Kennedy (c. 1770 – c. 1835) and his wife Maria (c. 1779 – February 16, 1835). James Kennedy was born in Dunganstown, (Whitechurch, New Ross, County Wexford) in southern Ireland to John Kennedy (1738–1803) and Bridget Shallow (1744–1774). James inherited a small farm from his father during the Penal Law times in Ireland. Patrick had three siblings: By the time Patrick reached adulthood, both his parents were apparently dead and the family homestead was controlled by his older brother John Kennedy, more than a dozen years Patrick's senior, who was already married and the father of four children. The eldest son normally inherited whatever claims existed to the family's farm. Because of the life-threatening scarcity of food and resources, the rest of the children, such as third son Patrick Kennedy, usually were expected to leave for the New World.