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 in Halifax on October 16, 1832. Together they had 13 children, 7 boys and 6 girls. The first born, Thomas Edward Kenny, born October 12, 1833 in Halifax, later became president of the Royal Bank of Canada. In 1855 he became Director of the Union Bank in Halifax. On April 26, 1864, he opened the Merchant's Bank, which later became the Royal Bank of Canada, with seven partners. In 1872, Kenny became a director of Sir Hugh Allan's Canadian Pacific Railway. Kenny was a representative of Canada's Catholic population. On February 8, 1872, he travelled with Lady Kenny to Rome to see the Pope.
Political career
Kenny became Junior Assistant V.P. of the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax in 1834 and Vice President in 1836. He became president of the organization in 1841. In 1841 he was appointed a Member of the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia, becoming its president on April 9, 1856, replacing Michael Tobin, Jr. He was also elected an Alderman for Ward 3 in Halifax in 1841. In 1842, he was elected Mayor of Halifax. On January 22, 1862, Kenny and 14 other distinguished gentlemen of Halifax met in the Hollis Street office of Robie Uniacke to organize what was to become known as The Halifax Club. The other founding members of the club were William A. Black, Mathers Byles Almon, Edward Binney, Captain W.W. Lyttleton, Colonel W.J. Myers, S.A. White, James C. Cogswell, Henry Pryor, John Tobin, Robert Morrow, Alfred G. Jones, M.B. Almon, Jr. and William Cunard. In May 1867, Kenny was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing senatorial division of Nova Scotia. A Conservative, he was Receiver General from July 1, 1867 to November 16, 1869 and President of the Privy Council from 1869 to 1870, when he was knighted. He resigned from the Senate April 11, 1876. He died in his home at 167 Pleasant St, Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 16, 1891.
