JFK's death is one of the most mysterious and suspenseful events during the Cold War. We may never know the truth of his death. But there are more interesting things about John F. Kennedy, like his family.
Some may know that he was raised in a big and respectful family. To know more details, today, let us dig deep into the Kennedy family tree hierarchy representing his siblings and children.
In this article
Part 1. Understanding the Financial Risk Management Process
The Kennedy family is a famous and important political family. In 1849, the first Kennedy - Patrick Kennedy sailed to East Boston, US with his wife Bridget Murphy. They were the great-grandparents of President John Kennedy. They were Irish with Roman Catholic roots
JFK's Grandparents
Patrick Kennedy and Bridget Murphy had 5 children and among them, the youngest Patrick Joseph Kennedy was the most famous one. He was the grandfather of the President. He also started the glory of the Kennedy family in the political and business fields.
From 1884 to 1895, old Patrick Kennedy served in the Massachusetts state legislature. This was a great step forward for the whole family.
JFK's Parents
In 1888, Joseph Patrick Kenney Sr. was born. He was the oldest son of old Patrick Joseph Kennedy and the father of John F. Kennedy.
He inherited his father. He not only made an unbelievable fortune in stock and commodities but also brought the Kennedy family closer to the White House.
- During WW1, JPK met Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1934 when Roosevelt was the president, he appointed Joseph Kennedy to be the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
- Later, he became the first head of the United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM).
- in 1938, he served as the US ambassador to the UK. Though he later resigned after a controversial speech in late 1940, "Democracy is finished in England. It may be here (the US)," we should not ignore the fact that he could succeed Roosevelt in the White House back then.
And Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, the wife of Joseph Patrick Kennedy and the mother of JFK was a great woman. Rose F. Kennedy was the daughter of a mayor.
She participated in political activities for her family and successfully published an autobiography. She had nine kids with her husbands. She raised a president of the USA, two members of the congress, a US ambassador, and a founder of the Special Olympics.
However, she suffered a lot. As a mother, she witnesses many deaths of her children. She outlived many of her children and died at the age of 104 in 1995.
Surely, what made the Kennedy family famous across the world was the death of John F. Kennedy. We should not underestimate the contribution of his parents and grandfather. They'd built him a solid foundation.
John F Kennedy and His Siblings
Here comes the fourth generation of the Kennedy family: the President and his siblings. Their parents had nine kids:
- Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.: The eldest kid. Was a lieutenant in the US Navy and later died in a top-secret mission in 1944.
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy: The second eldest kid. Was the 35th US President and the youngest president in US history (44 years old).
- Rosemary Kennedy: As the first daughter of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, Rosemary was known by only a few people. She was considered to have a mental illness and had a lobotomy. She then spent the rest of her life in a school for exceptional kids.
- Kathleen Kennedy: Volunteered for the Red Cross during WW2. In 1944, she married to William “Billy” Cavendish, the Marquess of Hartington, who was killed in combat in the same year. She died in a plane crash 5 years later.
- Eunice Kennedy: She directed the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation (a memorial to his eldest brother who died in WW2). She helped start the first International Special Olympics Summer Games.
- Patricia Kennedy: She loved plays and theatrical spectacles, and had a B.A. in Remoment. Helped her brothers in their political campaigns.
- Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy: JFK's presidential campaign manager and Attorney General in the cabinet. In 1968, he started his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. He won several primaries but was shot dead after winning the last primary in California.
- Jean Kennedy: Became Ambassador to Ireland of the Clinton government on March 17, 1993. Helped solve the conflict in Northern Ireland.
- Edward Kennedy: The youngest brother of JFK, the third longest-serving senator in US history. Famous as Ted Kennedy. Fought for many aspects and left his marks on them: civil rights advancement, national health reform, and more.
By the time this article is written (June 4, 2024), all JFK's siblings have passed away.
Some may want to know: What is the Kennedy Curse
After a series of tragedies happened to the Kennedy family, people including the remaining members of the Kennedy family thought there was a curse put on the family.
Starting from the first Kennedy and his son who were killed by Cholera, to JFK and his siblings' death, nearly 10 persons died in accidents and assassinations. Let's now mention the later generations like JFK's son and Robert Kennedy's son.
JFK's Wife and Children
John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in September 1953, who worked as a photographer. She died at the age of 64 in 1994.
They had four children—two daughters and two sons.
- Their first child was a daughter, Arabella, who was stillborn.
- Caroline Kennedy was their second daughter, born in 1957.
- They had John Jr. in 1960.
- Patrick Bouvier was born in 1963 and passed away a few days after his birth.
Caroline was 5, and John Jr. was 2 when Kennedy died. Caroline studied at Harvard University and is known as a famous American politician and author. She married Edwin Schlossberg in 1986 and had three children. She is the only survivor of the Kennedy family.
On the other hand, John Jr. became a lawyer and married Carolyn in 1996. Unfortunately, both died in a plane crash in 1999.
John F. Kennedy Sr.’s Survivors
John F. Kennedy was about to deliver a speech on 22nd November 1963 in Dallas when he was assassinated. His two children, wife, maternal grandparents, parents, and six singlings were alive when he was shot dead. His assassination left many questions for the history of mankind.
Part 2. Family Tree of Kennedy
Here’s the complete family tree of John F. Kennedy. This can help you understand Kennedy's family better.
By the way, we have excluded the first two generations of Kennedys and started with Joseph P Kennedy Sr. (JFK's father). Why? It's quite simple, less people know them.
Some may ask if there are any Kennedys still alive. Sure, many Kennedys are living in this world safe and sound. Some of them are even standing at the top of the world.
- Caroline Kennedy: She was the US ambassador to Australia in 2022 (to present) and to Japan in 2013. Note that she was the only living kid of JFK and Jacqueline. Her brother JFK Jr. died in an air crash 20 more years ago.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: He is the son of Robert F. Kennedy (JFK's brother who was assassinated in 1969). RFK Jr. In 2024, he announced to be an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
- Joseph Patrick Kennedy III: His grandfather was Robert F. Kennedy. In 2022, JPK III became the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland.
The Kennedy is a big family. JFK had 8 siblings and his brother Robert F. Kennedy had 11 kids. And kids will have more kids. So, if you're interested in the Kennedy's living members, you can expand the family tree above. Maybe after your edits, you can share it on the class.
Part 3. How To Make A Kennedy Family Tree?
If you are looking for a quick and easy way to create a Kennedy family tree, EdrawMax offers the most convenient and complete solution for drawing complex family trees. Plus, its user-friendly interface enables precise drawings, charts, presentations, and more visualizations.
Edrawmax doesn’t require any additional payment to use the software. You can simply install the tool on your system and sign in with your account. It's easily accessible and available for Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS.
The best thing is that it brings a user-friendly interface that doesn’t require technical expertise. Anyone can easily create different types of diagrams using this interactive tool. So, here’s how to use this software to make a family tree:
Method 1: Creating the Kennedy Family Tree from Scratch
Edrawmax offers interactive shapes and figures that can be handled with a simple drag-and-drop feature. You can create various diagrams and visual illustrations with different shapes in the tool.
If you want to create the Kennedy family tree yourself from scratch, follow the steps below:
1. Download, install, and open EdrawMax or try it online. Sign in with an account of Wondershare, Google, Facebook, or Twitter.
2. Click Blank Drawing under the New section from the main dashboard. Or click the New button in the left panel and select the Blank Drawing option from the list.
3. Select a shape of your choice from the basic drawing shapes in the left panel. Simply drag and drop the shapes you want to the main drawing area. You can also search for shapes from the search bar in the top-left corner.
4. Select the shape and click Insert from the menu bar to select the image you want to add.
5. Access the connector tools from the Home tab to link family members in the tree. Vertical lines are used for parents and children. At the same time, horizontal lines represent the siblings from the same parents or spouses. The dotted lines indicated a divorced couple.
6. After completing the family tree structure, you can customize the drawing. You can change the background color, background picture, fonts, layout, etc, from the Design tab.
7. Finally, navigate to the Home tab and press the disk icon to save your tree. Select the folder where you want to save the drawing on your PC.
That’s it! You can create as detailed trees as you want with Edrawmax drawing features.
Method 2: Creating Kennedy Family Tree with a Template
Edrawmax brings a large range of templates to accelerate and uncomplicate the process of creating family trees. You can search from different types of templates. Simply pick a template, customize it per your needs, and save the final version.
To create the Kennedy family tree using a template in Edrawmax, use the following steps:
1. Install and launch Edrawmax on your PC.
2. Click Templates on the left panel.
3. Type the Family Tree keyword in the search bar and pick a template of your choice from the search results.
4. After you tap on a family tree template, click the Use Immediately button on top.
5. Now, personalize the template according to your requirements. Change the names, add pictures, or make customized changes to the design.
6. Finally, save it after making the complete tree. Click the disk icon in the menu bar at the top. For other saving formats, navigate to the File menu and click Export. EdrawMax offers several saving formats, including PNG, JPG, PDF, Word, etc.
That’s all! You can create masterpieces using the Edrawmax templates with just a few simple steps. All you have to do is pick and style your tree your way.
Part 3. Wrapping Up
John F. Kennedy was a remarkable leader with a strong demeanor and courage. His political contributions and intellectual skills changed the U.S. dynamics for a better future. Apart from being a hardworking president, he is remembered as a loving family figure.
To learn about his family ties, we have discussed two simple ways of creating the Kennedy family tree on EdrawMax. Try these methods and explore detailed insights about the Kennedy generation.
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