Archives West Finding Aid

T. Blake Kennedy (1874-1957) served as the U.S. District Court Judge of Wyoming from 1922-1955. Born in Oakland County, Michigan, Kennedy graduated from Franklin College, Franklin, Michigan, in 1895. He began practicing law in Syracuse, New York, with his partner Rodrick M. Matson. In 1901 Matson and Kennedy moved their practice to Cheyenne, Wyoming. One of their first cases was the defense of Tom Horn. Horn was accused of murdering a thirteen year old boy in 1901. Although, Kennedy lost the case, he and the other attorneys received a great deal of notoriety. In addition to his expanding law practice, Kennedy served as Referee in Bankruptcy for the State of Wyoming from 1903-1913. In 1906 he married Anna Lyons. He was temporarily appointed to serve as the federal judge presiding over U.S. District Court of Wyoming in 1921. In 1922, his appointment became permanent, and he held the position until his retirement in 1955. One of his most celebrated cases was the Teapot Dome Lawsuit, (United States vs. Mammoth Oil Company) in 1925. Kennedy also presided over other controversial cases that were reported across the country. He was also occasionally temporarily assigned to Washington DC, Colorado, New Mexico, and Kansas. Judge and Mrs. Kennedy were childless and frequently traveled both within and without the United States. He was active in local, state, and national Republican Party politics. Prior to his judgeship, he held the position of State Chairman for the Republican Party. His other activities included membership in the Masonic Lodge and other civic groups including a literary society and the Frontier Day Heels. In 1951, he received an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming. Although he retired in November of 1955, he would continue to occasionally fill in for judges or write opinions.