University of Wyoming
"©" 2005 University of Wyoming
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.
This collection encompasses T. Blake Kennedy’s life from 1892 until his death, May 1957. It includes his memoirs, personal and professional correspondence, court assignments, speeches and written works on a variety of subjects, and scrapbooks of newspaper articles concerning cases, social engagements, and politics. His views about politics, current events, special cases he represented as an attorney and or presided over within the judicial system, as well as his personal/social and political life are included within his memoirs. Individuals mentioned include local and national political leaders, leading Wyoming citizens, and other judges and attorneys and clients. Cases included Tom Horn, Teapot Dome, Heart Mountain WWII induction resisters. Papers and addresses include speeches made to his various civic, political, and professional organizations, eulogies, and written works concerning issues of the day. His scrapbooks consist of newspaper articles regarding his everyday as well as his most celebrated cases. Other cases of special interest include Mormon polygamy as Mann Act Violations, prostitution and prohibition (Volstead Act), crimes and issues on the Wind River Indian Reservation and other federal lands, constitutional rights issues, and juvenile legal issues.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
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There are no known other archival collections created by Blake at the date of processing.
The T. Blake Kennedy papers were received from the estate of T. Blake Kennedy in accordance with an October 1949 agreement with the University Archives and Western Manuscripts Collection, University of Wyoming. The collection arrived in generally good condition in the latter part of 1957. After several decades of use, it has been reprocessed for preservation reasons. A research copy was made of the original memoir. Volume binders were removed and folder titles were developed. Each series title and most folder titles are T. Blake Kennedy’s. Generally the original order, which is chronological and by form with a few exceptions, was maintained. Exceptions are in Series II, where due to the amount or interest in the subject correspondence, separate folders were developed.
The collection was processed by Jane K. Storsteen in 1999.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, T. Blake Kennedy Papers, Collection Number 00405, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at