# Duncan F. Kenner > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Duncan_F._Kenner > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Duncan_F._Kenner.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_F._Kenner > Source revision: 1348890883 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American politician Duncan F. Kenner Deputy from Louisiana to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States In office February 4, 1861 – February 17, 1862 Preceded by New constituency Succeeded by Constituency abolished Personal details Born Duncan Farrar Kenner (1813-02-11)February 11, 1813 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Died July 3, 1887(1887-07-03) (aged 74) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Resting place Ascension Catholic Cemetery, Donaldsonville, Louisiana, U.S. Spouse Anne Guillelmine Nanine Bringier **Duncan Farrar Kenner** (February 11, 1813 – July 3, 1887) was an American politician who served as a Deputy from [Louisiana](/source/Louisiana) to the [Provisional Congress of the Confederate States](/source/Provisional_Congress_of_the_Confederate_States) from 1861 to 1862. In 1864, he served as the chief diplomat from the [Confederate States of America](/source/Confederate_States_of_America) to Europe. ## Biography Douglas Farrar Kenner was born on February 11, 1813, in [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans) to sugar planter and cotton factor [William Kenner](/source/William_Kenner), and Mary Minor Kenner, daughter of [Stephen Minor](/source/Stephen_Minor), the last governor of [Spanish Natchez](/source/Natchez_District).[1] His father's people were from [Virginia](/source/Virginia).[2] Kenner was married to the former Anne Guillelmine Nanine Bringier (August 24, 1822 – November 6, 1911). They resided at the [Ashland Plantation](/source/Ashland_Plantation). According to [Ulrich Bonnell Phillips](/source/Ulrich_B._Phillips), he was "long a slave trader with headquarters at New Orleans before he became a planter in [Ascension Parish](/source/Ascension_Parish%2C_Louisiana) on a rapidly increasing scale."[3] Kenner was the owner of sugar plantations in Louisiana. He used scientific techniques and was said to be the first man in Louisiana to use a railroad to bring [sugar cane](/source/Sugar_cane) from the fields to the mill. He served as the President of the Louisiana Sugar Planters Association.[2] He started his political career by working for [John Slidell](/source/John_Slidell).[2] He served for several terms in the [Louisiana House of Representatives](/source/Louisiana_House_of_Representatives) and was a member of the state constitutional conventions of 1845 and 1852, having presided over the latter conclave. According to the US census of 1860, Kenner owned in excess of 600 slaves on his sugar plantations. During the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) of 1861–1865, he was a member of the [Confederate Congress](/source/Confederate_Congress) and chairman of its Ways and Means Committee.[2] In 1862, he proposed a national income tax of 20%, including a schedule of exemptions. His tax bill went nowhere; but in April 1863, the Confederate Congress passed another act calling for a tax "in kind," payable with goods and agricultural produce rather than money, and based not on property but on agricultural produce and income it generated. In July 1862, while visiting with his family at [Ashland Plantation](/source/Ashland_Plantation) during a recess of the legislature, Kenner narrowly avoided capture by the [Union Army](/source/Union_Army), making his escape after being warned by one of his slaves of the advance of [Union](/source/Union_Army) troops. By this time he had become convinced that the emancipation of slaves was the only way to gain independence for the Confederacy. In 1864, he was sent by [Jefferson Davis](/source/Jefferson_Davis) as special commissioner to England and France to secure the recognition of the [Confederate States](/source/Confederate_States_of_America).[2] Davis, through Kenner, offered the [emancipation](/source/Abolitionism_in_the_United_States) of the Confederate [slaves](/source/Slavery_in_the_United_States) in exchange for [diplomatic recognition](/source/Diplomatic_recognition) of the Confederacy by Britain and France.[4] Following the [capture of New Orleans](/source/Capture_of_New_Orleans) in 1862, much of his property was confiscated and his slaves were freed. After the war, Kenner regained his wealth. In 1877 he created the Louisiana Sugar Producer's Association, representing the largest planters in the state. He served as the president of the [World Cotton Centennial](/source/World_Cotton_Centennial). He also served on the Boards of Directors of several banks.[2] Kenner died on July 3, 1887.[2] He was buried in a tomb in the Ascension of our Lord Catholic Church Cemetery in [Donaldsonville](/source/Donaldsonville), [Ascension Parish](/source/Ascension_Parish), Louisiana. ## Thoroughbred racing Kenner was fond of horses and established a breeding operation for Thoroughbred horses at his Ashland Plantation. For his contribution to [Thoroughbred racing](/source/Thoroughbred_racing), following its formation in 1971 he was inducted into the [Fair Grounds Racing Hall of Fame](/source/Fair_Grounds_Racing_Hall_of_Fame). In 1880 he was a founding member of the New Louisiana Jockey Club and would serve as its president from 1886 until his death in 1887.[5] ## See also - [Kenner and Henderson](/source/Kenner_and_Henderson) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Dictionary of Louisiana Biography - K"](https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-of-louisiana-biography-k/). *Louisiana Historical Association*. Retrieved March 21, 2025. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-nytimesobit_2-6) ["An Old Confederate Dead.: The Political Career of Duncan F. Kenner"](https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/07/04/100920311.pdf) (PDF). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. July 4, 1887. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["American Negro slavery a survey of the supply, employment and control of Negro labor as determined by the plantation régime / by Ulrich Bonnell Phillips ..."](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yul.11350283_000_00&seq=260&q1=Kenner) *HathiTrust*. p. 246. Retrieved September 18, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Donald, David Herbert](/source/David_Herbert_Donald) (1995). "Chapter Twenty: With Charity for All". [*Lincoln*](https://archive.org/details/lincoln00dona). [Simon & Schuster](/source/Simon_%26_Schuster). p. [547](https://archive.org/details/lincoln00dona/page/547). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-684-80846-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-684-80846-3). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [35914369](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/35914369). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Hall of Fame Members FINAL.pdf *www.fairgroundsracecourse.com* Fair Grounds Hall of Fame (120 members)](http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/sites/fairgroundsracecourse.com/files/110621) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072327/http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/sites/fairgroundsracecourse.com/files/110621%20Hall%20of%20Fame%20Members%20FINAL.pdf) March 4, 2016, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) ## External links - [Duncan F. Kenner](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6954241) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave) - [Duncan F. Kenner](https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/kennedy-kensey.html#978.49.05) at [The Political Graveyard](/source/The_Political_Graveyard) - [Duncan Farrar Kenner Papers](https://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/manuscripts/guides/kenner-duncan-farrar-1813-1887-papers) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180312083522/https://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/manuscripts/guides/kenner-duncan-farrar-1813-1887-papers) March 12, 2018, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) at [Louisiana State University](/source/Louisiana_State_University) Political offices Preceded by New constituency Deputy from Louisiana to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States 1861–1862 Succeeded by Constituency abolished Articles related to Duncan F. Kenner v t e Signatories of the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States President of the Congress Howell Cobb South Carolina Robert Barnwell Rhett R. W. Barnwell James Chesnut, Jr. C. G. Memminger Wm. Porcher Miles Laurence M. Keitt William W. Boyce Tho. J. Withers Georgia R. Toombs Francis S. Bartow Martin J. Crawford E. A. Nisbet Benjamin H. Hill Augustus R. Wright Thos. R. R. Cobb A. H. Kenan Alexander H. Stephens Florida Jackson Morton Jas. B. Owens J. Patton Anderson Alabama Richard W. Walker Robt. H. Smith Colin J. McRae Jno. Gill Shorter William Parish Chilton Stephen F. Hale David P. Lewis Tho. Fearn J. L. M. Curry Mississippi W. P. Harris Alexander M. Clayton W. S. Wilson James T. Harrison Walker Brooke William S. Barry J. A. P. Campbell Louisiana John Perkins, Jr. Alex. de Clouet C. M. Conrad Duncan F. Kenner Edward Sparrow Henry Marshall Texas Thomas N. Waul Williamson S. Oldham John Gregg John H. Reagan W. B. Ochiltree John Hemphill Louis T. Wigfall Category Commons v t e Signatories of the Confederate States Constitution President of the Congress Howell Cobb South Carolina Robert Barnwell Rhett C. G. Memminger Wm. Porcher Miles James Chesnut Jr. R. W. Barnwell William W. Boyce Laurence Keitt T. J. Withers Georgia R. Toombs Francis S. Bartow Martin J. Crawford Alexander H. Stephens Benjamin H. Hill Thos. R. R. Cobb E. A. Nisbet Augustus R. Wright A. H. Kenan Florida Jackson Morton J. Patton Anderson Jas. B. Owens Alabama Richard W. Walker Robt. H. Smith Colin J. McRae William P. Chilton Stephen F. Hale David P. Lewis Tho. Fearn Jno. Gill Shorter J. L. M. Curry Mississippi Alexander M. Clayton James T. Harrison William S. Barry W. S. Wilson Walker Brooke W. P. Harris J. A. P. Campbell Louisiana John Perkins Jr. Alex. de Clouet C. M. Conrad Duncan F. Kenner Henry Marshall Edward Sparrow Texas John Hemphill Thomas N. Waul John H. Reagan Williamson S. Oldham Louis T. Wigfall John Gregg William Beck Ochiltree Category Commons [Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals): - [American Civil War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:American_Civil_War) - [Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography) - [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:United_States) - [Politics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Politics) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States Israel Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Duncan F. Kenner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_F._Kenner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_F._Kenner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.