Thomas Kenan

Thomas Stephen Kenan (February 12, 1838 – December 23, 1911) was an American lawyer, Confederate soldier and politician. He served as the Attorney General of North Carolina in 1877–1885. He was a Democrat.

Early life Named after his grandfather U.S. congressman Thomas S. Kenan, his parents were Sarah Rebecca Graham and Owen Rand Kenan; he was the grandson of U.S. Congressman Thomas Kenan and great-grandson of Revolutionary War general James Kenan. He started his education in Duplin County at Old Grove Academy in Kenansville, North Carolina (the town was named for his great-grandfather in 1818). He spent a year at Central Military Institute in Selma, Alabama and started his freshman year at Wake Forest College in 1853-1854, but then transferred to the University of North Carolina, where he graduated in 1857. He read law for two years with Judge Pearson at Richmond Hill; he started to practiced law in Kenansville in 1860. In 1859 he helped to organize the Duplin Rifles, a militia unit, in Kenansville. In April 1861 he was elected as a captain of the Duplin Rifles

Civil War During the Civil War he served in the Confederate States Army. He was elected lieutenant colonel of the 43rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment in April 1862, and was promoted to colonel later that year. He was wounded on July 3, 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg.

He was active in community and civic affairs of Wilson and the state. He served as the president of State Bar Association of North Carolina, was a member of the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina, among others.

Family In May 1868 he married Sarah "Sallie" Dortch, but they had no children.