Beverley Kennon

Beverley Kennon
1820 likeness at National Portrait Gallery, owned by Tudor Place Foundation.
Born	(1793-04-07)April 7, 1793 Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Died	February 28, 1844(1844-02-28) (aged 50) At sea near Fort Washington, Maryland, USA
Buried	Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C. (Cenotaph) Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1809–1844
Rank	Captain (Actual) Commodore (Customary)
Commands held	USS Vandalia USS Macedonian Washington Navy Yard Bureau of Construction and Repair
Battles/wars	War of 1812 Second Barbary War
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Dandridge Britania Peter
Relations	Martha Parke Custis Peter (mother-in-law)

Beverley Kennon (April 7, 1793 – February 28, 1844) was a career officer in the United States Navy who attained the rank of captain as head of the Bureau of Construction and Repair. He died as a result of the explosion aboard the USS Princeton.

Beverley Kennon was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia on April 7, 1693, the son of Richard Kennon and Elizabeth Beverley (Munford) Kennon. His father was a veteran of the American Revolution and a political leader of early Virginia who served terms in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate.

Beverley Kennon was educated in Mecklenburg County, and in 1809 was appointed a midshiman in the United States Navy. He served in the War of 1812, including a posting to the USS Superior on Lake Ontario. In 1813, he received his commission as a lieutenant (junior grade), and he made the Navy his career. During the Second Barbary War he served on the USS Constellation (as did his brother George, the ship's surgeon), and he was involved in the capture of the Algerian ship Mashouda.

Kennon was promoted to master commandant in 1828, and in 1830 he was assigned as commander of the USS Vandalia. He was promoted to captain in 1837; he commanded the USS Macedonian from 1838 to 1841, and the Washington Navy Yard from 1841 to 1843. In March 1843, Kennon was assigned as head of the Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair, and he served in this position until his death. As a senior Navy captain, Kennon was permitted to use the title commodore, which is how he was frequently addressed.