Isaac P. Kennerly was the son of Mary McDowell Kennerly and William Clark Kennerly of Wayne County, Illinois.

Isaac was born ca 1836 in Harrisonville, Shelby County, Kentucky, according to the copy of the Muster and Descriptive Roll of Recruits of Company K, 124th Infantry.

He enlisted in the Union Army at Taylorville, Illinois in 1862. Isaac, twenty-seven years of age, is described as 5 feet seven inches, dark hair, hazel eyes, and dark complexioned.

He died april 5, 1863 of disease in Memphis, Tennessee. Isaac left behind his wife, Holly Ann Butler, whom he married ca 1859, and two daughters - Martha A. Kennerly, b. 8 Sep 1860; d. 6 July 1883 and Mary Caroline Philips Kennerly Tice, b. 28 apr 1863; d. 1953 - all of Wayne County, Illinois.