Kent Family

The family's origins date back as far as 6th century England, when Sir Brian Kent participated in several adventures under the pseudonym the Silent Knight. On at least one occasion, he met a time-traveling Superman and it has been suggested that Sir Brian may have been the progenitor of the Kent family line.^[1]

The direct family line of Jonathan Kent is traced as far back as the late 18th to early 19th century. The American Kents originally hailed from Boston, Massachusetts where print-shop owner Silas Kent lived with his wife Abigail. The two sired eight children, all of whom were born in the Kent's Boston home. In 1854, Silas Kent joined the Emigrant Aid Society and decided to relocate his printing press to Lawrence, Kansas to promote his abolitionist ideals. He brought his two oldest sons, Nate and Jeb along with him and they arrived in Lawrence in the summer of 1854.^[2]

Family Members

Abigail Kent: Abigail Colter Kent was the wife of Silas Kent, and the mother of several children including the brothers Nathaniel and Jebediah. Abigail married Silas in 1834 and the two lived together for twenty years in their home in Boston. In 1854, Silas joined the Emigrant Aid Society and moved to Lawrence, Kansas to help the free-state initiative. In 1857, Abigail Kent was working with immigrants in the South Boston area when she contracted a crippling disease. She passed away on March 7th. She was survived by her children, Nate, Jeb, Belinda, Lucy, Joel William, Jonathan, Emma Lou and Owen.

Belinda Kent: Belinda Kent was the oldest daughter of Silas and Abigail Kent and the third oldest sibling in her immediate family.

Brian Kent: Main article: Brian Kent (New Earth)

Brian Kent was secretly the heroic Silent Knight in medieval Britain. It is believed (but not conclusively proven) that he is a direct ancestor to Silas and Ethan Kent.^[1]

Burt Kent: Brother of Jonathan and Kendall Kent and father of Jillian Kent. Never seen in a story, only mentioned. Said to be independent and non-materialistic.^[3]

Chris Kent: Main article: Lor-Zod (New Earth)

During the period of time when the Kryptonian child Lor-Zod was in the foster care of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, he assumed the name Christopher "Chris" Kent. He is Nightwing.

Clark Kent: Main article: Clark Kent

Adopted son of Jonathan and Martha Kent (birth name Kal-El). He's Superman.

Conner Kent: Main article: Kon-El (New Earth)

When the human/Kryptonian genetic construct know as Conner (aka Kon-El, aka Superboy) came to live with Jonathan and Martha Kent, he adopted the last name Kent for himself too.

Eben Kent: Main article: Eben Kent (Adventures of Superman)

In the continuity of the 1948 Superman radio program and serial as well as the 1952 Adventures of Superman television series, Eben Kent was the adoptive father of Clark Kent, aka Superman. He lived at the Kent family home with his wife Sarah and raised his son with a strong, moral code of ethics. Eben Kent was played on TV by actor Jack Fadden. The first source to use the name "Eben" for Superman's father was The Adventures of Superman (novel).

Ethan Kent: Ethan Kent lived during the 19th century. He was the brother of Silas Kent.

Emma Lou Kent: Emma Lou Kent was the youngest daughter of Silas and Abigail Kent. She was born in the mid-1800s and is the twin sister of Jonathan Kent (I).

Harry Kent: Main article: Harry Kent (New Earth)

Son of Sam Kent and older brother to Jonathan Kent (II). He died in an agricultural accident when Jonathan was still young.

Jeb Kent: Main article: Jebediah Kent (New Earth)

Jebediah "Jeb" Kent was a son of Silas and Abigail Kent and the second eldest of his eight siblings. When Silas went to Kansas in 1854, Jeb and his brother Nate accompanied him.

Jillian Kent: Daughter of Burt Kent. Devoted to helping those less fortunate.^[3]

Joel William Kent: Joel William Kent (b. 1842) is the third son of Silas and Abigail Kent. In 1854, Joel William became the "man of the house" when his father and older siblings left Boston to aid the abolitionist movement in Lawrence, Kansas. He later attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Joel William became the commanding officer of a Colored Unit.

John Kent: In Earth-Two continuity, John Kent was the husband of Mary Kent and the adoptive father of Kal-L/Clark Kent. John and Mary Kent passed away when Clark was a young adult, shortly before he adopted the name Superman. Historically, he's always been referred to as just John, never Jonathan.

Jonathan Kent (I): Jonathan Kent was the youngest son of Silas and Abigail Kent. He was born in the mid-1800s and is the twin brother of Emma Lou Kent.

Jonathan Kent (II): Main article: Jonathan Kent

Jonathan Kent was the head of the Kent family household in the latter half of the 20th century. He was married to Martha Kent and was the adoptive father of Clark Kent. On Earth-One, he was the brother of Burt and Kendall Kent, and uncle of Jillian Kent. On New Earth, he was the brother of Harry Kent and foster father to Conner Kent.

Jonathan Samuel Kent: Main article: Jonathan Samuel Kent

Jonathan Samuel Kent is the son of Clark Kent and his wife, Lois Lane. He is the foster brother of Christopher Kent, but they have yet to meet. Jon is the third Superboy, sharing the mantle with his father's partial clone, Conner Kent.

Kara Ken: Main article: Kara Ken (Earth-One)

Descendant of Clark Kent and sister of Klar Ken T5477. Fights crime in the 30th century as Supergirl.

Kendall Kent: Kendall Kent was the brother of Jonathan and Burt Kent. Wealthy but childless, he tried several times to trick or coerce his nephew Clark Kent into leaving his adoptive parents Jonathan and Martha Kent and become Kendall's adopted son instead.^[4]^[5] Years later, Kendall arranged to leave his fortune to his niece Jillian Kent.^[3]

Klar Ken T5477: Main article: Klar Ken T5477 (Earth-One)

Descendant of Clark Kent and brother of Kara Ken. Fights crime in the 30th century as Superman XX.

Laurel Kent: Main article: Laurel Kent (Pre-Zero Hour)

In the 30th century, Laurel Kent claimed to be a descendant of Clark Kent who, thanks to many years of her ancestors interbreeding with humans, only had one superpower: invulnerability. However, this was a lie -- she was really a Manhunter robot, compelled by her programming to integrate herself with Earth's superhumans, even though the Manhunter organization no longer existed.

Lucy Kent: Lucy Kent was the second daughter of Silas and Abigail Kent and the fourth oldest sibling in her immediate family. She lived in the mid-1800s. As a teenager, Lucy was something of a rebel, described by her older sister Belinda as a rare beauty who knows it, is stuck up and somewhat boy-crazy; she is also the only member of her family that remained in contact with Jeb.

Martha Kent: Main article: Martha Kent

Martha Kent was born Martha Clark of Smallville, Kansas. She married Jonathan Kent and is the adoptive mother of Clark Kent. On New Earth, she was briefly married to a man named Dan Fordman before meeting Jonathan.

Mary Kent: In Earth-Two continuity, Mary Kent was the wife of John Kent and the adoptive mother of Kal-L/Clark Kent. John and Mary Kent passed away when Clark was a young adult, shortly before he adopted the name Superman.

Mary Glenowen Kent: A half-White, half-Native American of the Delaware Tribe. She met, befriended, and fell in love with Nathaniel Kent. They married on June 13, 1871, and their first child was born in 1872; Jonathon Kent is her direct descendant.

Minerva Kent: In Earth-Two continuity, Minerva Kent was the younger sister of John Kent, who lived "on the coast" and did not meet Clark Kent until he was an adult. She lived with Clark briefly in Metropolis before moving back to the coast to be married.^[6]

Nate Kent: Main article: Nathaniel Kent (New Earth)

Nathaniel "Nate" Kent was a son of Silas and Abigail Kent and the eldest of his eight siblings. When Silas went to Kansas in 1854, Nate and his brother Jeb accompanied him. Nate settled in Kansas, eventually becoming a small-town sheriff. Jonathon Kent is his direct descendant.

Owen Kent: Owen Kent (b. 1844) was the fourth son of Silas and Abigail Kent. Even at a young age, Owen was considered to be a very mature boy.

Sam Kent: Main article: Samuel Kent (New Earth)

Samuel "Sam" Kent was a descendant of Nate Kent and father to Harry and Jonathon Kent.

Sarah Kent (I): Main article: Sarah Kent (Adventures of Superman)

In the continuity of the 1948 Superman radio program and serial as well as the 1952 Adventures of Superman television series, Sarah Kent was the adoptive mother of Clark Kent, aka Superman. She was the wife of Eben Kent. Sarah Kent was played on TV by actress Frances Morris. The first source to use the name "Sarah" for Superman's mother was The Adventures of Superman (novel).

Sarah Kent (II): Main article: Sarah Kent (New Earth)

Sarah Kent was the wife (and later, widow) of Harry Kent.

Silas Kent: Main article: Silas Kent (New Earth)

Silas Kent was the husband of Abigail Kent and the progenitor of the American Kent family line. He was an abolitionist who was politically active in Lawrence, Kansas during the 1850s. Silas Kent was shot in the back and killed after attending the Kansas Free-State Legislature in March of 1855.

Sinbad Kent: Main article: Sinbad Kent (Earth-One)

During the American Revolution, Sinbad Kent disguised himself as a pirate to cover that he was really a secret agent for the Continental Congress. Jonathan Kent (II) is his great-great-great-grandson.

Family Tree

New Earth

Brian Kent

Celia Penbrook

Abigail Colter

Silas Kent

Ethan Kent

John Glenowen

Taylor Beaumont

Belinda

Owen

Jonathan

Mary

Nate

Lily

Jeb

Lucy

Joel

Emma Lou

Taylor Beaumont

Bertram Mathias "Bert"^[7]

Sam Lane

Ella Lane

Lois Lane

Clark
(adopted)

Conner
(adopted)

Christopher
(adopted)

Earth-One

Two differing accounts exist. In one, Jonathan's father was given as Vincent,^[8] while in another, it is Matt (however, this is in a computer simulation.)^[9]

Sinbad Kent

John

George

Lewis

Vincent/Matt

Henry Clark

Willa

Kendall

Burt

Jonathan Kent

Martha

Jillian

Clark(adopted)

Paraphernalia

Equipment: Kent Family Scrapbook

Links

None.

Footnotes

Citation Needed
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This article contains information that has not been verified. You can help the DC Database by adding reliable sources in order to bring this article to a higher standard of quality.

[TBATB10-1] 1.0 ^1.1 The Brave and the Bold (Volume 3) #10

[2] The Kents #1

[SF191-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Superman Family #191

[4] Superboy #119

[5] Superboy #180

[6] Action Comics #160

[7] Action Comics #850

[8] Superboy #79

[9] Superman Family #192

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Kent Family

Contents

History