John Kern: The Man who Failed Upward

BY DEREK BRUBAKER // POSTED MAY 23, 2026

History is written by the victors, not by those who come in second place… and yet, one of St. Joseph county's major roads is named for a man who perpetually fell just short of victory. John Kern was born into a middle-class family in 1849 in Alto, Indiana — just south of Kokomo. He was an incredibly intelligent young man, though he was persistently plagued with debilitating illnesses throughout his life. After getting his law degree and opening his own firm, he ran for the Indiana state legislature in 1870, losing the race.

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