James Keenan

KEENAN, WARD, WELCH

Posted By: Diane (email)
Date: 3/6/2002 at 21:27:41

James Keenan, a native of County Laugh, Ireland, was born in June, 1819, and was there raised on a farm. In 1840 he emigrated to the United States, landing at New York. He lived in Livingston and Genesee counties, except one month in Jefferson county, until 1848, when he went to Allegany county. While in New York he was engaged in farming. In 1868 he came to Iowa, and settled in Butler county. He bought wild land in Washington township, section 31. He has improved the land, and in 1875 built the house in which he now lives.
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He married Miss Julia Ward in 1839. They were blessed with two children – George and John. Mrs. Keenan died in Jefferson county, New York, in 1845. He married for his second wife Miss Mary Welch. They have been blessed with eight children – James, Mary, Peter, William, Thomas, Michael, Stephen, and Patrick. John was born in New York in 1845, and died in Texas in 1873. William was born in Wisconsin in 1859, and died in Franklin county, Iowa, in 1872.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page: 730