Kenney, Charles W.

KENNEY, BLESSINGTON, SHANNON

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Date: 2/18/2003 at 09:39:01

1911 Biographical Index to Wolfe's History of Clinton County Iowa, by P. B. Wolfe.
CHARLES W. KENNEY
It is a rare privilege to be able to spend our lives on the old home place; there is a charm under "the roof that hears our earliest cry," that never vanishes, but for some caprice of fate few of us are permitted to remain at our birthplace; we are ushered out into strange lands among strange people and are compelled to form new ties and often adopt different modes of existence. This has not been the case with Charles W. Kenney, of Clinton county, who was born on December 24, 1868, on the farm which he now occupies. He is the son of Patrick and Margaret (Blessington) Kenney, both born in Ireland, from which country they came to America in 1847 and 1840, respectively. The father came alone and after a few years spent in New York, Michigan and Wisconsin, he came to Clinton county, Iowa, in 1851 or 1852 and entered government land, being among the pioneers. He developed his one hundred and sixty acres in Hampshire township into an excellent farm, by clearing and improving it, and he was married in this county, having been a young man and single when he came here. The maternal grandparents, the Blessington family, came to America about 1840 and located in Vermont. They left their daughter Margaret in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, where she found employment in the cotton mills; later she came to Clinton county, Iowa, and married Patrick Kenney. To this union eight children were born, seven of whom are living. Patrick Kenney has never been a public man, living a quiet life, yet interested in local affairs. He has lived retired in Lyons since 1893. His wife died in 1905.
Charles W. Kenney was educated in the common schools and reared on the home farm where he assisted with the work of clearing and developing and he has never cared to follow any other line of work. About 1900 he bought the old home place of one hundred and sixty acres. he has managed the same very successfully and has made a great success in stock raising, breeding high grade Aberdeen Angus cattle, draft horses and other good stock, which always find a ready market owing to their superior quality.
Politically, Mr. Kenney is a Democrat. He has been township assessor for six years and is now township trustee, and is also secretary of the school board at present. He belongs to St. Iraneaus Catholic church at Lyons, and to the Woodmen of the World.
On April 10, 1893, Mr. Kenney married Rosa V. Shannon, daughter of Patrick and Julia Shannon, old settlers of Washington township. This union resulted in the birth of eight children, namely: Charles J., Francis P., Beatrice M., Andrew, Joseph (died in infancy), Rose Lillian, Monica and James G. The mother of these children was called to her rest on May 18, 1910. She was a woman of beautiful Christian character and had a host of friends.