McKeever, Hugh Francis 1848-1916 & Mary Ellen Kearney Family

MCKEEVER, KEARNEY, NEESON, GILSON

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 9/3/2022 at 15:04:58

McKeever, Hugh Francis 1848-1916 and Mary Ellen Kearney Family

The McKeever House
This story was taken from pages 349-350 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

One of the landmark buildings in Ireton was the large house built on the extreme western side of Ireton by an Ireton banker, Mr. H.F. McKeever, at the turn of the century, when economic times were very good and prospects looked good for the country as a whole and Ireton in particular. Plans were being laid for a proposed Sioux City to Sioux Falls Interurban Railway which was to pass through the field just to the west of Ireton in Sec. 7, (between the present edge of town and the Donald Van Wyhe farm) then curve back to a point directly south of the ½ mile road, which divides the Kluter and Bertram pastures where it would have intersected with the N. & N.W. R.R. Line, and then straight north.

Mr. McKeever saw a good investment possibility and a chance of an Ireton “Boom”, so he bought an undeveloped parcel of land on the west edge of town, divided it into streets and lots, and saved the prime spot on the knoll for himself.

It was imposing, to say the least, and it contained many innovative features, such as a ducted forced air furnace and a bathroom with overhead storage for heated water for bathing purposes, and the first built-in tub in Ireton. He also constructed a horse barn and other outbuildings there.

Mr. McKeever sold the house to Mr. and Mrs. M.M. Elder, who retired there.

Ownership passed to Wm. And Lou Twillman, who lived there for many years while they operated their dairy business on the surrounding acreage.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Feenstra were the last occupants of the grand old house, which had begun to show its age. After Mrs. Feenstra died, Mr. Feenstra moved to a retirement home and the house was abandoned. It was torn down by the present owner of the property, Calvin Bootsma.

RESEARCH NOTES: By Wilma J. Vande Berg Who was the family McKeever?
Index of 1900 census of Reading township Sioux County lists Hugh F., Mary Ellen, Gertrude, Mary Ellen, Clara M. Rose I, Robert E and Francis H. McKeever. The family search began….
From a family report on ancestry.com Public Member Trees (done by others – not confirmed by submitter)

Hugh Francis Mc Keever was born 30 Apt 1848 Hartland, Livingston Co., MI died 10 Feb 1916 Sheldon, O’Brien, Iowa. He was the son of Hugh Mc Keever 1801-1895 and Ann Neeson 1815-1901. He married 25 Jun 1876 at Pinckney, Livingston County, Michigan to Mary Ellen Kearney.

Mary Ellen Kearney was born 11 Nov 1855 Pinckney, Livingston, Michigan and died 23 Aug 1950 Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa. She was the daughter of John Michael Kearney 1827-1891 and Margaret Gilson 1824-1915.

CHILDREN of Hugh F. Mc Keever and Mary Ellen Kearney were:
1. Francis Hugh Mc Keever 1877-1962 married Grace Gallagher 1881-1966, they had four children. Hugh 1814, Jean Mary Egan 1815, Robert 1919, Mary Annis 1921-1889.
2. Raymond Mc Keever 5 Sep 1880 New Jersey - 6 Dec 1881 (child)
3. Gertrude A. Mc Keever 1883 Sheldon IA - died 26 Dec 1956 possibly New York
4. Mary Ellen Mc Keever born 20 Apr 1886 Ireton IA - died 11 Nov 1980 Forsyth, MT P ossible husband Carlos Jerome Whittle They had several children.
5. Clara Margaret Mc Keever Bennett 31 Aug 1888 Ireton Iowa died Marysville, WA 2 Apr1969. She married Charles Augustine Bennett 1882-1961. They had four children. Charles 1913, Rita Tucker 1914, John Francis 1916, and Margaret Bennett 1923.
6. Adam Francis Mc Keever born 31 Aug 1888 died New Youk City. He married Rose Irene Kaproski 1892-1983 Clinton IA , they had some six children.
7. Robert Emmett Mc Keever 1895 Ireton IA died 14 Jun 1986 Forsyth MT He married Eleanor Borer 1906-1971. They had some three children, one named mary Ellen Whittle 1926.
8. John Eugene ‘Gene’ Mc Keever 1901 Ireton IA died 2 Dec 1984 Hysham MT . He married Hazel Belle Groombridge 1907-1958. They had children Daniel 1926, Thomas 1928, Helen Mouat 1929, Raymond 1930, Jean Marie Neyrinck 1931, Margaret 1932, Patricia 1933, Donald 1935, Carol 1938, James, John, and several listed as private.

Pictured here is the Mc Keever house as it looked when M. M. Elders (pictured) lived there in 1910.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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