James Mordecai Keeney (1816 - 1885)

Born 20 Aug 1816 in Fayette County, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Stewart) Keeney — married 17 Mar 1840 (to 6 Dec 1845) in Ray County, Missouri, United States

Husband of Nancy Keeney — married 19 Mar 1846 (to 7 Sep 1862) in Holt County, Missouri, United States

Husband of Miranda Ruth (Michael) Keeney — married 10 Jan 1878 in Linn County, Oregon, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Apr 1885 at age 68 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States

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Biography

Birth and Early Life

James Mordecai Keeney was born on 20 August 1816 in Fayette County, Indiana, United States as the fifth child of twelve born to John Keeney, Jr. (1772-1845) and Mary Ramsey Burkhalter (1783-1872).

He went to Ray County, Missouri with his parents in the early 1820's.

Siblings

All children were born in Fayette County, Indiana, United States with the exceptions of the the last three, twins Elias & Eli and Sarah.

1. Mary Eleanor Keeney was born on 6 April 1806. She married Alexander Bogart (c. 1784-1873) on 22 December 1822 in Ray County, Missouri. Mary died on 26 February 1874 in Ray County, Missouri, United States.
2. Thomas Keeney was born in September 1808. He married Psyche Allen (c. 1814-c. 1844) on 22 June 1829 in Ray County, Missouri. Thomas died of tuberculosis on 5 December 1842 Holt, Clay, Missouri, United States. His wife died soon after that and their orphaned children were taken to Oregon with the rest of the family on the Keeney Wagon Train in 1851.
3. Isley Keeney was born on 15 May 1811. Isley married Elizabeth Keeney (c. 1815- ), his cousin, and had two children before he died. His brothers Jonathan and Elias took them as part of the Keeney Wagon Train to Oregon with the family. He died of tuberculosis on 6 December 1842 in Holt, Clay, Missouri, United States.
4. Capt. Jonathan Keeney was born on 27 April 1813. He married Mary Catherine Shoemaker (1820-1896) in July 1837 Lafayette, Tippecanoe, Indiana. They had 10 children. Jonathan died when he was traveling to the high desert and fell from his horse on 15 August 1878 Willow Creek, Baker, Oregon, United States. The fall caused his pistol to go off and shoot him in the thigh.
5. Daughter Keeney was born and died in 1817 in Fayette County, Indiana, United States.
6. Abraham Keeney was born on 11 December 1818. He married Elvira A. Chesney (c. 1820- ) in 1839. His children went to Oregon with the rest of the family on the Keeney Wagon Train. Abraham died of tuberculosis before 25 May 1843 in Holt County, Indiana, United States.
7. Andrew Jackson Keeney, also known as Jackson or Blackjack, was born on 7 October 1819. ^[1] Jackson married 1) Elizabeth Mulholland (1825-1843) on 18 November 1841 in Henry County, Missouri and 2) Hannah Daniels Walden (1830-1860), widow of John Wesley Cooper (1822-1848), on 3 June 1849 in Atchison County, Missouri and 3) Amanda Jane Morse (1827-1892), widow of Alfred A. Matthews (1823-1860), on 22 December 1861 in Lane County, Oregon. He had children with all three wives. Jackson died on 4 March 1898 Goshen, Lane, Oregon, United States. He arrived in Oregon in 1857.
8. Rebecca Katherine Keeney was born on 4 July 1821. She married 1) William Landingham (1814-1850) on 24 November 1838 in Ray County, Missouri and 2) Daniel Bennett Putman (1810-1887) in 1851. Rebecca died on 23 September 1895 in Amity, Yamhill, Oregon, United States.
9. Elias Keeney, twin of Eli, was born on 18 December 1828 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. He married 1) Margaret Jane Hyatt (1835-1859) on 26 November 1850 in Holt County, Missouri and 2) Lucinda Catherine VanWinkle (1840-1887) in 1860 in Linn County, Oregon and 3) Matilda Lee (1839-1907), the widow of Samuel Noffsinger (1822-1870), in 1887. He had children with his first two wives. Elias died on 20 December 1910 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States. He arrived in Oregon in September 1846.
10. Eli Keeney, twin of Elias, was born on 18 December 1828 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. He married Elizabeth G. Pierce (1832-1904) on 24 February 1848 in Holt County, Missouri. They had eight children. Eli died on 10 November 1878 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States. He arrived in Oregon on 10 September 1851 along with Elizabeth. Their small daughter Frances Ann Keeney was the only casualty on the 2000 mile trip. She almost made it, but died in Oregon just before their final destination.
11. Sarah Elizabeth Keeney was born in 1830 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. She married John Franklin Williams (1822-1896) on 1 December 1844 in Holt County, Missouri. Sarah died on 6 December 1847 in Holt County, Missouri, United States.

Marriage and Family

He married three times.

1. Catherine Stewart (1824-1845) on 17 March 1840 in Ray County, Missouri.
2. Nancy Keeney (1809-1862) on 19 March 1846 in Holt County, Missouri. She was his first cousin, the daughter of Thomas Keeney (1781-1845) and Nancy Fugate (c. 1785-c. 1840).
3. Miranda Ruth Michael (1839-1919), widow of John Alexander Pearl (1833-1864), on 10 January 1878 in Linn County, Oregon.

Children of the Keeney-Stewart Marriage

1. Mary Elizabeth Keeney was born 22 January 1843 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. She married George Daniel Overton (7 March 1830 in New York-12 October 1908 in Oregon) in Linn County, Oregon in 1860 after 11 July. Mary died on 22 June 1933 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
2. Sarah Catherine Keeney was born on 6 December 1845 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. Sarah married 1) Sylvester Clark in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon on 1 January 1867. He died by a falling tree in 1871 and 2) Rev. Alexander Bennett on 16 October 1879. She had children with both husbands. Sarah died on 28 April 1916 in Philomath, Benton, Oregon, United States.

Children of the Keeney-Keeney Marriage

1. Miranda Keeney was born on 12 August 1847 in Holt County, Missouri, United States. She married Jacob Hunsaker Wigle (9 December 1842 Liberty, Adams, Illinois, United States-11 October 1925 Harrisburg, Linn, Oregon, United States) on 22 December 1865 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. Miranda died on 26 April 1943 in Silverton, Marion, Oregon, United States.
2. Irene Keeney was born on 24 June 1849 in Holt County, Missouri, United States. She married Isaac Newton Warmoth (1839-1916) in 1873. Irene died on 4 August 1879 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
3. Martha Elizabeth Keeney was born in 1851 in Missouri, United States. She married George H. Warren (1848- ) on 14 January 1884 in Linn County, Oregon. Martha died 1 September 1932 in Yakima County, Washington, United States.
4. John Wesley Keeney was born on 10 February 1859 in Missouri, United States. He married Annis A. Reisinger (1861-1916). John died on 16 April 1942 in Pinckneyville, Perry, Illinois, United States.

Child of the Keeney-Michael Marriage

1. James Mordecai Keeney Jr. was born on 23 November 1878 in Corvallis, Benton, Oregon, United States. He married Hilma C. Ekstrand (1888-1958). James died on 31 January 1952 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States.

Later Life and the Keeney Wagon Train

In 1851, he accompanied a large family group on the Oregon Trail. In Oregon, he settled on farm land between the farm land of his brothers Elias and Jonathan.

Death and Burial

James died on 27 April 1885 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States at the age of 68 years, 8 months, 7 days. He was buried in the Union Point Cemetery, Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. Find A Grave: Memorial #37884502

Sources

• Keeney, Ralph Ray. Wagon Ruts West. Keeney, R.R., 1983. It is out of print, but the author had granted pieces of it for educational purposes. The entire article is available here.
• Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 about Catharine Stewart. Missouri Marriage Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.^[2]
• 1840 United States Federal Census, n.d., but after their marriage; so after 17 March 1840 in Fishing River, Ray, Missouri. Tally only. 2 persons with James Keeney as head with wife.
• 1850 United States Federal Census on 12 September 1850 in District 38, Holt, Missouri. Page 39, lines 23-30. ^[3]
• 1860 United States Federal Census on 11 July in Linn County, Oregon. ^[4]
• 1870 United States Federal Census on 7 September in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. Page 13, lines 27-28. ^[5]
• 1880 United States Federal Census on 24 June in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. Page 34, lines 4-9. ^[6]
• Missouri Marriages about Nancy Keeney.
• Oregon, Early Oregonians Index for James.
• U.S. Indexed County Land Ownership Maps for James in 1878 at Shedd and Tangent in Marion and Linn Counties.
• Washington Death Certificates for James Keeney. It mentions wife Nancy Keeney and child Martha Elizabeth Warren.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37884502/james-mordecai-keeney: accessed 21 July 2023), memorial page for James Mordecai Keeney (20 Aug 1816–27 Apr 1885), Find a Grave Memorial ID 37884502, citing Union Point Cemetery, Brownsville, Linn County, Oregon, USA; Maintained by Jim P (contributor 47103099).

Footnotes

1. ↑ 1822 is given on Find A Grave, but Ruts West and the Early Oregonian site give 1819.
2. ↑ Hand written marriage record says something about consent of her mother. Recorded on 15 June 1840.
3. ↑ 1850: Keeney, James 34, farmer, head; Nancy 40, wife; Nancy 12, daughter; Mary 8, daughter; Sarah 6, daughter; Miranda 3, daughter; Ira (Irene) 1, daughter.
4. ↑ 1860: Keeney, James 44, farmer, head; Nancy 51, wife; Mary 17, daughter; Sarah 15, daughter; Minerva 12, daughter; Irene 11, daughter; Martha 9, daughter; John 9 months son; Mary 77, widowed mother.
5. ↑ 1870: Keeney, James 50, farmer, head; Irene 21, daughter; Martha 18, daughter; Overton, George D. 40, stock raiser; Mary 27, wife of George; Ulysses 2, son. His next wife is on line 5 with her 5 children.
6. ↑ 1880: Keeney, James 63, farmer, head; Miranda R. 41, wife; Mordicai 1, son; Pearl, Ann 19, stepdaughter; Callie 15, stepdaughter; Smith, George 20, servant, general labor.